(A) The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, as modified to conform to the exigencies of the county, shall be used by the Cultural Preservation Commission in determining the appropriateness of any application pertaining to cultural landmark properties.
(B) The following general design guidelines shall be considered and apply where appropriate.
(1) For landmark buildings and contributing buildings in landmark designated historic districts:
(a) Avoid demolition of landmark and contributing buildings;
(b) Vacant buildings should be weather- and vandal-proofed in order to minimize further deterioration and the threat to public safety;
(c) Rehabilitation work on the exterior and the principal facade should preserve existing historic features or replace them with features and materials known to have existed on the building; and
(d) Avoid moving buildings when possible. If buildings must be moved, the new site should be similar to the original site and the original setback and orientation of the building on the lot should be replicated as much as practical.
(2) For additions to landmark and contributing buildings and construction of new buildings within a historic district:
(a) New additions to landmark and contributing buildings should be subordinate to the original building, that is, lower in height, attached to the rear or set back along the side, and subordinate in scale and architectural detailing;
(b) Height, width, setback, roof shape, and the overall scale and massing of new buildings should be compatible with surrounding historic buildings and the overall streetscape;
(c) Materials on at least the primary facade(s) should be similar to original materials on facades of surrounding historic buildings;
(d) Architectural details should not replicate historic features on surrounding historic buildings;
(e) Window and door openings should be similar in size and orientation to openings on historic buildings and should take up about the same percentage of the overall facade as those on surrounding historic buildings;
(f) The relationship of the width to the height of the principal elevations should be in scale with surrounding structures and streetscape. Wider new buildings can be divided into segments that more closely resemble the facade widths of historic buildings; and
(g) The roof shape of a building should be visually compatible with the surrounding structures and streetscape. Unusual roof shapes, pitches, and colors are discouraged.
(Ord. 2013-1, passed 7-8-2013)