[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
A certificate of appropriateness shall be required before the following actions affecting the exterior architectural appearance of any landmark or property within a historic district may be undertaken:
A. 
Any construction, alteration or removal requiring a building permit from the City of Harrisonville;
B. 
Any demolition in whole or in part requiring a permit from the City of Harrisonville;
C. 
Any violation of a minimum maintenance standard or construction, alteration, demolition or removal affecting a significant exterior architectural feature or features;
D. 
Any construction, alteration, removal or demolition in whole or in part proposed by the City of Harrisonville or any of its agencies or departments for a landmark or a structure within a historic district and affecting a significant exterior architectural feature or features.
[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
No application for a building or demolition permit affecting the exterior or architectural appearance of a designated landmark or property within a designated historical district shall be granted by the City until approved by the Preservation Commission. An applicant may request a meeting with the Preservation Commission before or during the review of the application. Application for review of construction, demolition or removal not requiring a building permit for which a certificate of appropriateness is required shall be made on a form prepared by the Codes Enforcement Department of the City of Harrisonville and available at the office of the Codes Enforcement Department of the City of Harrisonville. Applicants may be required to submit plans, drawings, elevations, specifications and other information as may be requested by the Preservation Commission. The Preservation Commission shall consider the completed application at its next regular meeting. The Preservation Commission may call a specific meeting to review routine application for certificate of appropriateness when delay to the next regular meeting would create an unnecessary inconvenience to the applicant.
[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
Whenever the Historic Preservation Commission has a reason to believe an action for which a certificate of appropriateness is required has been initiated or is about to be initiated, it shall make every reasonable effort to contact the owners, occupants, contractors or subcontractors and inform them of the application for certificate of appropriateness process. If the Historic Preservation Commission determines that a stop work order is necessary to halt an action that requires a certificate of appropriateness, it shall deliver or send a copy of the stop work order by certified mail return receipt requested to the owners, occupants, contractors and subcontractors and notify them of the certificate of appropriateness process. A copy of the proper application form shall be included in the notice. A copy of the stop work order shall be sent to the Codes Enforcement Director of the City of Harrisonville, who shall be responsible for monitoring said situation and citing those in violation of this Article.
[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
A. 
The Historic Preservation Commission shall review the application for a building or demolition permit or for a certificate of appropriateness and issue or deny the certificate of appropriateness within no more than forty-five (45) days of receipt of the application. Determination will be based on the standards and guidelines set forth in this Article. Written notice of the approval or denial of the application for a certificate of appropriateness shall be provided the applicant and the Codes Enforcement Department of the City of Harrisonville within seven (7) days following the determination and shall be accompanied by a certificate of appropriateness in case of approval.
B. 
The certificate of appropriateness shall become void unless construction is commenced within six (6) months of the date of issuance. Any person who does not complete a project according to the guidelines provided in the certificate of appropriateness shall be deemed in violation of this Article.
[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
A denial of the certificate of appropriateness shall be accompanied by a statement of the reasons for the denial. The Historic Preservation Commission shall make recommendations to the applicant concerning changes, if any, in the proposed action which would cause the Commission to reconsider its denial and shall confer with the applicant and attempt to resolve as quickly as possible the differences between the applicant and the Commission. The applicant may resubmit an amended application or reapply for a building or demolition permit that takes into consideration the recommendation of the Commission. Projects requiring certificates of appropriateness will be monitored as necessary by the Commission or its designated representatives to insure compliance of the terms and specifications of the certificate of appropriateness, building permits and demolition permits. If necessary, a second (2nd) stop work order may be issued by the Commission for the same project.
[Ord. No. 1825, 5-13-1991]
In considering an application for a building or demolition permit for a certificate of appropriateness, the Historic Preservation Commission shall be guided by the following general standards in addition to any design guidelines in the ordinance designating the landmark or historic district:
A. 
Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building structure or site and its environment or to the use of the property for its originally intended purpose.
B. 
The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural feature should be avoided when possible.
C. 
All buildings, structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
D. 
Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own rank and this significance should be recognized and respected.
E. 
Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship which characterize a building, structure or site shall be treated with sensitivity.
F. 
Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, whenever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material shall match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repairs or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of features substantiated by historic, physical or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
G. 
The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Cleaning methods that will damage the historic building shall not be undertaken.
H. 
Contemporary design for alteration and additions to existing properties and for new construction may be permitted when such alterations, additions or new construction do not destroy significant historical or architectural or cultural material and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property neighborhood and environment.
I. 
Whenever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired.
J. 
New buildings do not need to duplicate older styles of architecture, but must be compatible with the architecture within the district. However, the scale, placement on lots and street setback must conform with the scale, placement and setback of adjacent structures, especially in the context of rows of buildings and streetscapes. Styles of architecture will be controlled only to insure that their exterior design, materials and color are in harmony with neighboring structures.
K. 
The Commission may consider economic hardship and other factors that may affect an owner's ability to undertake or complete rehabilitation or other work under consideration.