Santa Clara County maintains a Heritage Resource Inventory under SCC Ordinance NS-1200.27. Landmarked properties receive county Historical Heritage Commission review before alteration, demolition, or relocation, and qualify for state Mills Act tax relief.
Designation as a county Heritage Resource follows SCC Ordinance NS-1200.27 and the County General Plan policy framework. The Historical Heritage Commission, an eleven-member advisory body, reviews nominations using criteria modeled on the National Register: architectural merit, association with significant events, embodiment of distinctive characteristics, or potential to yield archaeological information. Listed resources require commission concurrence on demolition permits and major exterior alterations under Title C zoning rules. Designation also unlocks Mills Act contracts, the State Historical Building Code, and CEQA categorical exemption for in-kind repairs. Non-designated properties on the Heritage Resource Inventory still trigger CEQA review when demolition is proposed.
Demolishing or altering a designated heritage resource without commission review triggers stop-work orders, mandatory restoration, CEQA enforcement actions, and administrative fines compounding daily until the violation is cured.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) enforces a voluntary curfew and noise abatement procedures, with FAA preemption limiting local authority over flight operations.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto prohibits amplified music audible beyond the property line during quiet hours and requires a special event permit for outdoor amplification in publ...
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto enforces strict decibel limits by zone under PAMC 9.10.040: 60 dBA day / 50 dBA night in residential, scaling up to 70 dBA in manufacturing zones.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto permits construction Monday-Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm, with no work allowed on Sundays or holidays under PAMC 9.10.060.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto requires encroachment permits for new driveways, regulates curb cut dimensions, and prohibits blocking sidewalks or adjacent driveways under traffi...
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto restricts RV, trailer, and boat storage on public streets and requires screening for large recreational vehicles on residential property under zoni...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how Palo Alto's historic-cultural monuments rules stack up against other locations.
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