BUILDING: Any structure such as a house, barn, church, hotel, or similar construction, created principally to shelter any form of human activity. "Building" may also be used to describe a historically and functionally related unit, such as a courthouse and jail, or a house and barn.
BUILDING CODE: Title 10 of this Code.
BUILDING OFFICIAL: The officer charged with the administration and enforcement of the Building Code, or a duly authorized representative.
COMMISSION: The Mason City Historic Preservation Commission, as established by this chapter.
DEMOLITION: Any activity requiring a building permit(s) which results in the permanent destruction and removal of a building or structure, up to and including the foundation of a building or structure.
DEMOLITION PERMIT: An official certificate of permission issued by the building official or designee, to an applicant which authorizes the performance of a specified demolition activity.
DISTRICT: A contiguous or dis-contiguous area possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan or physical development.
HISTORIC DISTRICT: An area which contains a significant portion of archaeological sites, buildings, structures and/or other improvements which, when considered as a whole, possesses integrity of location, design setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association; and
A. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction that represents the work of a master, or that possesses high artistic values, or that represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
B. Is associated with events that have made significant contribution to the broad patterns of our local, State, or national history;
C. Possesses a coherent and distinctive visual character or integrity based upon similarity of scale, design, color, setting, workmanship, materials, or combinations thereof, which is deemed to add significantly to the value and attractiveness of properties within such area;
D. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
E. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
HISTORIC SITE: An archaeological site, structure, or building which:
A. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history;
B. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;
C. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction; or that represents a work of a master; or that possesses high artistic values; or that represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
D. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT: Any structure, building, site, property, object or item which is determined by the Mason City Historic Preservation Commission, National Park Service or State of Iowa Historic Preservation Office to possess integrity and meet one or more of the following:
A. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction that represents the work of a master, or that possesses high artistic values, or that represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
B. Is associated with events that have made significant contribution to the broad patterns of our local, State, or national history;
C. Possesses a coherent and distinctive visual character or integrity based upon similarity of scale, design, color, setting, workmanship, materials, or combinations thereof, which is deemed to add significantly to the value and attractiveness of properties within such area;
D. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
E. Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES: National Park Service maintained list of all historically significant places in the United States; list contains historic districts and historic properties.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES - LISTED DISTRICT: An area designated by the National Park Service that contains a significant portion of buildings, structures or other improvements which, considered as a whole, possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association, and is determined to be historically significant.
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES - LISTED PROPERTY: Generally one property, which is smaller in land area than a historic district, which is designated by the National Register of Historic Places and which contains a significant building, structure or other improvements which, when considered as a whole, possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and is determined to be historically significant.
OBJECT: The term used to distinguish from buildings and structures those constructions that are primarily artistic in nature or are relatively small in scale and simply constructed. Although it may be, by nature or design, moveable, an object is associated with a specific setting or environment.
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR'S STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION: Criteria adopted by the Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior, used to determine if a rehabilitation project is consistent with the historic character of the structure(s) and, where applicable, the district in which it is located, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility. The intent of the Standards is to assist the long-term preservation of a property's significance through the preservation of historic materials and features.
SITE: The location of a significant event, a prehistoric or historic occupation or activity, or a building or structure, whether standing, ruined, or vanished, where the location itself possesses historic, cultural, or archeological value regardless of the value of any existing structure.
STRUCTURE: The term used to distinguish from buildings those functional constructions made usually for purposes other than creating human shelter. (Ord. 18-10, 11-6-2018; amd. Ord. 23-4, 4-4-2023)