Loading...
Any questions of interpretation of the requirements associated with the Neighborhood Character Architectural District listed above shall be refereed to the Board of Architectural Review for a determination.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
(a) Whenever a structure within the Downtown Architectural District or Gateway Architectural Districts is proposed to be constructed or erected, or whenever an existing structure within the Downtown Architectural District or Gateway Architectural District is proposed to be altered, reconstructed, enlarged or remodeled, such that it involves the exterior design, material, finish grade line, major landscaping or orientation of the structure, an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness shall first be obtained. The application shall be accompanied by a line drawing indicating lot dimensions, size, shape, and dimensions of the structure, the location and orientation of the structure on the lot and the actual or proposed building setback lines. In addition, the application shall be accompanied by photos, illustrations and narrative material that describing the proposed design or change of design, use of materials, finish grade line, landscaping and orientation of the structure.
(b) Upon receipt of an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness, which is accompanied by supporting material the application shall be referred to the Board of Architectural Review at its next regular meeting not more than forty-five (45) days from the date the application is filed. The Chairperson of the Board may also call a special meeting to consider such application. The Board shall consider and grant or deny the Certificate of Appropriateness within forty-five (45) days from the date of the filing of the application. The applicant may agree to extend this time period.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
The Board of Architectural Review, in deciding whether to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness, shall determine that the application under consideration promotes, preserves and enhances the architectural character of the community and would be consistent with the City of Sylvania’s Architectural Review Guidelines. In conducting its review, the Board shall make examination of and give consideration to the elements of the application including, but not necessarily limited to:
(a) Height.
(b) Building massing, which shall include the relationship of the building width to its height and depth, and its relationship to the viewer’s and pedestrian’s visual perspective.
(c) Window treatment, which shall include the size, shape and materials of the individual window units and the overall harmonious relationship of window openings.
(d) Exterior detail and relationships, which shall include all projecting and receding elements of the exterior, including but not limited to, porches and overhangs and the horizontal or vertical expression which is conveyed by these elements.
(e) Roof shape, which shall include type, form and materials.
(f) Materials, texture and color, which shall include a consideration of material compatibility among various elements of the structure.
(g) Compatibility of design and detail, which shall include the appropriateness of the use of exterior design details.
(h) Landscape design and plant materials, which shall include, in addition to requirements of this Zoning Ordinance, lighting and the use of landscape details to the highlight architectural features or screen or soften undesirable views.
(i) Pedestrian environment, which shall include the provision of features which enhance pedestrian movement and environment and which relate to the pedestrian’s visual perspective.
(j) Signage, which shall include the appropriateness of signage to the building.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
When a historic property is involved (50 or more years old or older), the Board of Architectural Review shall consider the general standards listed above, along with the ten federal standards established by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior as follows as evaluative criteria. These are as follows:
(a) Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, or site and its environment, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.
(b) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural features should be avoided when possible.
(c) All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(d) Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment. These changes that may have acquired significance shall be recognized and respected.
(e) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure, or site shall be treated with sensitivity.
(f) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, whenever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features, should be substantiated by historic, physical or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different elements from other buildings or structures.
(g) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(h) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(i) Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural, or cultural materials, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.
(j) Whenever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired.
(k) The Design Review Board shall also utilize the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings in their review and deliberation.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
Along with requirements associated with Section 1103.022, whenever a structure is proposed to be demolished in the Downtown Architectural District or Gateway Architectural District, an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness shall be filed with the Zoning Administrator. The Board of Architectural Review shall review the proposed demolition in terms of grading, landscaping and other design treatment of the property once it has been removed.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
The Municipal Planning Commission shall constitute the Board of Architectural Review for all purposes under this chapter. The Board of Architectural Review shall adopt its own rules of procedure and provide for regular and special meetings in order to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. During its inquiry and review, the Board of Architectural Review may request that the applicant provide additional information, sketches and data as it may reasonably require. It may call upon experts and specialist for testimony and opinion regarding the matters under examination. It may recommend to the applicant changes in the plans that it considers desirable and may accept a voluntary amendment to the application to include or reflect such changes. The Board of Architectural Review shall keep a record of its proceedings and shall append to the application copies of information, sketches and data needed to clearly describe any amendment to it.
When its review is concluded, the Board of Architectural Review will determine by a vote of its members, whether the Certificate of Appropriateness shall be approved or denied. If approved by a majority of its members, the Board of Architectural Review shall return the application and appended material to the Zoning Administrator with the instruction that the Certificate of Appropriateness be issued, provided all other requirements for a building permit are met as applicable. If not approved, the Board shall return the application and appended material to the Zoning Administrator with instructions that the certificate of appropriateness shall not be issued because the application did not meet the criteria and standards set forth herein. When an application is not approved, the Board of Architectural Review shall also provide specific information regarding how the submitted plans can be modified such that it could be considered to be consistent with the requirements of this Chapter.
(Ord. 56-2015. Passed 4-18-16.)
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF SYLVANIA