(a) General. Greenhills Village Council may, from time to time, designate specific properties as local historic landmarks, contributing buildings, historic sites, or portions of the Village as historic districts. In order to ensure that the intent of proposed designations are met during the review process, any local historic landmark, historic district, contributing building, or historic site for which an application has been received or proposed by the Village Council in accordance with subsection (b) hereof shall be considered temporarily adopted during the review process for up to a maximum of 180 days or until approved or rejected, whichever is earlier. Otherwise such designations shall occur after receiving recommendations from the Planning Commission and shall follow the procedures of subsections (c) and (d) hereof.
(b) Applications.
(1) Any application to designate a property as a local historic landmark, contributing building, or historic site, shall be initiated by the owner(s) of the property, the Planning Commission or by the Village Council.
(2) Any application to designate a portion of the Village as an historic district shall be initiated by 51% of the property owners of the proposed district or by the Village Council.
(3) Applications shall be submitted in writing on forms provided by the Municipal Manager created with assistance of the Planning Commission.
(c) Review of Application.
(1) Any application to designate a local historic landmark, historic district, contributing building or historic site shall be referred to the Planning Commission for review and recommendation. The Planning Commission shall complete and make its recommendations to the Village Council within 60 days after referral. Upon request by the Planning Commission, the Village Council may grant an extension of one additional 30-day period for review of the application. Should no recommendation be rendered by the Planning Commission within the aforesaid approved time frame, the application shall be considered approved and forwarded to Village Council.
(2) After the receipt of the Planning Commission's recommendation, or should no recommendation be rendered by the Planning Commission within the allotted time frame, the Village Council shall convene a Public Hearing within 60 days of receipt and shall notify property owners of the proposed local historic landmark, historic district, contributing building, or historic site by certified mail at least 30 days prior to holding the Public Hearing to consider such designation. All hearing(s) under this subsection (c)(2) shall be published at least 15 days in advance of such hearing, in a newspaper of general circulation in the Village.
(d) Decision of the Council. Within 30 days following such hearing, the Village Council shall take action on the designation by approving or disapproving the application.
(e) Criteria. To be considered for designation, a property must be fifty years old or older and retain integrity of its design and materials. In acting on such designation, the Village Council shall consider the recommendations of the Planning Commission, the Public Hearing and the following criteria of the property.
(1) Its character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the Village, the state or nation.
(2) Its association with a significant historic event.
(3) Its identification with a person who significantly contributed to the culture and development of the Village, state or nation.
(4) Its exemplification of the cultural, economic, social or historic heritage of the Village, state or nation.
(5) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of a building type or architectural style.
(6) Its identification as the work of an architect or master builder whose work has influenced the development of the Village, state or nation.
(7) Its embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials or craftsmanship which represent a significant architectural innovation.
(8) Its relationship to other distinctive areas which are eligible for preservation according to a plan based on an historic, cultural or architectural motif.
(9) Its unique location or singular physical characteristic representing an established and familiar visual feature of the Village.
(10) Its potential to yield information important to prehistory or history (archaeology).
(f) Zoning District Map. Upon the designation of a local historic landmark, historic district, contributing building or historic site by ordinance, the zoning district map of the Village shall be revised by the addition of an "H" to indicate the parcels containing the listed designation, and the Clerk of the Council shall send a certified copy of the ordinance by registered mail to the owner(s) of record.
(g) Limitations. The Village Council may designate local historic landmarks, historic districts, contributing buildings or historic sites without limitation as to number or period when designation proceeds from an application for the same.
(h) Lists. Any area, building, structure, premises, etc. that is designated as an local historic landmark, historic district, contributing building, or historic site shall be included on a list to be maintained by the Zoning Official.
(Ord. 2013-04-CD. Passed 4-2-13; Ord. 2020-04-CD. Passed 12-8-20.)