182.072 IMPROVEMENTS IN DOVER DOWNTOWN HISTORIC BUSINESS DISTRICT.

   In the Dover Downtown Business District, bed tax revenue of the City of Dover shall be available for facade improvements in the Dover Downtown Historic Business District, pursuant to the oversight of the ARB Board and Dover City Council as follows:

   (a)   Applications for facade improvements will be excluded from consideration for funding if they do not fall within the Downtown Historic District.

   (b)   An application will be excluded from consideration for funding if it is clear that the request is purely to supplant funding for normal maintenance or replacement that is the responsibility of the building owner.

   (c)   An application will be considered for funding if it seeks to either restore any and/or all features of a facade to either its historic precedent OR to replace an element and/or elements that have been altered substantially from the original to element(s) that may be generally more historically correct in terms of proportion(s), scale, balance, etc.; in simplistic terms, replace the clearly wrong with that which is more right than wrong, and at least creates an era-appropriate impression of the building's facade.

   (d)   Projects are to be approved in advance by the ARB Board and City Council.

   (e)   Any facade work, whether funded or unfunded, will require an approved COA.

   (f)   Grants are eligible for up to fifty percent (50%) of the total improvement costs, subject to funding availability, and the discretion of City Council.

   (g)   Grant money shall be paid as reimbursement with submission of paid invoices to the city auditor.

      (Ord. 39-19. Passed 7-15-19.)