(a) The City is fully developed with little vacant land and covers a compact geographic area. High quality architecture and overall aesthetic and physical attributes in the residential, commercial, and mixed-use districts of Bexley have played a large part in maintaining residential property values and the overall quality of life in the City. Residential property values have been maintained, in significant part, due to the City's unique physical attributes such as high quality homes built primarily in the early and mid 20th century and reflecting the diverse architectural styles and sizes of that period, distinctive established neighborhoods, and plentiful mature trees and landscaping on both public and private property. The demolition of existing residential structures, which frequently also results in the destruction or removal of mature trees and significant landscape features, may constitute an irreplaceable loss to the quality and character of a neighborhood and the City.
(b) Recognizing the need to balance the benefits of preserving the City's existing quality and character against the benefits of responsible renewal and redevelopment of the City's aging commercial and housing stock, the Architectural Review Board (ARB) is hereby established to maintain the quality of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors in the City; to promote, preserve and enhance the existing character of various residential neighborhoods in the City by encouraging the retention of buildings which have historic, architectural or cultural value or which are otherwise worthy of preservation, maintaining lot size and building scale appropriate to each neighborhood, and minimizing or avoiding the adverse potential impacts of vacant lots within fully developed neighborhoods; to promote and improve the quality of neighborhoods and commercial corridors by permitting the demolition and replacement of existing residential buildings when they are not worthy of preservation or cannot be economically maintained or restored or when there are other compelling reasons to do so; to protect and preserve property values and the City's tax base; and to promote the general welfare by regulating the demolition or removal of existing structures, the exterior characteristics of new structures and the modification of existing structures throughout the City.
(Ord. 29-16. Passed 11-15-16.)