(A) There shall be established a Historic Preservation Commission which shall consist of five core members and two auxiliary members from each area which has a designated historic district.
(B) (1) Core members. The Mayor shall appoint five core members to the Commission to meet requirements of the Certified Local Government Program. The members shall have demonstrated interest in historic preservation, and at least two of the five core members shall have training or experience in preservation related professional, architecture, history, archaeology, architectural history, planning or related fields. When the Commission reviews an issue that is normally evaluated by a professional and that field is not represented on the Commission, the Commission shall seek expert advise before rendering its decision. Initial appointments of the core members shall have the following staggered terms:
Two members | One year |
One member | Two years |
One member | Three years |
One member | Four years |
(2) Auxiliary members. The Commission shall have elected two auxiliary members whenever a historic district is approved for a certain area. The auxiliary members must be elected by a majority vote of the property owners in the area designated. The two auxiliary members must either reside in the area designated or own property in the area designated. Any auxiliary member who moves from the historic district or sells their last parcel of property in the historic district shall be replaced 60 days after the action. A replacement for the vacant term will require a majority vote by the property owners in the designated historic area. Failure of the area designated as a specific historic district to till the expired term will result in the Commission filling the vacant term. Initial appointment of the auxiliary members shall have the following staggered terms:
One member | One year |
One member | Two years |
(3) Voting. The two auxiliary members elected by the historic district will only vote on matters that pertain to the historic district they represent. Core members appointed by the Mayor will have the right to vote on all issues brought before the Commission.
(4) Any Commission member will be required to excuse themselves from voting when property which they have interest in is affected directly. Core members will be specifically excused from voting when a historic district is proposed from an area in which they own property. Auxiliary and core members will be excused from voting on issues where they are adjacent property owners or have interest in the property in question.
(C) Commission members appointed to the Commission after the initial staggered terms will serve four years.
(D) Vacancies in unexpired terms and expired terms will be filled by the Mayor within 60 days of the vacancy. If a vacancy is not filled upon completion of the 60-day period, the Commission will fill the vacancy.
(E) Bylaws will be adopted by the Commission outlining rules and procedures to conduct the business of the Commission.
(F) The Director of the Planning Commission or the Planning Commission designee shall act as recording secretary for all meetings and shall provide staff functions. The minutes of the meeting will be filed in the Planning Commission offices and are public record.
(G) No member of the Commission shall vote on any matter that may affect property, income or business interest of that member.
(H) The Commission shall adopt and make public rules for the transaction of its business and shall hold monthly public meetings and special public meetings, when necessary. All meetings shall have a previously available agenda and shall comply with the state open meeting status, KRS 61.805. A simple majority of the membership shall be required for decisions involving historic buildings and areas.
(I) The Commission shall prepare and keep on file, available for public inspection, a written annual report of its activities, cases, decisions, qualifications of members and other work.
(J) The Commission may receive assistance in the performance of its responsibilities from a Planning Commission staff member or designee whose assigned duties may include this work with the Commission and who shall have expertise in historic preservation or a closely related field. Other city staff members may be asked to assist the Commission by providing technical advice or helping in the administration of this chapter.
(Ord. 22-88, passed 9-20-1988)