(A) The Commission may recommend to the Town Council that an individual property be designated as a landmark, if it:
(1) Possesses special character or historic or aesthetic interest or value as part of the cultural, political, economic or social history of the locality, region, state or nation;
(2) Is identified with historic personages;
(3) Embodies the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style;
(4) Is the work of a designer whose work has significantly influenced an age; or
(5) Because of a unique location or singular physical characteristic, represents an established and familiar visual feature of the neighborhood.
(B) (1) The Commission may recommend to the Town Council that a group of properties be designated as a Historic District if it:
(a) Contains several properties which meet one or more of the criteria for designation of a landmark;
(b) By reason of possessing such qualities, it constitutes a district section of the town; and
(c) The majority owner(s) of the properties concur with the designation.
(2) The boundaries of each Historic District designated henceforth shall be specified in detail and shall be filed, in writing, in the Town Clerk’s office for public inspection.
(C) Notice of a proposed designation shall be sent by registered mail to the owner(s) of the property proposed for designation, either by the Commission or by the owner, describing the property proposed and announcing a public hearing by the Commission to consider the designation. Where the proposed designation involves so many owners that individual notice is infeasible, notice may instead be published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation at least 15 days prior to the date of public hearing. Once the Commission has issued notice of a proposed designation, no building permits shall be issued by the Building Inspector until the Commission has made its decision.
(D) The Commission shall hold a public hearing prior to designate on of any landmark or Historic District. The testimony or documentary evidence at the hearing will become part of a record regarding the historic, architectural or cultural importance of the proposed landmark or Historic District. The record may also contain staff reports, public comments or other evidence offered outside of the hearing.
(E) The Commission shall forward notice of each proposed property designated as a landmark and of the boundaries of each designated Historic District to the Town Council for final designation, and subsequently to the office of the County Clerk for recordation, as appropriate.
(Ord. 01-96, passed 3-14-1996)