It shall be the duty of the Commission to review all plans for new construction, addition, alteration, demolition, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair, restoration, or the moving of district resources in a historic district, and it shall have the power to pass upon such plans before a permit for the activity can be granted. The Commission may authorize the building official to review certain types of plans involving alteration, addition, or repair of district resources in a historic district and to grant permits before review by the Commission.
The review of plans shall be based on established and nationally accepted preservation standards known as “the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation” and the guidelines established in the bylaws of the Commission. The guidelines developed by the Commission shall apply to all historic districts and shall describe criteria related to the general compatibility of exterior design, structural height, mass arrangement, texture, and proposed building materials.
The preservation guidelines shall be developed by the Commission as the first order of business upon its creation, and shall be the subject of at least one public hearing, and shall be approved by the City Council. In addition to the preservation guidelines, the Commission shall give consideration to historical, architectural, and archaeological values and significance of the district resource and its relationship to the historical, architectural, and archaeological value of the surrounding area, and to other factors, including aesthetic, which it deems pertinent.
Until such time as the Commission adopts the aforementioned preservation guidelines, its review of plans shall be based on the established and nationally accepted preservation standards known as “the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation” presented in the final report of the Historic District Study Committee to the City Council on March 26, 1979.
The Commission shall review only exterior features of a district resource; interior arrangements shall not be considered unless they negatively impact exterior features. Nor shall the Commission disapprove applications except as provided in the previous paragraphs. The district resources to be considered are limited to those within the historic districts described in § 2-143(b). It is the intent of this section that the Commission shall act as a facilitator in order to work out feasible design and preservation solutions and shall provide guidance to the property owners. The Commission shall be lenient in its judgment of plans for new construction, addition, alteration, demolition, reconstruction, rehabilitation, repair, restoration, or moving of district resources of little historical, architectural, or archaeological value except when the aforementioned activities would seriously impair the historical, architectural, or archaeological value and character of the surrounding district resources of the surrounding area. The administration may provide whatever professional assistance the Commission may deem necessary to aid in its deliberations.
The Commission shall have the power to issue a certificate of appropriateness if it approves of the plans submitted for its review. The City Building Official shall not issue a building permit except as otherwise noted in this section until such certificate of appropriateness has been issued by the Commission.
The Historic District Commission may:
(1) Carry out, assist, and collaborate in studies and programs designed to identify and evaluate additional district resources and historic districts worthy of preservation under this ordinance as recommended by a duly appointed Historic District Study Committee;
(2) Consult with and consider the ideas and recommendations of civic groups, public agencies, and citizens interested in historic preservation;
(3) Inspect and investigate district resources which it has reason to believe worthy of preservation;
(4) Disseminate information to the public concerning those district resources deemed worthy of preservation, and may encourage and advise property owners in the protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of other recognized property of historic, architectural, and archaeological interest;
(5) Consider methods other than those provided for in this chapter for encouraging and achieving historic preservation, and make appropriate recommendations to the City Council and other bodies and agencies, both public and private;
(6) Establish such policies, rules, and regulations as it deems necessary to administer its duties as herein provided;
(7) Maintain and use its own funds to acquire property or gifts for preservation purposes, grants from State or Federal governments, and to administer such resources and acquisitions in accordance with purposes herein provided.
(Ord. 2707, passed 4-23-1979)