California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 3 - Department of Parks and Recreation
Chapter 11.5 - California Register of Historical Resources
Appendix A - A Glossary of Terms as Used in the California Register of Historical Resources
A
Archaeological District. An area defined by a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites.
Archaeological Site. A bounded area of a resource containing archaeological deposits or features that is defined in part by the character and location of such deposits or features.
The Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (16 U.S.C. 470aa). Provides for protection of terrestiral and submerged archaeological resources. Authorizes criminal prosecution for the excavation, removal, or damage of archaeological resources on public or Indian lands without appropriate permit. Governs the transportation of illegally obtained materials, access to information, and the permitting process.B
Boundaries. Lines delineating the geographical extent or area of an historical resource.
Building. A resource, such as a house, barn, church, factory, hotel, or similar structure, created principally to shelter or assist in carrying out any form of human activity. Also, used to refer to an historically and functionally related unit, such as a courthouse and jail or a house and barn.C
California Historical Resources Information System (CHRIS). That collection of Site Records, Historic Resource Inventory Forms, and all information on historical resources which has been acquired and managed by the State Office of Historic Preservation since 1975. This shall include the State Historic Resources Inventory, the California Archaeological Site Inventory, properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, California Registered Historical Landmarks, California Points of Historical Interest, and the California Register of Historical Resources.
Conservation Easement. A less than fee simple interest in real property recorded as a deed restriction which is designated to protect the historic, cultural, archaeological, or ecological characteristics of a property. For purposes of the regulations in this chapter, it is interchangeable wit the term "Preservation Easement." Cultural Heritage. Pertaining to the sum total of traditions, body of knowledge, etc., inherited as possessions, characteristics, or conditions expressing a traditional way of life subject to gradual, but continuous modifications by succeeding generations.
Cultural Resource. See Historical Resource.
Culture. A linkage of people possessing shared values, beliefs, and historical associations coupling social institutions and physical materials necessary for collective survival.D
Disclosure, archaeological site. To make available any records that pertain to an archaeological site. However, "archaeological site disclosure" need not take place if the nomination of a resource to the California Register requires making known any records which related to archaeological site information when those records are maintained by either the Department of Parks and Recreation or the State Historical Resources Commission.
District. A geographic area which possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, areas, structures, or objects which are united historically, culturally, or aesthetically by plan, history, or physical development. For purposes of the regulations in this chapter, this term is interchangeable with "Historic District." DPR Form 422. Department of Parks and Recreation Archaeological Resources Inventory Form Number 422.
DPR Form 523. Department of Parks and Recreation Historic Resources Inventory Form Number 523.E
Evaluation. A process carried out by the State Historical Resource Commission whereby the significance and integrity of an historical resource is judged, thereby determining its eligibility for listing.F
Footprint. The form or pattern made by the perimeter of a building or other resource. Often used in connection with sketch maps or boundaries. A sketch map may show the footprint of historic resources as they are found on a parcel of land.
Formally Determined Eligible for Listing. An historical resource shall be considered "formally determined eligible for listing" when the State Historical Resources Commission accepts the nomination of the historical resource and designates the property as eligible for listing in the California Register.G
Geographical Area. An area of land containing historical or archaeological resources that can be identified on a map and delineated by boundaries.H
Historic Context. An organizing structure for interpreting history that groups information about historical resources sharing a common theme, geographical area, or chronology. The development of "historic context" is a foundation for decisions regarding the planning, identification, evaluation, registration, and treatment of historical resources based upon comparative historic significance.
Historic District. A geographic area which contains a concentration of historic buildings, structures, or sites united historically, culturally, or architecturally. "Historic districts" are defined by precise geographic boundaries. Therefore, "historic districts" with unusual boundaries require a description of what lies immediately outside the areas in order to define the edge of the district and to explain the exclusion of adjoining areas.
Historic Fabric. (1) With regard to an historic building, "historic fabric" means the particular materials, ornamentation, and architectural features which are consistent with the historic character of the building. (2) With regard to an historic district, "historic fabric" means all sites, buildings, structures, features, objects, landscaping, street elements, and related design components of the district which are consistent with the historic character of the district. (3) With regard to an archaeological district, "historic fabric" means sites, standing structures or buildings, historic landscape (land disturbance such as grading or construction), features (remnants of walls), and objects (artifacts) which are consistent with the historic character of the district.
Historic Integrity. The ability of a resource to convey its historical significance.
Historic Resources Inventory Form (DPR Form 523). A document which describes the characteristics and locations of buildings, structures, objects, and districts recorded for inclusion in an Historic Resources Inventory.
Historical Landmarks. See State Historical Landmark.
Historical Resource. Any object, building, structure, site, area, place, record, or manuscript which is historically or archaeological significant, or which is significant in the architectural, engineering, scientific, economic, agricultural, educational, social, political, military, or cultural history of California.
Historical Resources Inventory. A set of data, such as a list of historical resources, generated through an Historical Resources Survey.
Historical Resources Survey. The process of systematically identifying, researching, photographing, and documenting historical resources within a defined geographic area.I
Identification. The process by which information is gathered regarding historical resources.
Information Center. See Regional Information Center.L
Landscape, Cultural. A geographic area that (1) has been used, shaped, or modified by human activity, occupation, intervention; or (2) possesses significant value in the belief system of a culture or society.
Landscape, Designed. A geographic area that (1) has significant as a design or work of art; (2) was consciously designed and laid out by (a) a designer according to academic or professional design standards, theories, or philosophies of landscape architecture; or (b) by an amateur using a recognized style or tradition; (3) has an historical association with a significant person, trend, or event in landscape gardening or landscape architecture; or (4) has a significant relationship to the theory or practice of landscape architecture.
Landscape, Rural. A geographic area that (1) has historically been shaped or modified by human activity, occupancy, or intervention; (2) possesses a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of areas of land use, vegetation, buildings or structures, roads or waterways, or natural features; or (3) provides a sense of place.
Listed. A California Register historical resource shall be considered "listed" when (1) the State Historical Resources Commission, after reviewing the nomination of the historical resource, accepts it for listing in the California Register; or (2) it has been automatically "listed" under Public Resources Code Section 5024.1(d)(1) & (2).
Local government. A public agency with land-use control authority over a designated historical resource. Local governments may include special district, tribal, city, or county governments.M
Manuscript. (1) Bodies or groups of personal papers. (2) Collections of documents acquired from various sources according to a plan. (3) Individual documents acquired by a manuscripts repository because of their special importance. (Society of American Archivists)N
National Environmental Policy Act of 1989 (NEPA). (42 U.S.C. 4321-4327 (1969) (amended)). Created a process by which to analyze significant environmental impacts, including impacts to historical resources, for federally funded or licensed actions.
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). (16 U.S.C. 470 (1966) (amended)). Established the National Register of Historic Places. Created a partnership between federal, state, and local agencies to extend the national historic preservation programs to properties of state and local significance.
National Register Criteria. The federally established standards for evaluating the eligibility of properties for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.
National Register of Historic Places, The. (16 U.S.C. 470a, 36 C.F.R. Parts 60, 63). The official inventory of districts, sties, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, and culture which is maintained by the Secretary of the Interior under the authority of the Historic Sites Act of 1935 (16 U.S.C. 461-467 (1935) (amended)) and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 U.S.C. 470 (1966) (amended)).
Nomination. A formal application, submitted to the State Historical Resources Commission, for listing an historical resource on the California Register of Historical Resources.O
Object. Manifestations that are primarily artistic in nature, or are relatively small in scale and simply constructed. The "object" may be a fixture (real property) or movable (personal property). Although it may be movable by nature or design, an object must be associated with a specific setting or environment. The "object" should be in a setting appropriate to its significant historical use, role or character; for example, a fountain or boundary marker.
Officer. The State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) is appointed by the Governor under the authority of Public Resources Code Section 5020.6. The SHPO serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Office of Historic Preservation and Executive Secretary of the State Historical Resources Commission. The SHPO administers state and federally mandated historic preservation programs under the authority of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, Section 101(b)(3), (16 U.S.C. 470 (1966) (amended)) and Cal. Pub. Res. Code Section 5024.
Owner. Those individuals, partnerships, corporations, or public agencies holding fee simple title to a resource. The term does not include individuals, partnerships, corporations, or public agencies holding easements or less fee simple interests, including leaseholds.P
Penal Code, Section 622.5. Provides misdemeanor penalties for every person, other than the owner, who injures or destroys objects of historical or archeological interest located on public or private lands.
Point of Historical Interest. The California Point of Historical Interest Program (Cal. Pub. Res. Code Section 5021) is a state historical resources registration program, established in 1965, which provides official recognition for historical resources that are significant at a county or regional level, but do not quality for designation as California Registered Historical Landmarks.
Preservation (treatment). The act or process of applying measures to sustain the existing form, integrity, or historic fabric of an historical building or structure, or the form or vegetative cover of an historic site. It may include stabilization work, as well as ongoing maintenance of the historic fabric.
Preservation Commission. A city or county board of appointed citizens with assigned responsibilities for surveying, designating, and protecting historical resources. May also be called an historic review board, design review board, landmarks commission, or cultural heritage commission.
Primary Number. The number used to identify and retrieve records regarding a specific site in the California Historical Resources Information System. The Primary Number describes the location of a resource in the same manner as a Site Trinomial Number.
Protection (treatment). The act or process of applying measures to affect the physical condition of an historical resource by guarding it from deterioration, loss, or attack by natural causes, or to cover or shield it from threat of danger or harm. In the case of buildings or structures, these measures are usually temporary; however, with regard to archeological resources, protective measures may be temporary or permanent.
Public Resources Code, Section 5097.5. Defines as a misdemeanor the unauthorized disturbance or removal of archeological, historical, or paleontological resources located on public lands.R
Reconstruction (treatment). The act or process of reproduction through construction the exact form and detail of a vanished building, structure, or object, or any part thereof, as it appeared at a specified period of time.
Recordation. Section 27288.2 of the Government Code and Section 5029 of the Public Resources Code require the County Recorder to record a certified resolution of historical resources designation containing the name of the current property owner, the historical resources registration program, the designating entity, the specific historical resources designation, and a legal description of the property.
Regional Information Center. An Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System, under contract to the Office of Historic Preservation, which receives, manages, and provides information on historical and archeological resources. "An Information Center" may also provide training or technical assistance on a fee-for-service basis.
Registration. A program by which an historic resource is documented, evaluated, and determined eligible or nominated for listing as a type of historical resource. Such programs may be local, state, or national.
Rehabilitation (treatment). The act or process of returning a property to a state of utility through repair or alteration which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions or features of the property which are significant to its historical, architectural, and cultural values.
Research Design. Reveals the logic that will be used to direct identification, documentation, investigation, analysis, or treatment of an historical resource that identifies the goals, methods and techniques, potential results, and the relationship of the potential results to other proposed activities or treatments.
Resource, Contributing. A resource which by location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association adds to the sense of historical authenticity, historical development, or value of an historical resource.
Resource, Non Contributing. An historical resource which does not add to the sense of historical authenticity or evolution of an historic property or where the location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, history, and/or association of the historical resource have been so altered or deteriorated that the overall integrity of that resource has been irretrievably lost.
Restoration (treatment). The act or process of reproducing the exact form and detail of a vanished building, structure, or object, or a part thereof, as it appeared at a specific period of time.S
Secretary of Interior Standards. Identified in the Secretary of the Interior Standards and Guidelines for Historic Preservation Projects (36 C.F.R. 67), with accompanying interpretive guidelines, which are utilized by federal agencies in the preservation of historical properties that are listed, or are eligible for listing, on the National Register. They are also used by some State Historic Preservation Offices in evaluating projects proposed as historical resources in accordance with federal regulations; or by local governments, organizations, and individuals in making decisions about the identification, evaluation, registration, or treatment of historic properties. The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation is aimed at retaining and preserving those features and materials which are important in defining the historic character of an historical resource. Technical advice about archeological and historic preservation activities and methods is also included in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.
Site. A location of a significant event, a prehistoric or historic occupation or activity, or a building or structure, whether standing, ruined, or vanished, where the location itself possesses historical, cultural, or archeological value regardless of the value of any existing building, structure, or object. A "site" need not be marked by physical remains if it is the location of a prehistoric or historic event and if no buildings, structures, or objects marked it at that time. Examples include trails, designed landscapes, battlefields, habitation sites, Native American ceremonial areas, petroglyphs, and pictographs.
Site Record. A document which describes the characteristics and location of a site, and which has been completed for entry in the California Archaeological Site Inventory.
Site Trinomial Number. A site registration number assigned by the Office of Historic Preservation to a specific archeological resource under which all documentation for that resource will be recorded.
Stabilization (treatment). The act or process of applying measures designed to establish a weather resistant enclosure and the structural stability of an unsafe or deteriorated property, or one which has the potential to deteriorate or to become unsafe, while maintaining the essential form as it exists at present.
State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO). See Officer.
State Historic Resources Inventory. Compilation of all identified and evaluated historical resources maintained by the State Office of Historic Preservation. It includes all those historical resources evaluated in surveys that were conducted in accordance with criteria established by the Office (see Appendix B) and were thereafter determined eligible for, or listed in, the National Register of Historic Places or designated as California Registered Historical Landmarks, California Points of Historical Interest, or the California Register of Historical Resources.
State Historical Building Code (SHBC). The State Historical Building Code is contained in Part 8 of Title 24 (State Building Standards Code) and applies to all qualified historical structures, districts, and sites designated under federal, state, or local authority. It provides alternatives to the Uniform Building Code in cases consistent with building regulations for the rehabilitation, preservation, restoration, or relocation of qualified historic structures designated as historic buildings.
State Historical Landmarks. The California Registered Historical Landmarks Program (Cal. Pub. Res. Code Section 5021) is a state historical resources registration program which was created in 1949 to recognize historical resources with regional and statewide significance to the history of California.
State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC). Commission appointed by the Governor under Public Resources Code Section 5020.4 and 5020.5. The SHRC has broad responsibilities for the statewide historic preservation program that include conducting a statewide inventory of historical resources, establishing criteria for evaluating historical resources, and conducting public hearings to develop and review a statewide historical resources plan.
Statement of Significance. An organizational format which groups information about related historical resources based on theme, geographic units, and chronological period. The information should describe why the resource is significant within a relevant historic context.
Structure. A construction made for a functional purpose rather than creating human shelter. Examples of structures include mines, bridges, and funnels.T
Tax Certification. A provision of federal tax law which, under certain conditions, allows money invested in capital rehabilitation to be deducted from income taxes owed. See those provisions for certified National Register structure which are included in the Economic Recovery Act of 1981 (Internal Revenue Code Section 48, 168, 170, and 280 B).
Traditional Cultural Properties. A geographic area or historical resource that embodies important cultural values. It may contain landscape characteristics that are the tangible evidence of the activities and habits of the people who occupied, developed, and shaped the land to serve their needs, or it may include several categories of properties. It may also contain, or consist primarily of, natural features which are important in a religious or belief system.U
UTM Coordinates. A set of metric coordinates (easting and northing) that indicate a unique location according to the Universal Transverse Mercator grid appearing on maps of the United States Geological Survey.
