A. Building permit. No person shall erect, construct, reconstruct, alter, restore, demolish, raze or change in appearance in any manner any building, structure, object or site, in whole or in part, in any designated historic district, without first obtaining the required permits which have been issued on the strength of a certificate of appropriateness.
B. Certificate of appropriateness. [Amended 6-25-2012 by Ord. No. 70-2012]
(1) Historic districts. No permit shall be issued or cause to be issued, for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, demolition or razing of any building, structure, or premises, in whole or in part, within a designated historic district until a certificate of appropriateness has been issued. Such certificate shall not be limited to work requiring a building permit according to the presently enacted building code, but shall include all work affecting general design, arrangement, texture, material and color of a structure which can be seen from a public street or way. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: painting; sandblasting; chemical cleaning; stucco or other applied textures; replacement or major repair of windows, cornices, trim or other nonstructural elements; signs; and other work affecting any building, structure or premises.
(2) Conservation districts.
(a) No permit shall be issued or cause to be issued, for new construction and additions to buildings or structures, including a porch or porch enclosure, that impacts the streetscape within a designated conservation district until a certificate of appropriateness has been issued, unless specifically listed as exempt below.
(b) Demolition activity impacting the streetscape, including demolition of any character defining porch, balcony, deck, cornice, dormer or roof, shall require the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness, unless specifically listed as exempt below.
(c) The following activities shall not require a certificate of appropriateness:
[1] Demolition or construction of any building or structure not visible from a public right-of-way.
[2] Maintenance, repair, or alteration of a building or structure or part thereof.
[3] Installation of appurtenances and accessory elements of a decorative or ancillary nature, regardless of visibility from a public street, including but not limited to the following:
[a] Storm windows and doors, awnings and shutters.
[b] Signs, banners and flags.
[c] Downspouts and gutters.
[d] Flower boxes, light fixtures and mailboxes.
[e] Heating or cooling units, including solar heating fixtures.
[f] Fences and gates. [Added 1-22-2024 by Ord. No. 6-2024]
[g] Walls not exceeding four feet in height. [Added 1-22-2024 by Ord. No. 6-2024]
[h] Arbors and trellises. [Added 1-22-2024 by Ord. No. 6-2024]
[i] Detached manufactured carports. [Added 1-22-2024 by Ord. No. 6-2024]
[j] Detached manufactured sheds. [Added 1-22-2024 by Ord. No. 6- 2024]
[k] Antennas and satellite dishes.
[l] Other ancillary or decorative elements.
[m] Gas meters that are not visible from a public right-of-way. [Added 8-24-2015 by Ord. No. 45-2015]
[4] Demolition of any structure deemed by the Building Official to be in imminent danger of failure or collapse and where the Building Official orders the demolition in order to protect public health, safety and welfare.
C. Applications.
(1) Form. All applications for a certificate of appropriateness shall be in writing on a form provided by the Preservation Officer and shall be submitted to the Preservation Officer at least 10 working days before the regularly scheduled meeting. Incomplete applications shall not be accepted and shall be returned to the applicant for completion.
(2) Applicants. All requests for certificates of appropriateness shall be made in writing by the legal or equitable owner of the subject property or his/her authorized agents or appointee.
(3) Submission requirements.
(a) The submission requirements may vary according to the proposed scope of work.
(b) At a minimum, an applicant must present a completed application for a certificate of appropriateness form for any proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, demolition or razing of a designated historic building, structure or premises; or to any building, structure or premises within a designated historic district visible including, but not limited to, all work affecting the general design, arrangement, texture, material and color which can be seen from a public street or way.
(c) Appropriately and accurately scaled drawings of all front, side and rear elevations where the proposed work will occur may be required. Additional information such as site plans, and building sections and plans may be required for further clarity. All drawings must be annotated or be accompanied by applicable specifications that describe the proposed undertaking in detail. Photo- drawings with notes and/or specifications may be acceptable at the discretion of the Preservation Officer.
(d) Detailed drawings of all features to be constructed, reconstructed, altered, restored, demolished, painted, razed or changed in appearance in any manner may be required at a scale to be determined.
(e) Product information regarding proposed construction materials.
(f) Charts providing color samples for the painting of exterior surfaces.
(g) Representative photographs of all buildings, structures, or premises and the specific areas where the proposed work will occur shall be submitted with the certificate of appropriateness application form. The photographs shall be dated and labeled and shall remain the property of the City.
(h) Applications for treatment such as demolition or new construction shall include any additional requirements as specified in any Board policies adopted pursuant to this chapter.