The Commission shall have the following powers:
(A) To adopt its own procedural rules.
(B) To conduct an ongoing survey to identify properties, structures, and areas that exemplify the cultural, social, spiritual, economic, political, educational, engineering or architectural history of the city; and to review voluntary owner initiated designation requests.
(C) To keep a register of all designated historic resources including all information required for each designation.
(D) To determine an appropriate system of markers, and to confer recognition upon the owners of historic resources and/or resources by means of certificates, plaques, or markers.
(E) To nominate historic resources to the state and national register of historic places, and to review and comment on any nominations submitted to the state or national registers.
(F) To advise and assist owners of property on physical and financial aspects of preservation and the acceptable options open to their use.
(G) To inform and educate the citizens of the city concerning the historic and architectural heritage of the city by publishing appropriate maps, newsletters, brochures, and pamphlets, and by holding programs and seminars.
(H) To review applications for work affecting designated historic resources and issue a certificate of appropriateness, or deny one after the owner declines an economically feasible plan proposed by the Commission.
(I) To develop specific guidelines for work relating to historic resources, including documentation requirements.
(J) To administer on behalf of the city any property or full or partial interest in real property, including easements, deemed by the Council to have historic significance, that the city may have or accept as a gift or otherwise, upon authorization and approval by the Council.
(K) To accept and administer on behalf of the city such gifts, grants, and money as may be appropriate for the purpose of this chapter. Such funds may be administered in accordance with the ordinances of the city, but a separate accounting shall be made of them and a copy of such accounting given to the Commission at least annually.
(L) To call upon available staff members as well as other experts for technical advice.
(M) To testify before the Council, all boards and commissions on any matter affecting historically and architecturally significant property, structures, and areas.
(N) To investigate and recommend incentive programs to encourage historic preservation.
(O) To review all city licensed or funded physical development projects affecting historic resources, or which may have demonstrable effects on historic resources.
(P) To oversee periodic inspections of all designated historic resources for violations of this chapter, and to request that the City Manager require the correction of the violations.
(Q) To develop a preservation component in the Master Plan and to recommend it to the Planning Commission and to the Council.
(R) To periodically review the Zoning Ordinance and to recommend to the Planning Commission and Council any amendments appropriate for the protection and continued use of historic resources.
(S) To undertake any other action or activity necessary or appropriate to the implementation of its powers, duties or to implementation of the purpose of this chapter.
(Ord. passed 3-12-02)