(A) Certificate of appropriateness.
(1) Actions requiring a certificate of appropriateness. A certificate of appropriateness issued by the Quincy Preservation Commission shall be required for the following actions affecting the exterior architectural appearance of any landmark or property within a Historic District:
(a) Any alteration to the significant historical or architectural features listed in the designating ordinance;
(b) Any exterior construction or alteration requiring a building permit from the city;
(c) Any substantial alteration to the exterior portion of the property; and
(d) Any installation of a solar photovoltaic power system as defined in § 162.110.
(2) Actions not requiring a certificate of appropriateness. Unless the action is covered by the specific standards as outlined in division (A)(1)(a) above of this section, actions which shall not require a certificate of appropriateness, and are not considered substantial alterations, include the following:
(a) Any construction, alteration or removal limited to the interior portions of the structure;
(b) Actions, which constitute landscaping, grounds keeping or similar exterior activities limited to the environs of the designated structure or structures; and
(c) Actions commonly considered to be normal or routine owner maintenance to include painting, staining or cleaning of exterior surfaces (with the exclusion of sandblasting of surfaces); repair or replacement of damaged or unserviceable items so long as the repair or replacement is consistent with the original item; and the installation of storm windows.
(3) Applications for certificate of appropriateness.
(a) An application for a certificate of appropriateness shall be obtained from and filed with the Secretary at the office of the Quincy Preservation Commission. Any applicant can request information from the Secretary, Chairperson or any member of the Quincy Preservation Commission regarding the application.
(b) Every application for a building permit, including any available accompanying plans and specifications affecting the exterior architectural appearance of a nominated or designated Historic District, shall be sent by the Inspection Department to the Secretary within three working days following receipt of the application by the Inspection Department. The Inspection Department shall not issue the building permit until a certificate of appropriateness has been issued by the Quincy Preservation Commission.
(c) This section shall apply to nominated Landmarks and nominated Historic Districts from the date the Quincy Preservation Commission determines that an application for nomination merits further consideration pursuant to § 162.187.
(4) Commission votes on certificate of appropriateness. The Secretary shall immediately forward an application for a certificate of appropriateness to the Quincy Preservation Commission for its review at its next regular meeting. At that meeting, the Quincy Preservation Commission shall vote to approve or deny the application.
(5) Denial of certificate of appropriateness. A denial of a certificate of appropriateness by the Quincy Preservation Commission shall be sent to the applicant accompanied by a statement from the Secretary for the reasons of the denial.
(6) Commission meets with property owner. The Quincy Preservation Commission shall make recommendations to the applicant concerning modifications, if any, in the proposed action which would cause the Quincy Preservation Commission to reconsider its denial, and shall confer with the applicant and attempt to resolve as quickly as possible the difference between the objectives of the owner and the goals of the Quincy Preservation Commission.
(7) Second vote. Should these discussions fail to resolve the differences, there shall be a second vote on the application by the Quincy Preservation Commission at the next regularly scheduled meeting. A vote by a majority of the appointed and confirmed members of the Quincy Preservation Commission to deny the certificate of appropriateness shall be the final decision unless appealed pursuant to § 162.193. If less than a majority of the appointed and confirmed members of the Quincy Preservation Commission vote to deny the certificate of appropriateness, the application shall be considered approved.
(8) Applicant and Inspection Department informed of decision. The Secretary shall inform the applicant and the Inspection Department in writing of the Quincy Preservation Commission’s decision within three working days following the second vote.
(9) Issuance of certificate of appropriateness. Upon approval of an application, the Secretary shall issue a certificate of appropriateness within three working days and forward copies to the applicant and to the Inspection Department.
(10) Appeal from denial of certificate of appropriateness. Upon denial of an application, the applicant may appeal the decision as provided for in § 162.193.
(11) Subcommittee. The Quincy Preservation Commission may establish a subcommittee of no fewer than five of its members to review routine applications for a certificate of appropriateness when delay to the next regular meeting would create unnecessary inconvenience to the applicant. A certificate of appropriateness may be issued prior to the next regular meeting upon the signature of 80% of the members of the subcommittee.
(B) Standards for review of applications. In considering an application for a certificate of appropriateness, the Quincy Preservation Commission shall be guided by the following general standards in addition to any other specific standards in the ordinance designating the Landmark or Historic District. These general standards shall apply even in the absence of any specific standards for a Landmark or a Historic District.
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property, which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure or site and its environment, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural feature should be avoided when possible.
(4) All buildings, structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(5) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(6) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure or site shall be treated with sensitivity.
(7) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event the replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of features, substantiated by historic, physical or pictorial evidence ratter than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(8) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(9) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by or adjacent to, any project.
(10) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when the alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and the design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property neighborhood or environment.
(1980 Code, § 29.1011) (Ord. 9423, passed 8-16-2021)