(a) No person shall carry out or cause to be carried out any construction, alteration, removal or demolition of a structure or any work involving a sign, awning, marquee, canopy, mural, or other appendage, or any new or replacement construction for which a permit is required pursuant to the Building Code, on any designated Significant or Contributory Building or any building in a Conservation District unless a permit for such work has been approved pursuant to the provisions of this Article 11. Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the application is for a permit to maintain, repair, rehabilitate, or improve streets and sidewalks, including sidewalk widening, accessibility, and bulb-outs, the Planning Department shall process the permit without further reference to this Article 11, unless such streets and sidewalks have been explicitly called out in a conservation district's designating ordinance as character-defining features of the district.
(b) The HPC shall approve, disapprove, or modify all applications for permits to alter or demolish any Significant or Contributory Buildings or buildings within Conservation Districts, and permits for any new and replacement construction within Conservation Districts, subject to appeal as provided in Section 1115 of this Article 11. The HPC shall review and act on such permits prior to any other Planning approval action(s). Buildings or areas within the C-3 District designated pursuant to the provisions of both Article 10 and Article 11 shall be regulated pursuant to the procedures of both Articles. In case of conflict, the more restrictive provisions shall apply.
(c) If the proposed work would constitute a demolition as defined in Section 1005(f) of this Code, such work shall, in addition to any other requirements, be subject to the provisions of this Article 11 governing demolitions and shall require a "Permit to Demolish." All other proposed construction or alteration of a structure, including any new or replacement construction, or any work involving a sign, awning, marquee, canopy, mural, or other appendage work, but excepting ordinary maintenance and repairs, shall require a "Permit to Alter."
(d) No person shall demolish or cause to be demolished a Significant or Contributory Building or any building in a Conservation District without obtaining a Permit to Demolish and, if located within a Conservation District, a permit for a Compatible Replacement Building.
(e) If at any time following the approval of a Permit to Alter, changes are proposed to the scope of work such that the proposed new scope of work, if approved, would constitute a demolition as defined herein, the owner shall file a new application for a Permit to Demolish and shall obtain such approval prior to proceeding with the proposed new scope of work.
(f) A building permit application or amendment for any work that exceeds the scope of work of an approved Permit to Alter or Permit to Demolish shall be referred to the Planning Department by the Central Permit Bureau for HPC review and approval pursuant to this Article 11 before the permit may be approved or issued.
(g) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the following cases the Department may process the permit application without further reference to this Article 11:
(1) When the application is for a permit for ordinary maintenance and repairs only. For the purpose of this Article 11, "ordinary maintenance and repairs" shall mean any work, the sole purpose and effect of which is to correct deterioration, decay, or damage of existing materials, including repair of damage caused by fire or other disaster.
(2) When the application is for a permit to construct any new or replacement structures on a site where a Significant or Contributory Building has been lawfully demolished pursuant to this Code and the site is not within a designated Conservation District; or
(3) When the application is for a permit to make interior alterations only and does not constitute a demolition as defined in this Article, unless the Planning Department has determined that the proposed interior alterations may result in any visual or material impact to the exterior of the building or when the designating ordinance or applicable Appendix in this Article requires review of such interior alterations;
(5) When the application is for a permit to install business signs or awnings as defined in Section 602 of this Code to a Significant or Contributory building or any building within a Conservation District, provided that signage, awnings, and transparency conform to the requirements set forth in Section 1111.6; or
(6) When the application is for a permit to install low-profile skylights that are not visible from a public right-of-way or public park, provided that the improvements conform to the requirements set forth in Section 1111.6.
AMENDMENT HISTORY
Section header amended; section amended in its entirety; Ord. 95-12, Eff. 6/20/2012. Division (g)(3) amended; division (g)(4) added; Ord. 53-23, Eff. 5/22/2023. Divisions (g)(3)-(4) amended; divisions (g)(5)-(6) added; Ord. 33-24, Eff. 3/23/2024. Divisions (g)(1) and (4) amended; Ord. 62-24, Eff. 4/28/2024.
CODIFICATION NOTE