Significant historic properties may be designated to the historic landmark register for the purposes of recognizing their significance and providing incentives and guidelines for their preservation.
A. Criteria For Designating Properties To City Historic Landmark Register: Any district, building, structure, object or site may be designated to the historic landmark register if it meets all the criteria outlined below:
1. It is located within the official boundaries of the city.
2. It is currently listed in the National Register of Historical Places, or it has been officially determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historical Places. Properties listed on or determined eligible for the national register must, in addition to retaining their integrity, meet at least one of the following national register criteria. The property must:
a. Be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; or
b. Be associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
c. Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction or that represent the work of a master, or possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
3. Have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history (archeological sites, for example).
4. The owner of the property approves of the action to designate his/her property to the historic landmark register and has submitted to the Commission a written statement to that effect.
B. Designation Procedure:
1. Official designation proceedings must begin with the submission of a written request for designation by the property owner to the Commission chairperson. The letter must identify the property by its address and historic name, give the date the property was listed in the national register or officially determined eligible, and include a statement verifying that the property owner is indeed the owner of the legal record of the property proposed for designation. This official request may be preceded by informal contact with the property owner by Commission Members, private citizens, legal officials or others regarding designation of the property.
2. Upon receipt of the written request for designation, the Commission Chairperson shall arrange for nomination to be considered at the next Commission meeting, which shall be held at a time not to exceed thirty (30) days from the date the request was received.
3. The decision by the Commission shall be based on eligibility of the property in terms of meeting the criteria for designating properties to the city historical landmark register. The Commission shall forward its recommendation in writing to the City Council within fourteen (14) days.
4. The City Council may, by approval and passage of an appropriate resolution, designate properties to the historic landmark register. Following designation, a notice of such shall be mailed to the owners of record, together with a copy of this chapter.
5. After property has been formally designated to the historical landmark register, the designation may be amended or rescinded in the same manner as the original designation was made.
6. Upon official designation, the property owner shall record the designation with the county recorder’s office to indicate such designation as the official title thereof.
C. Results Of Designation To Historic Landmark Register:
1. Properties designated to the historic landmark register may receive special consideration in the granting of zoning variances or conditional use permits in order to encourage their preservation.
2. In the event of rehabilitation of the property, local building officials will consider waiving certain code requirements in accordance with the building code, which deals with national buildings, or the code for building conservation, a special code for existing buildings.
3. Owners of historic landmarks may seek assistance from the Historic Preservation Commission in applying for grants or tax credits for rehabilitating their properties.
4. Proposed repairs, alterations or additions to historic landmarks are subject to the review of the Historic Preservation Commission and the subsequent review and approval of the City Council. The purpose of this review is to ensure the preservation of historic materials and features to the greatest degree possible.
a. Applications for permits pertaining to historical landmark properties shall be forwarded by the building official to the Commission prior to their issuance.
b. At its next scheduled meeting, the Commission shall review the applications and proposed work for compliance with the standards for rehabilitation.
c. The Commission’s recommendation shall be forwarded to the Mayor and City Recorder within three (3) days for consideration by the City Council. The recommendation must indicate which of the “standards” the Commission’s decision was based on and, where appropriate, a brief explanation. Copies of the recommendation shall be sent to the building official and the property owner at the same time.
d. The City Recorder shall schedule the matter for a public hearing by the City Council at its next regular scheduled for the next available Regular City Council Meeting. After the hearing, the City Council shall make a decision regarding the appropriateness of the proposed action. Approved projects will be issued a certificate of historical appropriateness which authorizes the building permit to be issued.
D. Enforcement: The provisions of this section are subject to the enforcement provision established in the building code. (Ord. 2023-33, 12-6-2023)