This section provides design review standards for buildings and structures within the preservation district which have been designated as a historic resource by Council or where such designation has been recommended by the Preservation Commission and is pending Council approval, as well as standards for new or existing buildings and structures which do not qualify as a historic resource. These standards are designed to promote redevelopment of historic structures and compatible new development within the preservation district.
(a) Standards for Historic Resources. In reviewing proposed alterations or changes to property, the Preservation Commission shall use as evaluative criteria the most recent update of the "United States Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Illustrated Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings" by Morton, Hume, Weeks, and Jandl (U.S. National Park Service, Preservation Assistance Division, 1991, as reprinted in 1997). These standards and guidelines are referenced and made a part of this planning and zoning code. The ten (10) standards are restated herein:
(1) A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
(2) The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
(3) Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historic development, such as architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.
(4) Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
(5) Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of skilled craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved.
(6) Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing architectural features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
(7) Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.
(8) Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
(9) New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
(10) New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
(b) Standards for Properties Not Designated as Historic Resources. For property, except purely residential structures, which is not a designated or recommended historic resource, the Preservation Commission shall determine appropriateness by whether the proposed activity will have a negative effect on the historic character and visual integrity of the preservation district. Building architecture, materials, and height should be designed to complement and coordinate with historic resources in the preservation district. If new materials are to be used for buildings that are architecturally undistinguished, they should be selected to coordinate with neighboring structures and to complement the design of the structure. Color selection shall not be subject to review.
(c) New Construction Design Standards. Any proposed new construction in the preservation district shall not be limited to any one historical period or architectural style, but shall seek to be evocative of the general architectural styles, historic character, and preserve the architectural integrity of existing historic resources in the district. For example, new buildings should maintain the repetitive storefront widths along established block facades to create a unified street wall. On traditional storefront buildings, recessed entrances are encouraged.
(d) Vacant Structure Maintenance Required. The owner of an historic structure or any structure within preservation district, if such structure is vacant and uninhabited, shall provide sufficient maintenance and upkeep for such structure to ensure its perpetuation and to prevent its destruction by deterioration.
(e) Demolition Applications. Subject to Section 1138.05(b), and subject to an administrative review before the Preservation Commission, demolition of a structure in the preservation district shall only be approved when the structure contains no features of architectural or historic significance, where the structure does not contribute to maintaining the character of the preservation district, and where the applicant allows for reasonable salvage of significant architectural features prior to the issuance of the demolition permit. Factors for consideration may include: the building's historic, architectural, and urban design significance; whether the building is one of the last remaining examples of its kind in the neighborhood, the City, or the region; whether the structure has historic events or persons associated with it; and the building's condition. If the building is not properly secured and is lost during this period due to fire or other causes, then the action is treated as an unlawful demolition.
(Ord. 032-09. Passed 5-21-09.)
(Ord. 032-09. Passed 5-21-09.)