(A) Creation; membership. There is hereby created the Historical Preservation Commission of the city. Its members shall be appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council except as to the member to be elected by the Planning Commission. In making the appointments to the Commission, the Mayor shall attempt to maintain a balance of interest and skills on the Commission, by assessing the individual qualifications of the candidates, including, but not limited to, their knowledge or interest in any one or more of the following: lending and finance, commerce, architecture, history, landscape architecture, structural engineering. All members shall have knowledge of and interest in historical preservation and will have demonstrated their civic interest and knowledge of the history of the community. Whether the local commission member is serving as a professional or concerned citizen member, he or she must have a demonstrated interest in or knowledge of historic preservation. The Commission shall consist of three to five members and must satisfy at least one of the following:
(1) Member of local (county) historical or preservation society;
(2) Member of the Oklahoma Historical Society;
(3) Owns or is employed by a construction company that conducts rehabilitation of older buildings;
(4) Is employed by or is a regular volunteer in a local museum or other research collection; and
(5) Other specific activities that can be related to the field of historic preservation.
(B) Terms of members. The term of each Commission member shall be for three years until his or her successor takes office. Members may be appointed to fill the remainder of vacant terms. All members of the Commission shall serve without compensation. Initially two members shall be appointed for one year, two for two years, and one for three years.
(C) Meetings and rules. The Commission shall be empowered to adopt rules for the conduct of its business. The Commission shall elect a Chairperson who shall serve for one year and who shall be eligible for reelection. All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public. Any person, or his or her duly appointed representative, shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any matter before the Commission. The Commission shall keep a record of its proceedings, a copy of which shall be filed for public view in the office of the City Clerk. No business of the Commission may be conducted unless a quorum of not less than three members is present. The concurring vote of three members is sufficient to approve or disapprove any act or action of the Commission. The Mayor, or the designated representative of the Mayor, shall act as Secretary of the Commission and shall attend and keep the minutes of all meetings. He or she shall act in an advisory capacity only and may participate in the Commission’s discussions but shall have no vote. The Mayor and the staff of the Community Development Department shall assist the Commission in discharging its duties.
(D) Duties. Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, the duties of the Historical Preservation Commission include, but may not be limited to, the duty to:
(1) Prepare or cause to be prepared a comprehensive inventory of historical, architectural and archeological resources within the comprehensive plan of the city;
(2) Prepare or cause to be prepared a general historical preservation plan to be incorporated within the comprehensive plan of the city;
(3) Prepare findings of fact relating to the recommendation for designation of historical, architectural and archeological resources;
(4) Prepare findings of fact pursuant to action taken by the Commission relating to certificates of appropriateness;
(5) Make recommendations to the City Council concerning the acquisition of development rights, facade easements and the development of historical preservation plans;
(6) Make recommendations to the City Council concerning grants from federal and state agencies, private groups and individuals and the utilization of budgetary appropriations to promote the preservation of historic, architectural or archeological resources; and, when so directed by the City Council, may oversee historical projects or programs;
(7) Increase public awareness of the value of historic architectural, or archeological resources by development and participating in public information programs and by recommending the update of the preservation program and by the giving of advice to owners or residents of such resources as to the problems and techniques of preservation work; and further, by placing monuments and markers at historical sites as chosen by the Commission;
(8) Comment and make recommendations concerning actions undertaken by other city agencies or actions of other governmental units with respect to the effect of such actions upon historical, architectural and archeological resources; and
(9) Conduct a periodic review of the status of designated landmarks and historic districts and provide periodic reports on the findings of said review, along with any resolutions for action, as considered appropriate, by the City Council.
(Prior Code, § 9-11-5) (Ord. 563, passed 12-4-1990)