Local Ordinances and Codes
A number of cities and counties have passed their own local ordinances regarding cultural resources. These ordinances generally have several goals:
- To clarify the procedures for dealing with cultural resources for both the developer and the landowner.
- To ensure that only qualified archaeologists are selected for performing the work.
- To standardize archaeological report content and format.
In addition, many of these ordinances have specific provisions to protect local cultural resources that are deemed important to the local community or county but which may not be sufficiently protected by state and/or federal regulations. These local ordinances often help ensure that a developer or landowner does not end up with a substandard archaeological report that is not acceptable to theRegional Archaeological Information Centers.
Examples of government entities which have passed such ordinances include the counties of San Diego, Santa Barbara, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Monterey, Mendocino, San Benito, Calaveras, Tuolumne, Lake, and Sonoma, and the cities of Santa Barbara, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Rosa, and Fontana.
Contact your County or City Planning Agencies to inquire if local ordinances have been passed regarding cultural resources.
Links to County and City Governments