(A) All recommendations for the establishment of a local historic district 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 local historic district may be initiated from either of the following two sources:
(1) Based on its survey, the Commission may draw and submit local historic district maps for City Council approval.
(2) Owners of property in fee simple wishing to establish a local historic district which includes their property may petition the Commission to consider drawing and submitting a map or maps of said property(ies) to the City Council for its approval. The Commission may establish in its rules criteria to be met before it considers a petition.
(B) Commission preparation of local historic district maps. In order to establish a local historic district, 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 which identifies historic buildings, structures, and sites located within the city.
(2) A district may be limited to the boundaries of a property containing a single building, structure, object, landscape, or site or may contain a concentration of buildings, structures, objects, landscapes, or sites.
(3) The map may divide the district into primary and secondary areas as follows:
(a) Primary area. The principal area of historic and architectural significance.
(b) Secondary area. An area adjacent to a primary area which has a visual relationship to the primary area and could affect the preservation of the primary area. The purpose of designating a secondary area is to assure its compatibility and harmony with an adjacent primary area.
(C) Classifications. The Commission shall classify and designate on the map all buildings, structures, and sites within each local 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 local historic district as follows:
(1) Outstanding;
(2) Notable;
(3) Contributing; or
(4) Non-contributing.
(D) Criteria for designation. A local historic district shall not be established unless the proposed map includes a building, groups of buildings, structures, sites, objects, streetscapes, landscape or neighborhoods which meet at least one of the following criteria:
(1) Are associated with the events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history;
(2) Are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;
(3) Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, that represent the work of a master, possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; and/or
(4) Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history.
(E) City Council approval of local historic districts. Before a local historic 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 approved in an ordinance by, the City Council. The procedure for doing so shall be as follows:
(1) The Commission shall hold a public hearing to allow public comment. The public hearing may be held separately or in conjunction with the meeting where action on the district is to occur. Such hearing shall be preceded by public notice as set forth in IC 5-3-1.
(2) Upon receiving a favorable recommendation for local historic district designation from the Commission, the map will be submitted to City Council for its approval.
(F) Recording the fact of designation. The map establishing boundaries of a local historic district shall be recorded in the Office of the Allen County Recorder.
(G) Post designation notice. All owners of property receiving local historic district designation shall be notified by mail of the designation within 60 days following approval by City Council.
(H) Location of maps. All designations shall be recorded on a map maintained in the Office of Land Use Management.
(Ord. G-06-08, passed 6-10-08)