A. The purpose of these standard administrative procedures is to:
1. Establish standardized procedures for the accomplishment of commission responsibilities as delegated by the mayor and common council to the HPC.
2. Define specific duties and responsibilities to those individuals entrusted to oversee the creation of, and preserve and maintain, historic preservation districts within the city of Tombstone.
B. These standard administrative procedures are intended to foster a harmonious working relationship within the historic preservation commission, and to promote a spirit within the community for self-conformity with Tombstone's preservation and conservation ordinances.
C. The criteria for selection of HPC members will be:
1. Commission members should be highly motivated, with integrity and community reputation above reproach, and respectable city of Tombstone citizens with a strong dedication to the creation and maintenance of Tombstone historic preservation districts.
2. Members, inspectors, or consultants to be considered for selection mainly because of technical qualifications, must willingly provide satisfactory documentation attesting to their special skills.
D. The commission shall make an annual report by May 1 of each year to the mayor and common council, on the state of preservation and/or conservation within the historic preservation districts of the city of Tombstone, and shall include in the report a summary of its activities for the past year and a proposed program for the next year.
E. The commission shall have the further responsibility of recommending to the mayor and common council, planning and zoning commission, and city departments, the adoption of policies, sources of funds, and designation of historic preservation districts and historic landmarks that may further the city's preservation or conservation efforts.
F. The chairman shall:
1. Call regular and special meetings, and have advance notice posted, in accordance with the Arizona open meeting law. Regular meetings shall be scheduled on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Special meetings shall be called only in the event of bona fide, verifiable emergencies, or demonstrable hardship.
2. Conduct the meetings in accordance with "Robert's Rules Of Order".
3. Preparation of the meeting agenda with input from other HPC members, and the commission inspector.
4. Appointment of a vice chairman and secretary, and nomination to the council of the commission inspector, with approval of the HPC voting members.
5. Solicitation of highly qualified and motivated citizens for nomination to the mayor and common council to fill vacancies in the HPC's members.
6. Notification to the city clerk of HPC member resignations in writing, within five (5) working days after receipt of such resignation.
7. Notification to the city clerk in writing of the expiration of member's terms, not less than thirty (30) days from the termination date.
8. Apply for funds from the mayor and common council for expenses to pay for: experts in technical deliberations, court appearances, and approved conferences.
9. Consultations with the city attorney on HPC matters only after prior approval by the mayor or the mayor's designee.
10. Initiate removal actions with mayor and common council on any HPC member for just cause. Mayor and common council shall be the final arbiter regarding the removal of any member.
G. The vice chairman shall:
1. Assume the duties of the chairman in his or her absence.
2. Perform administrative functions as requested, and/or needed, by the chairman.
H. The secretary and assistant secretary shall:
1. Maintain accurate HPC minutes of meetings.
2. Maintain reference files and copies of pertinent city code books, ordinances, and city council minutes regarding the HPC's functions and responsibilities.
3. Maintain a duplicate log book on requests for HPC actions and approvals.
4. Verify the technical credentials of HPC nominations for membership as required for selection based on specific qualifications.
5. Notify members of meetings.
6. Assume the functions of the chairman and vice chairman in their absences.
I. HPC members shall:
1. Render unbiased decisions on the review of applications before the HPC for approval.
2. Report any known, observed, or possible city historic preservation districts ordinance of code violations to the HPC inspector, in writing.
3. Provide input to the HPC meeting agendas.
4. Solicit highly qualified citizens to fill HPC vacancies.
5. Notify the secretary if unable to attend meetings, or if intending to be absent from Tombstone for more than one week.
6. Notify the secretary of resignation, either orally, or in writing.
7. If possible, attend city council and planning and zoning commission meetings and/or workshops, when their agendas have items of interest to HPC.
8. Be suspended from membership on the commission after three (3) unexpected absences from regular commission meetings, pending further action by the commission at the very next regular or special meeting, when that person will either be removed, pursuant to subsection F10 of this section, or returned to regular member status.
J. The inspector shall:
1. Conduct unbiased inspections in a timely manner.
2. Prepare violation reports in an accurate, unbiased, and factual manner.
3. Together with the chairman and/or vice chairman and other commission members, conduct quarterly walk-through inspections of the city's historic preservation districts, and encourage residents and business owners and managers to maintain an attractive and neat appearance of their properties.
4. Deliver approved applications to the city clerk's office within two (2) working days after HPC approval.
5. Assign a log number to each application (e.g., year - month - number of application: 90-70-10), and provide a copy to the HPC secretary and the city clerk's office.
6. Assign a sequence number to each historic preservation districts report, and monitor its final description.
7. Appear in court as an HPC witness, to testify to the nature of violations.
K. The city clerk shall:
1. Forward properly completed HPC standard application forms to the HPC in a standardized and timely manner.
2. Provide new business license applicants with the HPC's advisory packets.
3. Brief new residents and business owners on the special requirements pertaining to residing and/or conducting a business within the city historic preservation district.
4. Provide copies of all city council meeting minutes regarding the HPC or the city's historic preservation districts.
5. Provide an HPC meeting box at city hall.
6. Maintain a log book in city hall as the office record for HPC applications.
L. The city building inspector shall:
1. Issue no permit for any work covered by the commission's jurisdiction in any city historic preservation district without prior HPC approval.
2. Report any known or probable violations of the city's historic preservation districts ordinances to the commission inspector or chairman as soon as possible.
M. The city marshal shall: Following the due process of compliance notification outlined in subsection N of this section, issue a citation to the alleged violator citing him or her into city magistrate court.
N. As soon as is reasonably possible following the filing of a complaint violation with the city marshal or the city clerk's office, the commission inspector, or other commission member duly delegated by the commission chairman or vice chairman, shall meet in person informally with the alleged violator, and attempt to persuade him or her to comply voluntarily with the historic preservation districts ordinance within forty eight (48) hours, exclusive of officially recognized state or national holidays.
O. If the violation is not corrected within forty eight (48) hours, the commission inspector shall write a letter on official city letterhead to the alleged violator, detailing the exact nature of the violation, citing city code, and the authority of the city under the code to mandate correction of the violation.
P. If the violation is not corrected within five (5) calendar days from the postmark on the inspector's letter, exclusive of officially recognized state and national holidays, the inspector shall send a copy of the letter, clearly marked "Second Notice" to the alleged violator. If the violation is not corrected within five (5) calendar days of the postmark of the second letter, exclusive of officially recognized national or state holidays, then all administrative remedies within city government will be deemed to have been exhausted, and the city marshal shall cite the alleged violator into city magistrate court.
Q. Minor revisions as they relate only to internal HPC structure may be made without approval of mayor and council. However, any revision impacting on any other city offices, commission, boards, ordinances, or codes must have council approval. (Ord. 2015-01, 7-14-2015)