(A) All recommendations for the establishment of a Local Historic District (LHD) shall be in the form of a written report and must be based on the criteria outlined in this section. A recommendation for establishing a LHD may be initiated from either of the following two sources:
(1) Based on its survey, the Commission may draw and submit LHD maps to the City Council for approval.
(2) Owners of real property wishing to establish a LHD which includes their property may petition the Commission to consider drawing and submitting a map or maps of the property to the City Council for its approval. The Commission may establish in its rules certain criteria to be met before it considers a petition.
(B) In order to establish a LHD, the Commission shall first prepare a map describing the District in accordance with the following:
(1) The map shall be based on a survey conducted by the Commission and shall describe the boundaries of the District and shall identify historic buildings, structures, and sites located within the District.
(2) A District may be limited to the boundaries of a property containing a single building, structure, or site.
(C) (1) The Commission shall classify and designate on the map all buildings, structures, and sites within each Historic District described on the map. Buildings, structures, and sites shall be classified as historic or non-historic. Historic buildings, structures, and sites must possess identified historic or architectural merit of a degree warranting their preservation. The Commission shall further classify and designate all buildings and structures within a proposed Historic District as follows:
(a) Outstanding;
(b) Notable; or
(c) Contributing.
(2) Non-historic buildings, structures, and sites are those not classified on the map as historic.
(D) Before a District is established and the building classifications take effect, the map setting forth the District’s boundaries and building classifications must be submitted to, and be approved in an ordinance by, the City Council.
(E) The map establishing boundaries of a Local Historic District must be recorded in the Office of the Clinton County Recorder.
(Ord. 15-02, passed 3-23-15)