Historic homes in Fontana: the local rules

Each rule below links to the section of the Fontana Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Fontana's code says

Fontana code What Fontana's code adds
Changing a historic home	A certificate of appropriateness from the city council is required. Applies: Applies to altering, restoring, remodeling, building, adding to, changing use of, moving or removing a designated or proposed resource or overlay-district improvement. § 5-357 · code text Any alteration, restoration, rehabilitation, remodeling, construction, addition, change of use, demolition, relocation or removal of any designated or proposed historical resource or any improvement or object in a designated or proposed historical overlay district shall require a certificate of appropriateness from the city council.
Demolishing an older or historic home	A certificate of appropriateness from the city council is required. Applies: Applies to demolishing a designated or proposed historical resource or improvement in a historical overlay district. § 5-357 · code text Any alteration, restoration, rehabilitation, remodeling, construction, addition, change of use, demolition, relocation or removal of any designated or proposed historical resource or any improvement or object in a designated or proposed historical overlay district shall require a certificate of appropriateness from the city council. No building, alteration, demolition or removal permit is issued while the hearing or any appeal is pending. Applies: Applies to a proposed historical resource or historic overlay district. § 5-356 · code text No permits for building, alteration, demolition or removal of any improvement, building or structure of a proposed historical resource or historic overlay district shall be issued while the public hearing or any related appeal is pending.
Work that needs no review	Ordinary maintenance or repairs are exempt. Applies: Applies if no change to design, exterior material or original appearance of a historical resource or overlay-district improvement. § 5-357 · code text Ordinary maintenance or repairs that do not involve a change in design, exterior material or original appearance of an historical resource or an improvement or object in an historical overlay district; Work on an architectural feature is exempt: construction, alteration, restoration, demolition or removal. Applies: Only if needed for public safety, certified by the city building official, and replaceable to the secretary of the interior's standards. § 5-357 · code text Any construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, demolition or removal of any architectural feature when the city building official certifies to the city council that such action is necessary to protect the public health or safety due to an unsafe or dangerous condition which cannot be rectified through the use of the state historic building code and when such architectural feature can be replaced according to the secretary of the interior's standards.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What rules apply to a historic home in Fontana?

Fontana's code: A certificate of appropriateness from the city council is required. (Applies to altering, restoring, remodeling, building, adding to, changing use of, moving or removing a designated or proposed resource or overlay-district improvement.) (§ 5-357); A certificate of appropriateness from the city council is required. (Applies to demolishing a designated or proposed historical resource or improvement in a historical overlay district.) (§ 5-357).

Historic homes in Fontana

What Fontana's code says

Who this affects

Frequently asked questions

Ask about a specific Fontana property

More on building on your lot in Fontana