(A) Composition. The Troy Historic Preservation Commission shall consist of five voting members appointed as officers of the city by the Mayor and approved by the City Council.
(B) Qualifications. The members shall be appointed on the basis of expertise, experience or interest in the area of architectural history, building construction or engineering, finance, historical and architectural preservation, neighborhood organizing, or real estate.
(C) Term of office. Members of the Commission shall be appointed for terms of three years. Of those members first taking office, two shall be appointed for one year, two for two years, and one for three years. Alternate members shall be appointed to served in the absence of or disqualification of the regular members. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only. Members shall serve without compensation.
(D) Officers. Officers shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, and a secretary elected by the Historic Preservation Commission who shall serve a term of one year and shall be eligible for reelection. The chairman shall preside over meetings. In the absence of the chairman, the vice-chairman shall perform the duties of the chairman. If both are absent, a temporary chairman shall be elected by those present. The secretary to the Historic Preservation Commission shall have the following duties:
(1) Take minutes of each Historic Preservation Commission meeting;
(2) Be responsible for publication and distribution of copies of the minutes, reports, and decisions of the Historic Preservation Commission to the members of the Historic Preservation Commission;
(3) Give notice as provided herein or by law for all public hearings conducted by the Historic Preservation Commission;
(4) Advise the Mayor of vacancies on the Historic Preservation Commission and expiring terms of members; and
(5) Prepare and submit to the City Council a complete record of the proceedings before the Historic Preservation Commission on any matter requiring Council consideration.
(E) Meetings.
(1) A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members. All decisions or actions of the Historic Preservation Commission shall be made by a majority vote of those members present and voting at any meeting where a quorum exists. Meetings shall be held at regularly scheduled times to be established by resolution of the Commission at the beginning of each calendar year or at any time upon the call of the Chairman.
(2) No member of the Historic Preservation Commission shall vote on any matter that may materially or apparently affect the property, income or business interest of that member. No action shall be taken by the Commission that could in any manner deprive or restrict the owner of property in its use, modification, maintenance, disposition, or demolition until such owner shall first have had the opportunity to be heard at public meeting of the Historic Preservation Commission, as provided herein. The Chairman, and in his or her absence the acting Chairman, may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the Historic Preservation Commission shall be open to the public. The Historic Preservation Commission shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote, indicating such fact, and shall keep records if its examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in the office of the Historic Preservation Commission and shall be a public record.
(F) Powers and duties.
(1) To adopt its own procedural regulations which shall be subject to approval by the City Council;
(2) To conduct an ongoing survey to identify historically and architecturally significant properties, structures and areas;
(3) To investigate and recommend to the City Council the adoption of ordinances designating properties or structures having special historic, community, or architectural value as “landmarks”;
(4) To investigate and recommend to the City Council the adoption of ordinances designating properties or structures having special historic, community or architectural value as “historic districts”;
(5) To keep a register of all properties and structures that have been designated as landmarks or historic districts, including all information required for each designation;
(6) To determine an appropriate system of markers and make recommendations for the design and implementation of specific markings of the streets and routes leading from one landmark or historic district to another;
(7) To advise owners of landmarks and property or structures within historic districts on physical and financial aspects of preservation, renovation, rehabilitation, and reuse, and on procedures for inclusion on the State or National Register of Historic Places;
(8) To inform and educate the citizens of Troy concerning the historic and architectural heritage of the city by publishing appropriate maps, newsletters, brochures, and pamphlets, and by holding programs and seminars;
(9) To hold public hearings and to review applications for construction, alteration, removal, or demolition affecting proposed or designated landmarks or structures or historic districts and issue or deny certificates of appropriateness for such actions. Applicants shall be required to submit plans, drawings, elevations, specifications, and other information as may be necessary to make decisions;
(10). To develop specific guidelines for the alteration, demolition, construction, or removal of landmarks or property and structures within historic districts;
(11) To review proposed zoning amendments, applications for special use permits or variances that affect proposed or designated landmarks and historic districts. Such review shall be made prior to the date of the hearing by the City Planning Commission or the Zoning Board of Appeals;
(12) To administer on the behalf of the city any property or full or partial interest in real property, including a conservation right as that term is used in ILCS Ch. 765, Act 120, § 1, which the city may have or accept as a gift or otherwise, upon designation by the City Council;
(13) To accept and administer on behalf of the city, upon designation by the City Council, such gifts, grants and money as may be appropriate for the purpose of this subchapter;
(14) To call upon available city staff members as well as other experts for technical advice;
(15) To testify before all boards and commissions, including the City Planning Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals, on any matter affecting historically and architecturally significant property and landmarks; and
(16) To periodically review the Troy Zoning Ordinance and to recommend to the City Planning Commission and the City Council any amendments appropriate for the protection and continued use of landmarks or property and structures within historic districts.
(G) Surveys and research. The Historic Preservation Commission shall undertake an ongoing survey and research effort in the city to identify neighborhoods, areas, sites, structures, and objects that have historic, community, architectural, or aesthetic importance, interest, or value. As part of the survey, the Historic Preservation Commission shall review and evaluate any prior surveys and studies by any unit of government or private organization and compile appropriate descriptions, facts, and photographs. The Historic Preservation Commission shall identify potential landmarks and adopt procedures to nominate them in groups based upon the following criteria:
(1) The potential landmarks in one identifiable neighborhood or district geographical area of the city;
(2) The potential landmarks associated with a particular person, event, or historical period;
(3) The potential landmarks of a particular architectural style or school, or of a particular architect, engineer, builder, designer or craftsman; and
(4) Such other criteria as may be adopted by the Historic Preservation Commission to assure systematic survey and nomination of all potential landmarks within the city.
(Ord. 2013-06, passed 6-17-2013)