[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.