(a) Application for a design review certificate and a zoning permit shall be made to the Chief Building Official before doing any of the following to a listed property or to a property in a Historic District: constructing, changing buildings or changing the use of any premises. Zoning applications shall be in the form prescribed by the Chief Building Official. Design review applications shall be in the form prescribed by the Design Review Commission.
The Chief Building Official shall give written notice to the Design Review Commission within two working days after the receipt of an application if the property lies within a Historic District or is a listed property. Notice shall include the zoning application and the Design Review Commission application.
The Chief Building Official shall also inform the Design Review Commission if the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals or the Chief Building Official will be reviewing the final application. The Chief Building Official shall not issue any permits until he or she receives a copy of the design review certificate of approval from the Design Review Commission.
(b) Procedures for obtaining a certificate of approval:
(1) Applications shall be made available at the City Building Department.
(2) Applications for the Ravenna Design Review Commission shall be deposited with the Building Department, along with plans, specifications and at least four clear photographs showing the building, vacant site or affected portion of the building in clear detail. All photographs shall be clearly labeled.
(3) The Commission shall meet within two weeks to review the application.
(4) If the application does not contain sufficient information for the Commission to review it, another meeting must be held within two weeks to consider additional information provided by the applicant. The Commission must perform a site visit before issuing any certificate of approval.
(5) If the Commission determines that the proposed alteration will have no adverse effect on the purposes of this chapter, then a certificate of approval shall be issued. The approval shall be forwarded to the Building Department with copies to the applicant.
(6) If it is determined that the proposed alteration or new construction will have an adverse effect on the purposes of this chapter, then the certificate of approval shall not be issued. The disapproval shall be forwarded to the Building Department with copies to the applicant.
(7) In denying the issuance of a certificate of approval, the Commission shall state in writing the specific reasons for its denial and shall suggest alternative changes in the proposal which would make it eligible to receive a certificate of approval.
(c) An applicant who has been denied a certificate of approval is entitled to an appeal, as outlined in the following procedures:
(1) The Commission shall be obligated to meet up to two times to consider an application if the applicant wishes. The Commission shall meet at no longer than two-week intervals.
(2) The Commission shall provide the applicant with written reasons why each application has been denied and shall suggest changes in the plans which can qualify the project to receive a certificate of approval.
(3) An appeal may be made to Council only after the Commission has considered the application on three separate occasions and has failed to reach agreement with the applicant.
(4) Upon introduction of the appeal to Council under appropriate procedures established by Council, Council may issue a certificate of approval by a majority vote.
(d) In addition to the Historic District Guidelines of the Design Review Commission, the applicable design review standards for a Certificate of Approval are listed below. The standards pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior, related landscape features and the building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction. The standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.
(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.
(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 craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.
(6) Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. When 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, as close as possible. Replacement of missing 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.
(Ord. 2014-030. Passed 5-5-14.)