(A) (1) In passing upon an application for a certificate of appropriateness, the Historic Preservation Commission shall not consider changes to interior spaces, unless they are open to the public, or to architectural features that are not visible from a public street or alley.
(2) The Commission’s decision shall be based upon the following principles.
(a) Properties which contribute to the character of the Historic District shall be retained, with their historic features altered as little as possible.
(b) Any alteration of existing historic landmark properties shall be compatible with its historic character. Any alteration of existing properties within a Historic District shall be compatible with its historic character as well as with the surrounding district.
(c) New construction shall be compatible with the district in which it is located.
(B) In applying the principle of compatibility, the Commission shall consider the following factors:
(1) The general design character and appropriateness to the property of the proposed alteration or new construction;
(2) The scale of proposed alteration or new construction in relation to the property itself, surrounding properties and the neighborhood;
(3) Texture, materials and color and their relation to similar features of other properties in the neighborhood;
(4) Visual compatibility with surrounding properties, including proportion of the property’s front facade, proportion and arrangement of windows and other openings with the facade, roof shape and the rhythm of spacing of properties on streets, including setback; and
(5) The importance of historic, architectural or other features to the significance of the property.
(C) As a guide to rehabilitation work, the Commission shall utilize the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (1990 Edition).
(Ord. 01-96, passed 3-14-1996)