(A) There is hereby established in and for the city a commission to be known as the Berwyn Historic Preservation Commission.
(B) The Commission shall consist of seven members, including a Chairperson, to be appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council. Appointment shall be on a staggered basis for terms of three years, beginning on April 1, except that all initial appointments made after the enactment of this chapter will be for such period, not to exceed three years, as is necessary to cause the terms of no more than three members and no fewer than two members to expire in any given year. Members may be re- appointed at any time.
(C) All members of the Commission shall have demonstrated expertise in at least one of the disciplines of history, architectural history, art history, architecture, architectural history, historic architecture, engineering, planning, law, real estate, historic preservation or a related field. "Demonstrated expertise" must include at least one of the following:
(1) A graduate degree in one of the enumerated disciplines; or
(2) A bachelor's degree in one of the enumerated discipline plus at least two years of full-time experience in research, writing, teaching, management, or other demonstrable professional activity within an academic institution, historical organization or agency, museum, government agency, or private corporation; or
(3) At least five years of full-time employment experience in one of the enumerated disciplines; or
(4) At least two years in a leadership role in a local, state or national preservation organization, museum, historical society, arts organization, or related organization.
(D) The Commission shall have the following duties:
(1) To conduct an ongoing survey and inventory for the purpose of identifying those historic landmarks within the city that exemplify the architectural, social, cultural, economic and political history of the city, state or nation;
(2) To receive or make nominations for the designation of historic landmarks and Historic Districts; to review and recommend designation criteria to the City Council; to hold public hearings; and to recommend to the City Council those designations;
(3) To recommend to the City Council the adoption of specific guidelines, based upon the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, to be used in the application of the city’s Historic Preservation Ordinance to the alteration, construction, relocation, removal or demolition of the historic landmarks or of properties and/or improvements within Historic Districts;
(4) Upon referral from the Director of Buildings, assist the review of permit applications for alteration, construction, relocation, removal or demolition affecting historic landmarks, and properties and/or improvements in Historic Districts and to request the presentation of the drawings (floor plans, elevations and details), specifications and other information as may be necessary to review those applications;
(5) To approve, modify or deny applications for certificates of appropriateness and certificates of economic hardship for historic landmarks, in accordance with these Codified Ordinances, and to respond to appeals of the decision to the City Council;
(6) Upon referral from the Director of Buildings, assist in the review of proposed zoning amendments, applications for special use permits including planned use developments, subdivisions and applications for zoning variances that affect nominated, proposed or designated historic landmarks and Historic Districts, and may present evidence at public hearing in support or opposition or make recommendations thereon to the Zoning Board of Appeals and City Council;
(7) To recommend to the City Council the adoption of an appropriate system of historically and architecturally compatible streetscape elements, including but not limited to paving materials, curbs, sidewalks, streetlights, street and Historic District signage, and to make recommendations for the design and implementation of the streetscape elements;
(8) To advise the City Council, all city departments, any commission or other agency on matters affecting nominated, proposed or designated historic landmarks or Historic Districts;
(9) To provide general guidance to interested parties on technical and financial aspects of historic preservation and to indicate to the parties that they may only rely upon independent professional advice and consultation as a basis for final decision with regard to these matters;
(10) To advise and assist interested parties on procedures for inclusion in the National and State Registers of Historic Places;
(11) To nominate properties and/or structures, improvements or areas to the National Register of Historic Places;
(12) To encourage the library to maintain preservation-related documents and to keep the materials available for public use;
(13) To inform and educate the citizens of the city concerning the historic and architectural heritage of the city;
(14) To call upon assigned city staff members as well as other expert volunteers for technical advice and assistance;
(15) To request the City Council to retain the specialists or consultants and to request the City Council to appoint the citizen advisory committees as may be required from time to time;
(16) To investigate, review and recommend to the City Council the acceptance of any gifts of property, transferred to the city, or property leased, or owned by the city for the purpose of preserving or enhancing the historically significant aspect of properties, improvements or areas;
(17) To recommend and assist in the application for funds on behalf of the city from federal, state and private sources with the City Council’s prior approval, to further the goals of historic preservation herein set forth;
(18) To confer recognition, from time to time, as appropriate, upon owners of historic landmarks or property or structures within Historic Districts by means of award certificates, plaques or markers;
(19) To assume whatever responsibilities and duties may be delegated to it by the City Council with regard to the certified local government provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, being 16 U.S.C. § 470, as amended;
(20) To perform, in a timely and thorough manner, all of the duties delegated to the Commission under the Historic Preservation Ordinance set forth in the city code; and
(21) To recommend to the Council adoption of the Commission’s Rules and procedures or amendments thereto.
(Ord. 06-50, passed 11-28-2006; Ord. 11-04, passed 1-25-2011; Ord. 11-19, passed 4-26-2011)