The Historic District Commission shall administer historic preservation activities under the provisions of this chapter and in compliance with SDCL Chapter 1-19B.
(A) Composition of Historic District Commission. The Historic District Commission, hereinafter cited as “District Commission,” shall consist of not less than three nor more than seven members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The District Commission members shall be appointed with due regard to proper representation of knowledge such as history, architecture, architectural history, urban planning, archaeology and law. Where possible, said members shall be selected from residents of the historic district or districts, and shall be residents of the city. The appointments to membership on the District Commission shall be for a period of three years; provided, however, that when the District Commission is first appointed, the lengths of terms shall be varied in such a fashion as to assure that at least one member’s term shall expire each year. District Commission members shall be eligible for reappointment as specified by the City Council.
(B) Historic District Commission officers. The District Commission shall elect officers from its membership to consist of a Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson and Secretary who shall serve a term of one year. The District Commission shall hold an annual organization meeting for the purpose of electing officers.
(C) Historic District Commission; rules and regulations. The Historic District Commission shall adopt bylaws and/or rules and regulations to govern the official proceedings to include the recording of minutes of all official proceedings of the Commission, provided that said rules and regulations are not inconsistent with the provisions of SDCL Chapter 1-19B. The District Commission may, subject to appropriations by the City Council, employ clerical and technical assistants or consultants and may accept and expend gifts of money for the express purpose of securing said services.
(D) Amendments of historic places or site to district. The historic properties subject to the provisions of this chapter, may, from time to time, be increased in number. It shall be the duty of the Historic District Commission to study and report on such proposed amendments subject to the following provisions.
(1) The District Commission shall make an investigation of the historical, architectural, archaeological and cultural significance of the buildings, structures, sites or surroundings included in any proposed historic district amendments. The District Commission’s investigation and recommendation shall comply with the criteria adopted by the Board of Cultural Preservation pursuant to SDCL § 1-19A.
(2) The District Commission shall report its findings to the city’s Planning Commission, the City Historic Preservation Commission and the State Board of Cultural Preservation for their consideration and recommendations.
(3) Sixty days after the transmittal of its findings as specified in § 32.06(D)(1), the District Commission shall hold a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the historic district. Notice of said hearing shall be advertised pursuant to the manner of normal corporate legal publications and in addition shall include written notice, postage prepaid, to the owners of all properties to be included in any proposed amendment to the historic district.
(4) The District Commission shall submit a final report with its recommendations and a draft of the proposed historic district amendments to the City Council.
(5) The City Council shall act upon the proposed historic district amendment.
(6) Upon the adoption of the amendment, the owners and occupants of each designated historic property shall be given written notification of such designation by the City Council. An official copy of the adoption shall be provided to the County Register of Deeds to be registered as an addendum to the original ordinance. A copy of the adoption shall be provided to the Historic Preservation District Commission for inclusion in their records.
(Prior Code, § 29-6)