(A) Certificates of appropriateness (COA) required. A certificate of appropriateness must be issued by the Commission before a permit is issued for, or work is begun on, any of the following:
(1) Within all areas of a local historic district:
(a) The demolition of any building or structure;
(b) The moving of any building or structure;
(c) A conspicuous change in the exterior appearance of any historic building or structure, or any part of or appurtenance to such a building or structure, including walls, fences, light fixtures, steps, paving, landscaping, and signs by additions, reconstruction, alteration, or maintenance involving exterior color change; or
(d) Any new construction of a principal building or accessory building or structure subject to view from a public way.
(e) Conspicuous and visible changes within the public right-of-way.
(2) Within a primary area of a local historic district:
(a) A change in walls and fences, or the construction of walls and fences along public ways;
(b) A conspicuous change in the exterior appearance of non-historic buildings subject to view from a public way by additions, reconstruction, alteration and/or maintenance involving exterior color change.
(3) Within a conservation district:
(a) The demolition of any building;
(b) The moving of any building; or
(c) Any new construction of a principal building, accessory building, or structure, or any addition to an existing building, accessory building, or structure subject to view from a public way.
(B) Application for certificates of appropriateness. An application for a certificate of appropriateness shall be made in the office of the Commission or its designee on forms provided by that office. All applications shall be subject to the rules and requirements established by the Commission. Rules may include, but are not limited to, fees, filing deadlines and application requirements such as sketches, drawings, photographs, descriptions, or other information which the Commission requires to make a decision.
(C) Approval or denial of certificates of appropriateness. The Commission may approve or deny certificates of appropriateness for any actions covered by this chapter. If an application for a certificate of appropriateness is approved by the Commission, or is not acted on by the Commission within 30 days after it is filed, a certificate of appropriateness shall be issued. The Commission may grant an extension of the 30-day limit if the applicant agrees to it. The Commission must report its findings and the reasons for its decision in written form, and supply the applicant with a copy of its report. A copy of the certificate of appropriateness must be submitted with the application for a building, demolition, or improvement location permit; no building, demolition, or improvement location permit shall be issued unless a copy of the certificate of appropriateness is provided by the applicant with the application.
(D) Criteria for considering effect of actions on locally designated properties. The Commission, in considering the appropriateness of any reconstruction, alteration, major maintenance, or moving of a historic building, structure, site or any part of or appurtenance to such building or structure, including walls, fences, light fixtures, steps, paving, and signs shall require that such work be done in a manner that will preserve the historical and architectural character of the building, structure, or appurtenance. In considering historic and architectural character, the Commission shall consider, among other things, the following:
(1) Purposes of this chapter;
(2) Historical and architectural value and significance of the building, structure, site or appurtenance;
(3) Compatibility and significance of additions, alterations, details, materials, or other non-original elements which may be of a different style and construction date than the original;
(4) The texture, material, color, style, and detailing of the building, structure, site or appurtenance;
(5) The continued preservation and protection of original or otherwise significant structure, material, and ornamentation;
(6) The relationship of buildings, structures, appurtenances, or architectural features similar to ones within the same local historic district, including for primary areas, visual compatibility as defined in § 151.036; and
(7) The position of the building, structure, site or appurtenance in relation to the public ways and to other buildings and structures.
(8) A historic building may be relocated to another site only if it is shown that preservation on its current site is infeasible.
(Ord. G-06-08, passed 6-10-08)