(a) Purpose. The purpose of this designation procedure is to provide a clear method by which certain sites, buildings, and larger districts are considered for formal designation as a historic landmark, contributing building, historic site, or historic district within the City of Sharonville, subject to enhanced review to ensure that the sites, structures, buildings, or districts retain their historic significance.
(b) Temporary Designation During Review. In order to ensure that the intent of proposed designations are met during the review process, any landmark, historic district, contributing building, or historic site for which an application has been received or proposed by the City Council in accordance with this section shall be considered temporarily adopted during the review process for up to a maximum of 180 days, or until approved or rejected, whichever is earlier. Otherwise, such permanent designations shall occur after the decisions made pursuant to this section.
(c) Historic Landmark and Historic District Designation Procedure. The review procedure for the designation of a historic landmark or historic district shall be as established in this section.
(1) Step 1 - Nomination.
A. The nomination for a single property, structure, landscape, site element, or object in the City for historic landmark designation may be initiated by any of the following:
i. The owners of the properties included in the nomination;
ii. The Planning Commission
iii. City Council; or
iv. An organization or individual with a stated interest provided they have written authorization by the owners of the properties.
B. The nomination for an area in the City to become a historic district may be initiated by a petition signed by the owners of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the property owners within the area to be included in the district.
C. City Council may nominate an area for historic district designation without consent from any property owners.
(2) Step 2 - Planning Commission Review and Recommendation.
A. The Planning Commission shall review the nomination at a public meeting at its next regularly scheduled meeting, or at a special meeting.
B. Within sixty (60) days after the nomination is submitted (Step 1), or an extended timeframe approved by the applicant, the Planning Commission shall consider the nomination and recommend to City Council that the nomination be approved, approved with some modification, or denied. If the Planning Commission fails to act within sixty (60) days, the application shall be considered approved and forwarded on to City Council.
(3) Step 3 - City Council Review and Decision.
A. The City Council shall hold a public hearing within sixty (60) days of the Planning Commission's recommendation.
C. Within thirty (30) days following the close of the public hearing, or an extended timeframe approved by the applicant, City Council shall consider the nomination, the Planning Commission's recommendation, the review criteria of this section, and make a decision to approve or deny the application.
D. As part of an approval, the City Council shall have the authority to approve the application with a modification to reduce the boundaries of a historic district nomination should they find that certain properties are not contributing the historic district.
E. Upon approval, the zoning map shall be revised by the City to indicate by an appropriate symbol or device that the parcel or area so marked is subject to the listed designation, and the Clerk of the Council shall send a certified copy of the ordinance by registered mail to the owner(s) of record of all applicable properties.
(d) Review Criteria. In considering the designation of any building, structure, site, or any area which contains, within definable geographic boundaries, buildings, structures or sites of historic architectural or archaeological significance as a historic district, the Planning Commission and City Council shall consider the following criteria:
(1) For the designation of historic landmarks, sites, or contributing buildings outside of a historic district, the structure must be fifty (50) years old or older and retain integrity of its design and materials;
(2) The character, interest or value of the area, property, or site as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the City, state, or nation;
(3) The location as a site of a significant historic event;
(4) The identification with a person or persons significant in our past;
(5) The exemplification by the area, property, or site of the cultural, economic or social heritage of the City, state, or nation;
(6) The portrayal of a group of people in an era of history, characterized by a distinctive architectural style;
(7) The embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of a building type or architectural style;
(8) The embodiment of elements of architectural design, detail, materials or craftsmanship, which represent architecture of significant character;
(9) The identification as the work of an architect or master builder whose work has influenced the City, state, or nation;
(10) Its relationship to other distinctive areas which are eligible for preservation according to a plan based on an historic, cultural, or architectural motif;
(11) The potential to yield information important in prehistory or history; and
(12) A unique location or singular physical characteristic representing an established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood or of the City.
(Ord. 2022-22. Passed 5-10-22.)