An Architectural Review Board (hereinafter "ARB") is hereby created to implement the purposes of this chapter by exercising the powers expressly granted and necessarily implied herein.
(a) The ARB shall consist of seven members appointed by the City Council.
(b) The members shall be:
(1) A member of the City Council.
(2) Four (4) at-large members, all whom shall be residents of the City.
(3) Two (2) residents of the City or surrounding area. When possible, these two members should include an architect, a lawyer, a realtor or a builder, if available.
(4) All members shall have demonstrated special interest, experience or knowledge in history, history of architecture, or related disciplines, as well as a philosophical commitment to historic preservation through local legislation.
(5) At least two of the seven members should have preservation-related professional backgrounds. This shall include the professions of architecture, history, architectural history, archaeology, planning or related disciplines.
(6) The City Council may deviate from the above requirements in the event that suitable volunteers with the prescribed credentials are not available.
(c) Terms of Office.
(1) The member from the City Council will serve a 1-year term commencing January 1.
(2) The 4 at-large members and the two residents of the City or surrounding area shall serve 2-year terms, except in the first year of existence of the ARB. In the first year, one person from each category shall be appointed to serve a 1-year term, and the other person to serve a 2-year term. Thereafter, all terms will be for 2 years.
(d) Officers.
(1) Each January, the ARB will elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a recording secretary from its members.
(2) The recording secretary shall be responsible for:
A. Taking and maintaining complete files of written minutes of all meetings.
B. Seeing to the preparation of an annual written report of ARB activities, cases, decisions, special projects, etc.
(e) Meetings. The members of the ARB shall determine the time, place and frequency of meetings with the objective of providing efficient service to the public and responsive advice and other assistance to the City Council, Planning Commission and staff. The ARB Chairman and secretary shall see that all meetings comply with the requirements of Ohio's Open Meeting Laws, R.C. 121.22 et seq.
(f) Vacancies on the ARB.
(1) Vacancies shall be filled within 60 days.
(2) The chairperson will notify the Clerk of Council when a vacancy exists.
(g) Procedure.
(1) A majority of the membership of the ARB shall constitute a quorum.
(2) A majority of a quorum shall be required to approve any action.
(3) Robert's Rules of Order will guide the conduct of the meetings.
(4) The agenda for the meeting will be prepared by the chairperson of the ARB, or by the assigned staff liaison, if one is assigned.
(5) Agenda items will be determined by contacting the Building and Zoning Inspectors, the City Manager or his designee, the City Engineer, the City Council delegate to the ARB and the Clerk of Council.
(6) Agenda items may include, but shall not be limited to:
A. Hearing of cases.
B. Deliberation of cases.
C. Findings of fact.
D. Approvals/denials of Certificate of Appropriateness.
E. Old business.
F. New business.
G. Committee reports (if appropriate).
H. Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
I. Announcements.
(7) At least 5 days before the meeting the chairperson should check with the Clerk of Council to make sure that:
A. Notices have been sent to applicants, attorneys, City staff members and the media as appropriate.
B. All applications have been properly advertised and mailed on time.
C. Copies of completed applications have been mailed to members, with maps and/or photographs.
(8) Members should make every attempt to visit each property and review each application before the meeting.
(9) Additional procedures may be adopted by the ARB as necessary for its governance. All procedures so adopted shall be in writing, executed by the chairperson and secretary, and available for public inspection upon request.
(h) Conflict of Interest.
(1) Any ARB member who has a financial interest, direct or indirect, in any agenda item shall notify the ARB of that interest.
(2) The ARB member shall refrain from voting on or participating in any of the ARB's discussion or debate on the issue of concern.
(3) Any member of the ARB who knowingly conceals such financial interest or violates the requirements of this section may be removed from the ARB by the City Council.
(i) Compensation and Removal.
(1) ARB members shall serve without compensation.
(2) Members may be removed by the City Council at any time without showing of cause.
(j) Duties and Authority.
(1) The ARB shall have such duties and authority as may be provided by this chapter and otherwise by ordinance, or as are necessarily implied therefrom.
(2) The ARB's duties and authority shall include, but not be limited to the following:
A. Permitting or denying the application of the owner for a certificate of appropriateness permitting a change affecting a Protected Property. Such approval shall be required in addition to all other permits applicable to the property.
B. Developing and recommending to the City Council for adoption appropriate Historic Design Standards which promote the preservation and adaptive reuse of Protected Properties. Such standards should reflect a Historic Preservation District's or Landmark's historic and architectural significance; should not limit new construction within a district to any one historical period or architectural style, but rather seek to preserve the integrity and context of existing historical structures; and should promote compatible new development within the district. The guidelines shall:
1. Promote the conservation, development and use of structures, sites and districts within the City;
2. Promote the special historic, architectural, community or aesthetic interest or value of the structures, sites and districts;
3. Promote redevelopment of historic structures and compatible new development within Preservation Districts;
4. Not limit new construction within a Preservation District or to a Landmark, but shall seek to preserve the integrity of existing historic structures;
5. Take into account the impact of the designation of a structure, site, or district on the residents of an affected area, the effect of the designation on the economic and social characteristics of the affected area, and the projected impact of the designation on the budget of the City and other taxing entities.
C. Applying the Historic Design Standards to evaluate applications for Certificates of Appropriateness.
D. Making recommendations to the Planning Commission regarding amendments to this chapter and with respect to other legislation affecting Preservation Districts or Landmarks.
E. Establishing, within the spirit and purposes of this chapter, procedures for evaluating applications for Certificates of Appropriateness.
F. Considering at least the following elements in the development of Historic Design Standards: architectural style and authenticity, structural proportion, foundation materials, exterior surfaces and their component materials, building height, building width, roof type, exterior architectural features, paving or walkways, significant landscaping features, coloring of the exterior in relation to the age and style of the structure and the coloring of the surrounding buildings.
G. Conducting or causing to be conducted a continuing survey of cultural resources in the community, according to guidelines established by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office.
H. Acting in an advisory role to other officials and departments of local government regarding the protection of local cultural resources.
I. Acting as a liaison on behalf of the local government to individuals and organizations concerned with historic preservation.
J. Working toward the continuing education of citizens within the City regarding historic preservation issues and concerns.
K. Reviewing all proposed National Register nominations for properties within its jurisdiction
L. Seeking expertise in an area when the ARB considers a National Register nomination and other actions which are normally evaluated by a professional in a specific discipline, and that discipline is not represented on the ARB (i.e., archaeology, archaeological site).
M. Conducting or encouraging members to attend educational sessions at least once a year, or an in-depth consultation with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office pertaining to the work and functions of the ARB or on specific historic preservation issues.
N. Maintaining a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties, including the following:
1. The ARB shall initiate or maintain a process approved by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office for the survey and inventory of resources within its jurisdiction.
2. The ARB shall maintain a detailed inventory of the designated districts, sites and structures under its specific jurisdiction.
3. The ARB shall maintain securely all inventory material, and have that inventory accessible to the public.
4. The ARB shall maintain the inventories on Ohio Historic Inventory/Ohio Archaeological Inventory forms, or forms compatible with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office's computerized inventory.
5. The ARB shall make the appropriate inventory forms available to the Ohio Historic Preservation Office through duplicates (with contact prints).
6. The ARB shall periodically update the inventory forms to reflect changes.
O. Establishing its own rules of procedure for, and recording, proceedings held pursuant to Chapter 1267.
(Ord. 0-15-4. Passed 2-19-15.)