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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUntitled (2)CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS PROCEDURES I. Certificates of Appropriateness are required generally for the construction, reconstruction, alteration, demolition or moving of any exterior feature of any building, structure or use in a historic district or for a historic landmark, and particularly as follows: A. Material change in the exterior appearance existing buildings classified as historical by additions, reconstruction, alteration or maintenance i ne*e��rr$ng raw --ri �r i �+- �H��.��, -cati B. Any new construction of a principal or accessory building or structure. C. Material change in or new construction of walls, fences, steps, light fixtures or paving. D. Material change in exterior appearance of existing contemporary buildings by addition, reconstruction, alteration, or maintenance involving exterior color change. E. Material changes in landscaping or lawn. F. Erection or removal of any sign. of II. Statement of purpose for granting or denying certificates of appropriateness. A. To preserve the integrity, character and cohesiveness of historic buildings in historic districts. B. To insure compatibility between existing historical buildings and proposed contemporary structures and materials. III. Guidelines for determining appropriateness. A. Commission to consider: 1. Purpose of historic preservation. 2. Historical, architectural and cultural significance and value of buildings or districts. 3. Materials, color, texture of buildings in question including signs, relationship of similar features among buildings in district. B. Commission to weigh the following: 1. Significance of preservation and appropriateness of proposed construction. 2. Hardship to owner. 3. Value to public/detriment to public welfare if proposed work is permitted but not deemed appropriate. a. Educational b. Recreational c. Aesthetic C. Commission to determine strictness of application of standards among various districts, with all districts to be treated uniformly and equally. IV. Prior to commencement of ANY work on landmarks or buildings in a historic district, owner must: A. Apply for certificate of appropriateness on the Commission's prescribed form and include: 1. Materials to be used with samples (if available). 2. Detailed written description of project, including scale, dimensions, construction method, finishes, manufacturers brochures, specs, if available. 3. Site photograph. 4. Permit fee of three dollars. B. File further information if: 1. Project is "in kind" replacement - a list of replaced and new materials is required. 2. Landscape alterations are to be made - a site plan showing dimensions and relationship of the landscape alteration to the main structure. 3. other projects including reconstruction, new construction and replacement which is not identical to the existing structure or does not currently exist but is known to have existed in the past, require all items listed above as well as architectural drawings in plan and elevation to scale with dimensions specified as appropriate. V. The Commission will consider applications when: 1. an application is complete, i.e. when all pertinent information as required in Section IV above has been received by the Commission office, then 2. the application will be placed on the agenda of the next certificate of appropriateness committee meeting or full Commission meeting whichever comes first, then 3. the Commission will act within thirty days after receipt of a completed application, i.e., when all information required by the Commission is submitted. 4. Completed applications received before 4:00 p.m. the first Friday of the month will be placed on the agenda for that month. All applications received after that time will be placed on the agenda of the next committee or Commission meeting. VI. Procedure of Commission upon receipt of completed certificate of appropriateness application. A. The Commission may approve, deny, or approve in modified form any application. B. If an applicant chooses not to accept a proposed modification of his application, that application will be considered denied. C. The Commission will hold public hearings on applications for certificates of appropriateness to allow an opportunity for proponents and opponents of individual proposals to present their views to the Commission. D. Commission notice requirements for holding a public hearing: (the Commission needs to determine these notice procedures). E. Where necessary, the Commission will seek outside technical advice in order to determine the appropriateness of the project. VII. Hardship. Only an unusual, unreasonable and substantial financial hardship particular to an applicant and not common to property owners generally in sufficient grounds to excuse of historic preservation. VIII. Decisions of the Commission. a historic district will be compliance with the standards A. The Commission will inform an owner within 15 number of days of its decision. B. Applicants will be notified of the Commission's decision in written form. The notice will contain the date of the application, identity of the property, and a brief explanation of the reasons if the application is denied. A41; "` C. Failure of the Commission to act within 45 days after receipt of a completed application shall constitute approval of the application. IX. APPEALS A. Applicants may appeal denial of a certification of appropriateness to the Common Council. B. An appeal must be made in writing within 30 days of the date the denial was issued, and the applicant must submit a copy of the appeal to the Historic Preservation Commission at its business office within 3 days of the appeal. C. An appeal to the Common Council must state with specificity why the Historic Preservation Commission's denial Qf the certificate, of appropriateness was erroneous or II—ega,l, X.., Any work performed on a historical landmark or in a historic district which does not conform with the certificate of appropriateness issued on the project, will be halted before its completion. XI. A certificate of appropriateness concerns historic integrity only and shall not be construed as any.warranty of the structure's engineering soundness or safety. JPM/INT:cac-histo.ric