In considering the appropriateness of any proposed change, including change to facades, landscaping, exterior signing, awnings, or appurtenances, the Review Board shall consider the following:
(a) All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance inconsistent with, or inappropriate to the original integrity of the building shall be discouraged.
(b) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a historic building, structure, site and/or its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural or environmental feature should be avoided when possible.
(c) Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the original structure would be unimpaired.
(d) Whereas changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment, if these changes are deemed to have acquired significance then this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(e) Significant architectural features which have deteriorated shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced (if historically correct) in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or placement of architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of the feature, and if possible, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(f) The visual and functional components of the building and appurtenances, and their site, including, but not limited to, building height, massing and proportion, roof shape and slope, landscape design and plant materials, lighting, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, and signing, shall be taken into consideration.
(g) Distinctive stylistic features of examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure or site shall be treated sensitively.
(h) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.
(i) The surface cleaning of masonry structures shall be undertaken with methods designed to minimize damage to historic building materials. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials should be avoided.
(j) Attention shall be taken to avoid the environmentally harmful effect often created by the clash of undisguised contemporary materials with those of older origin, such as aluminum or other metals, plastic, glass, and fiberglass used improperly with brick, stone, wood, and masonry.
(Ord. 192-97. Passed 9-4-97.)