Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance or repair of any exterior feature in a historic district which does not involve a change in design, material, color or outer appearance thereof, nor to prevent the construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration or demolition of any such feature which the City Building Inspector shall certify is required for public safety because of an unsafe or dangerous condition.
(A) Exterior feature defined. For the purposes of this chapter in general and this section specifically, EXTERIOR FEATURES shall include the architectural style, general design and general arrangement of the exterior of the building or other structure, including the color, the kind and texture of the building material and the type and style of all windows, doors, light fixtures, signs, other appurtenant fixtures and natural features such as trees and shrubbery. In the case of outdoor advertising signs, EXTERIOR FEATURES shall be construed to mean the style, material, size and location of all such signs.
(B) Certificate of appropriateness; exterior alterations. No exterior portion of any building or other structure (including walls, fences, light fixtures, steps and pavement, or other appurtenant features) nor above ground utility structure nor any type of outdoor advertising sign shall be erected, altered, restored, moved or demolished within any historic district until an application for a certificate of appropriateness detailing exterior changes to be made has been submitted to and approved by the Historic District Commission. The Historic District Commission shall have a maximum of 30 days in which to review an application for a certificate of appropriateness and to either approve or deny said application. The city shall require such a certificate to be issued by the Commission prior to the issuance of a building permit or other permit granted for the purposes of constructing or altering structures. A certificate of appropriateness is required, whether or not a building permit is required to make the proposed exterior alterations.
(C) Interior arrangement; not subject to control. The Historic District Commission shall not consider interior arrangement and shall take no action pursuant to division (B) above, except for the purpose of preventing the construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, moving or demolition of buildings, structures, appurtenant fixtures, outdoor advertising signs or natural features in the designated historical districts which would be incongruous with the historical, architectural, archaeological or cultural aspects of the district.
(Prior Code, § 29-7)