As used in this chapter:
(a) "Accessory structure" means a permanent or semi-permanent exterior object which serves or is used by the occupants or potential occupants of the main structure, including without limitation sheds, fences, porches or decks, pergolas, awnings, gazebos, signs, plaques and other exterior fixtures.
(b) "Addition" means any act or process that changes one or more of the exterior architectural features of a building or structure by adding to, joining with, or increasing the size or capacity of the building or structure.
(c) "Alteration" means any material or visual change other than normal maintenance and repair to the exterior of any building or accessory structure located within an historic district or to any historic property or to the publicly accessible interior of any listed property which was listed in whole or in part because of the interior's historic or architectural significance.
(d) "Applicant" means any owner, person, association, partnership, or corporation who or which applies for a certificate of appropriateness in order to undertake any change on property designated as a landmark or that is within a historic district.
(e) "Ashtabula Historic Preservation Commission" is the commission established under the provisions of the enabling legislation.
(f) "Certificate of appropriateness" or "COA” means a certificate issued by the Ashtabula Historic Preservation Commission indicating that a proposed change, alteration, construction or demolition of a designated historic building or structure or within a designated historic site or district is in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(g) "Change" means any alteration, demolition, removal or construction involving any buildings or accessory structures located on any real property subject to the provisions of this chapter. The change shall not be related to ordinary maintenance or repair of any property provided that such work involves no change in material, design, texture, color or outer appearance of such property.
(h) "Construction" means the act of constructing an addition to an existing building or structure or the erection of a new principal or accessory structure on a lot of property.
(I) "Demolition" means any act or process that destroys in whole or in part any building or structure.
(j) "Historic district" means any area designated by ordinance of the City which contains within definable geographic boundaries, buildings, structures, accessory structures or sites of historic, architectural or archaeological significance.
(k) "Landmark" means any building, structure, site, work of art, or object that has been designated as a "landmark" by ordinance of the City, pursuant to procedures prescribed herein, that is worthy of preservation, restoration or rehabilitation because of its historic, architectural or archaeological significance.
(l) "Owner" means the owner or owners of record.
(m) "Preservation" means the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity and materials of an historic property.
(n) "Reconstruction" means the process of reproducing by new construction the exact form and detail of a vanished structure, or part of it, as it appeared at a specific period of time. Reconstruction should be undertaken only when the property to be reconstructed is essential for understanding and interpreting the value of an historic district and sufficient historical documentation exists to insure an exact reproduction of the original.
(o) "Rehabilitation" means the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible and efficient contemporary use. In rehabilitation, those portions of the property which are important in illustrating historic and cultural values are preserved or restored.
(p) "Restoration" means the process of accurately recovering the form and details of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of removal of later work and the replacement of missing original work.
(Ord. 2019-91. Passed 8-5-19.)