(A) In determining whether to designate particular properties, buildings, structures, or areas as landmarks or historic districts, the Historic Preservation Commission shall consider the following criteria:
(1) Character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage, or cultural characteristics of the village, state, or nation;
(2) Location as a site of a significant village, state, or national event;
(3) Identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the village, state, or nation;
(4) Embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, type, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials;
(5) Identification as the work of a master builder, designer, architect, or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the village, state, or nation;
(6) Embodiment of elements of design, detailing, materials, or craftsmanship that render the property or building architecturally significant;
(7) Embodiment of design elements that make the property or building structurally or architecturally innovative:
(8) Unique location or singular physical characteristics that make the property or building an established or familiar visual feature;
(9) Exemplification of the cultural, economic, social, or historic heritage of the village;
(10) Relationship to other distinctive areas eligible for preservation;
(11) Character as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure including, but not limited to farmhouses, gas stations, or other commercial structures, with a high level of integrity or architectural significance; and/or
(12) Suitability for preservation or restoration.
(B) Designation of historic landmarks.
(1) Initiation. Any person, group of persons, or association, including but not limited to the Historic Preservation Commission, may request landmark designation for any site, place, building, structure, improvement, archaeological site, work of art, or other object within the corporate limits of the village which may have historic, cultural, archaeological or architectural significance in accordance with criteria set forth in division (A) of this section. The Director of Community Development shall supply, upon request, the application forms to begin the review process for landmark designation.
(2) Review process.
(a) Application; nomination. Any person, group of persons, or association may request the designation of a landmark by obtaining an application for such designation from the Director of Community Development.
(b) Owner notification. If the applicant is not the owner of the subject property, the owner of record shall be notified by mail that an application has been received requesting landmark designation for the property.
(c) Review. After receipt of a complete application for designation of a landmark, the Director of Community Development shall forward it to the Historic Preservation Commission, along with a copy to be retained by the Director of Community Development for review and comment.
(d) Preliminary recommendation. The application shall be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission, which shall solicit advice and recommendations from staff. The Historic Preservation Commission shall set forth whether the designation should be granted or denied and state the grounds for any such recommendations as they relate to standards set forth in division (A) of this section.
(e) Public hearing. The Historic Preservation Commission shall conduct a public hearing within 60 days of receiving a complete application for a proposed landmark designation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(f) Recommendation. The Commission shall review the proposed designation, the recommendations of the Director of Community Development, staff, and the testimony at the public hearing and recommend to the Board of Trustees approval or denial of the designation.
(3) Action by Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall review the proposed designation, the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Commission, along with the Director of Community Development and staff, and shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny the proposed designation within 60 days of receipt of the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission. If the Board approves the application for a designation, a notice will be sent to the property owner(s), the Director of Community Development, the Building Commissioner, and the Village Clerk's Office that the subject property has been designated as a local landmark and that the site, place, building, structure, improvement, archaeological site, work of art, or other object shall be subject to issuance of a certificate of appropriateness.
(C) Designation of historic districts.
(1) Initiation. Any person, group of persons, or association, including but not limited to the Historic Preservation Commission, may request landmark designation for any group of sites, places, buildings, structures, improvements, archaeological sites, or other objects within the corporate limits of the village which may have historic, cultural, architectural significance in accordance with criteria set forth in division (A) of this section as a historic district. The Director of Community Development shall supply, upon request, the application forms to begin the review process for designation of a historic district.
(2) Review process.
(a) Application; nomination. Any person, group of persons, or association, including but not limited to the Historic Preservation Commission, may request the designation of a defined geographic area as a historic district by obtaining an application for such designation from the Director of Community Development. In making the application for the designation of a historic district, the following factors should be considered. If the proposed historic district contains:
1. One or more landmarks along with such other buildings, places, or areas within its definable geographic boundaries which, while not of such historic significance to be designated as landmarks, nevertheless contribute to the overall visual characteristics of the landmark or landmarks located in such a proposed historic district;
2. A significant number of structures meeting any of the standards of division (A) of this section;
3. Establishes a sense of time and place unique to the village; and/or
4. Exemplifies or reflects the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history of the village, the state, or the nation.
(b) Review.
1. After receipt of a complete application for designation of a historic district, the Director of Community Development shall forward it to the Historic Preservation Commission. The Director of Community Development shall also retain a copy of the application for review and comment.
2. In reviewing an application for designation of a historic district, the Historic Preservation Commission shall weigh the evidence presented for establishing the proposed historic district in light of the criteria set forth in division (A) of this section.
(c) Preliminary recommendation. The application shall be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission, which shall solicit advice and recommendations from staff. The Historic Preservation Commission shall set forth whether the designation should be granted or denied and state the grounds for any such recommendations as they relate to standards set forth in division (A) of this section. A preliminary determination as to whether a district or an area meets one or more of the criteria shall be made within 60 days of the filing of a nomination with the Commission.
(d) Public hearing. Notice of date, time, place, and purpose of the public hearing shall be sent by mail to the owner(s) of record within the proposed historic district and to the nominator(s), not less than 15 and no more than 30 days prior to the date of the hearing. A public notice shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation in the village. The notice shall state the location of the proposed district and a statement summarizing how the proposed district meets the criteria set forth in division (A) of this section. The Historic Preservation Commission shall conduct a public hearing within 60 days of receiving a complete application for a proposed historic district designation in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. If the Historic Preservation Commission finds at the time that the application merits further consideration, then the Commission may table the request until its next regularly scheduled meeting.
(e) Recommendation. The Commission shall review the proposed designation, the recommendations of the Director of Community Development, staff, and the testimony at the public hearing and recommend to the Board of Trustees approval or denial of the historic district designation. A decision shall be made within 60 days following the date of the closing of the public hearing.
(3) Action by Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees shall review the proposed designation, the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Commission, along with the Director of Community Development and staff, and shall approve, approve with conditions, or deny the proposed historic district designation within 60 days of receipt of the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission. If the Board approves the application for a designation, a notice will be sent to the property owner(s), the Director of Community Development, the Building Commissioner, and the Village Clerk's office that the area has been designated as such and that the buildings located within the boundaries of the Historic District shall be subject to issuance of certificate of appropriateness.
(D) Applications for nominations of landmarks and historic districts. Any person, group of persons, or association may apply to the Historic Preservation Commission for the designation of a landmark or historic district. Applications for a nomination shall be filed with the Director of Community Development. Persons wishing guidance or advice prior to completing an application may contact the Historic Preservation Commission. The form of the application shall be determined by the Historic Preservation Commission with consideration of recommendations from the Director of Community Development and staff. At a minimum, the application shall include the following:
(1) For a landmark:
(a) the name(s) and address(es) of the property owner(s).
(b) The legal description and common street address of the property.
(c) A written statement describing the property and setting forth reasons in support of the proposed designation.
(d) A list of significant features (architectural or other) that should be protected.
(e) An overall site plan (and/or copy of the plat of survey showing the locations of structures on the property), photographs of the proposed landmark, and any other supporting documentation.
(2) For a historic district:
(a) A map delineating the boundaries of the area to be designated.
(b) A written statement describing the proposed historic district setting forth the reasons in support of the designation.
(c) A list of significant features of the proposed historic district.
(d) Photographs and other supporting documentation.
(Ord. 88-0-029, passed 5-17-88; Am. Ord. 94-0-037, passed 6-21-94)