(a) Established: Composition. There is hereby established an Architectural Review Board which shall consist of five voting members, residents of the City of Twinsburg holding no other municipal public office, who shall be appointed by a majority vote of all the members of Council and the Mayor as provided by Charter. A Council member appointed by Council as representative, the Building Commissioner, or his/her designee. An architect shall serve as non voting member unless an architect has been appointed to the Board as one of the five voting members. The architect, if needed, shall be retained by the Mayor through a personal services contract approved by Council.
(1) At the first Board meeting of each year, Board members shall organize and elect one resident as chairperson, who shall be responsible for the proper administration of Board’s proceedings. Members shall elect one member as secretary, who shall keep or cause to be kept in the Municipal Building a complete record of all meetings of the Board and of all matters considered by said board.
(2) The architect member shall consider all matters before the Board and provide professional advice, consultation and opinion to the Board as appropriate.
(3) Three members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. However, should fewer than five members be present at any particular meeting, a majority vote of the members present shall be required to take official action. Any applicant shall have the right to have their matter continued if fewer than five members are present for a meeting.
(b) Rules and Regulations; Appointment Considerations. The Board shall follow its own rules, regulations, and procedures in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and other applicable provisions of the Codified Ordinances of the City, but, in lieu thereof, shall be governed by "Robert's Rules of Order, Revised". Council, in appointing one of its members and community residents to the Architectural Review Board, shall be mindful of, and shall consider the professional capabilities and practical experience of the appointees from the standpoint of architectural knowledge, engineering knowledge, of knowledge in construction, fabrication or the fine arts.
(c) Terms. The original terms for non-administrative appointed members of the Board shall be as follows:
(1) One Council member appointed for a one year term to commence each January 1;
(2) Resident member appointments shall be for three year terms commencing on April 1 of the year of appointment. Any vacancy in a member appointment shall be filled as provided in the Charter for the balance of the original appointment.
(d) Meetings. The Board shall meet at regular intervals as determined by Council t least twice per month at announced times and locations so as to give all applicants and the general public full and complete notice of its meetings and opportunity to be heard before the Board. A meeting may be canceled if no business is to be considered and brought before the Board.
(e) Compensation. The resident members of the Board shall be compensated for attendance at meetings in accordance with the provisions within the "Basic Salary Ordinance".
(f) Method of Operation. Applications for building permits or remodeling permits affecting the exterior of buildings or structures shall be submitted to the Building Department and shall include at least two copies of a detailed set of building and plat plans drawn in accordance with good architectural practice and with all requirements established by the Building Department The Building Department may reject any applications which do not conform to these requirements.
(1) The Building Commissioner shall review all plans to determine if they comply with all provisions of the Zoning Code, the Subdivision Code, the Building Code and such other ordinances of the Municipality as may be applicable to the issuance of a building permit.
(2) The Building Commissioner shall review all applications in accordance with this Chapter and determine if review by the Architectural Review Board is required and if so shall take the appropriate steps to have the applicaton placed on the Board's agenda as soon as practical.
(3) Unless the Board reports approval, disapproval or recommendations for change within sixty days after receipt from the Building Commissioner, such plans and specifications will be deemed to have been approved by the Board, subject to all other provisions and/or conditions herein.
(g) Appeals. Any appeal to the Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals may be taken by any person aggrieved, or by any officer of the Municipality affected by any decision of the Board, an appeal fee being waived in the latter instance. Such appeal shall be taken within twenty days after the decision by filing with the Building Department and with the Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals, a notice of appeal specifying the grounds therefor, together with the appeal filing fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). The Building Commissioner shall forthwith transmit to the Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals all papers constituting the record upon which the action appealed was taken.
The authority and duties and manner of proceedings of the Board of Zoning and Building Code Appeals shall be such as are prescribed in the Zoning Code and Charter of the Municipality. A final appeal from the recommendations of the Board to Council shall be available within twenty days of such Board's recommendation.
(Ord. 84-2021. Passed 11-23-21.)