The Design Review Board is hereby established, which shall be responsible for hearing any appeal of a negative administrative design review decision on applications in the area bounded by the Anthony Wayne Trail, Ford Street, Key Street and the Maumee River.
(a) Members. The Design Review Board shall consist of five (5) members. All of such members shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by a majority of the members of Council. In connection with the first appointment of such members, one (1) shall be appointed for a one-year term, two (2) shall be appointed for two-year terms, and two (2) shall be appointed for three-year terms. All subsequent appointments shall be for the unexpired terms, if such be the case, or for a three-year term. Members shall serve without compensation. All members shall have sufficient expertise and/or interest in order to make critical evaluations of proposed plans and to make constructive recommendations for modification of proposed plans. No officer or employee of the City shall be a member.
(b) Procedures of Design Review Board. The Design Review Board shall adopt rules necessary to the conduct of its affairs and hold meetings in keeping with the provisions of this Zoning Code. All meetings shall be open to the public. The Board shall keep a record of the proceedings before it showing the action of the Board, and the vote of each member upon each question considered. The Vice-Chairperson shall be responsible for taking minutes and recording proceedings or delegating those duties to another Board member. The presence of a majority of the members of the Board who are eligible to vote at such meeting shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. No officer or employee of the City shall be a member.
(c) Responsibilities and Jurisdiction of Design Review Board. The Design Review Board shall:
(1) Report recommendations to the City Council, the designation and/or elimination of new and/or existing design review districts and the development or reduction of standards within said districts
(2) Hear any appeal of a negative administrative design review decision regarding the architectural design and features of any new building or any existing building in the process of renovation as to the compatibility of the design or renovation with the architectural and/or historic character of the areas.
(3) The Design Review Board shall consider the officially adopted Maumee Master Plan and/or City Council uptown road diet and control decisions when deciding appeals.
(4) Make alternative suggestions to building owners and/or developers as to building design, building materials, signs and other structure and site elements to make projects more form compatible and harmonious with adjacent land and the area as a whole.
(5) Offer technical and professional assistance to building owners and/or developers in implementing recommendations.
(d) Decisions of Design Review Board. The Design Review Board shall hear appeals of a negative administrative design review decision. The Design Review Board shall grant the appeal, deny the appeal or grant it subject to special modification, but no appeal shall be granted or modified unless a majority of the entire Board votes to grant or modify the appeal.
(1) If the Design Review Board grants an appeal without modifications, it shall so notify the Zoning Administrator who shall thereupon issue a Zoning Permit.
(2) If an appeal is denied, the Design Review Board may make such recommendations in regard to changes of design, arrangement, texture, material and color of the exterior features and interior arrangement of the structure as it deems appropriate.
(3) If the applicant accepts the modifications of the Design Review Board, the application shall be revised in accordance with such modifications and filed with the Zoning Administrator, whereupon a Zoning Permit shall be issued.
(Ord. 106-2020. Passed 9-21-20.)