(A) Composition. There shall be an Architectural Board of Review which shall consist of the members of the Planning and Zoning Commission and two other members (the “Architect Members”). At least one of the Architect Members shall be an architect licensed to practice architecture in the State of Ohio, and the other Architect Member shall be either an architect who is licensed to practice architecture by the State of Ohio or a landscape architect whose license has been issued by the State of Ohio. Architect Members need not be residents of Orange Village. The Architect Members of the Architectural Board of Review shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority vote of the members of Council, to serve a term concurrent with the Mayor’s term of office and shall serve with compensation as provided by ordinance of Council. (Amended 11-8-11.)
(B) Vacancies. A vacancy occurring during the term of any member shall be filled for the unexpired term in the manner authorized for the original appointment.
(C) Employment of Officers and Consultants. The Architectural Board of Review shall have the authority to employ such officers, employees and consultants as it deems necessary. Each person so employed shall receive a fee or compensation to be determined by Council.
(D) Purposes of the Board. The purposes of the Architectural Board of Review are the following:
(1) To promote and protect the public health, convenience, comfort, prosperity and general welfare by regulating the exterior design and location of buildings and structures to assure orderly and reasonably harmonious developments in the municipality and in each neighborhood thereof;
(2) To ensure the proposed developments protect and preserve the value, appearance, and use of neighboring property on which buildings are constructed or altered, maintain safety, convenience and welfare and protect real estate within the municipality from impairment or destruction of value;
(3) To regulate according to accepted and recognized architectural principles, the design, use of materials, finished grade lines, dimensions, orientation and location of all main and accessory buildings to be created, moved, altered, remodeled or repaired, subject to the provisions of Zoning Codes and other applicable ordinances of the municipality. In considering building proposals, the Architectural Board of Review shall consider and
take cognizance of the development of adjusted, contiguous and neighboring buildings and properties for the purpose of achieving safe, harmonious, and integrated development of related properties;
(4) To prevent the harmful effects of excessively similar, dissimilar, or inappropriate exterior design and/or locations of buildings or structures in relation to the exterior design of buildings prevailing in the municipality. Harmful or adverse effects, immediate or in the future, to be prevented are:
(a) Impairing the benefits of occupancy or causing deterioration of existing residential property; or
(b) Discouraging the most appropriate use of undeveloped land throughout the municipality; or
(c) Lessening the desirability of neighboring areas of the municipality for residential purposes; or
(d) Reducing the stability and values of both improved or unimproved real property in the municipality including the effects of capricious, faddish architecture of transitory public appeal; or
(e) Impairing a proper relationship between the taxable value of real property and the costs of municipal services.
(E) Duties. The Architectural Board of Review shall review detailed plans and specifications including representations of exterior appearance at the time of filing of applications for building and zoning permits. No plans shall be approved without the affirmative vote of four members of the Architectural Board of Review.
(F) Finality of Decisions. Decisions of the Architectural Board of Review may be appealed to Council within twenty (20) days after they are announced, and the decision of the Council shall be final within the municipality, and any appeal therefrom shall be in accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio. (Amended 11-2-10)