(A) No person shall cause, permit, or suffer on a landmark, landmark site, or in an historic district any construction, alteration, or demolition without a permit issued by the City Clerk. All requests to the City Clerk for a permit involving landmarks, landmark sites, or properties within an historic district shall be forwarded immediately to the Commission for the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness. A certificate of appropriateness issued by the Commission shall be required before a permit is issued for demolition or alteration of a landmark, landmark site, or in an historic district.
(B) The Commission shall promulgate and publish such standards as are a necessary supplement to the provisions of this chapter to inform residents and property owners and the general public of those criteria by which the applications for a certificate of appropriateness are to be measured.
(C) Before the commencement of any work in the erection of any new building, or in the alteration or in the demolition of any existing building, any portion of which is within an historic district or designated as a landmark or landmark site, an application by the owner for a certificate of appropriateness therefor shall be made to the City Clerk accompanied by the full plans and specifications thereof so far as they relate to the proposed alteration, construction, or demolition.
(D) All findings of the Commission on an application either granting or refusing a certificate of appropriateness shall be in writing, a copy thereof shall be sent to the applicant by certified mail with return receipt requested and a copy filed with the City Clerk.
(E) If no action on an application for a certificate submitted to the Commission has been taken at the expiration of 30 days from the date of application and the submission of plans, such application shall be deemed to have been approved and, if all other requirements of the city have been met, the City Clerk may issue a permit for the proposed building.
(F) All work performed pursuant to the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness shall conform to the requirements of such certificate. In the event work is performed not in accordance with such certificate, the Commission shall enjoin work and prohibit the violations by suit in the County Circuit Court. No person, firm, or corporation shall undertake any work on such project as long as the stop work order shall continue in effect.
(Ord. 88-4, passed 5-9-88)