[R.O. 2011 §34-72.1; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
There is hereby established an Historic Preservation Commission.
[R.O. 2011 §34-72.2; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
A.
The
membership of the Commission shall consist of nine (9) members who
shall serve without compensation and who shall be appointed by the
City Council for terms of three (3) years, except that the first (1st)
three (3) of the members appointed shall serve for a one (1) year
term each, and the next three (3) shall serve for a two (2) year term.
Thereafter, the Council shall make appointments to fill the terms
expiring. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for unexpired terms
only. The Commission shall be comprised of members with special interest,
education and/or experience in historical preservation, and may include
architectural historians, archaeologists, architects, landscape architects,
urban planners, and residents of historic districts. The membership
of the Commission shall include at least two (2) architects and one
(1) attorney.
B.
Members
of the Commission shall be residents of University City, and shall
hold no other elected or appointed office or position in the City
Government. In addition, thereto, one (1) member of the City Council
designated by the City Council, the City Manager, the Zoning Administrator,
and a liaison member from each historic district, selected through
procedures established by the Commission, shall be advisors to and
ex officio members of the Commission but shall have no vote on matters
coming before the Commission.
[R.O. 2011 §34-72.3; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
The Historic Preservation Commission shall elect its Chairperson
annually from among the appointed members with voting rights and shall
have the authority to employ such assistants and technical advisors
as it considers necessary within the limits of its budget appropriations.
[R.O. 2011 §34-72.4; Ord. No. 6401 §1(part), 2002]
A.
The
Historic Preservation Commission shall act in an advisory capacity
but shall not have administrative authority over decision making.
The Commission shall act in an advisory capacity to the Department
of Community Development staff in carrying out enforcement activities
required on City ordinances on matters relating to the administration
of this Article and shall have the following powers and duties:
1.
To consider all applications to designate historic landmarks or districts
and to make recommendations concerning such applications to the City
Council and to prepare documentation supporting such recommendations;
2.
To consider applications for building permits, including sign permits,
for historic landmarks or within a historic district, and to make
interpretations and recommendations concerning such applications to
the Department of Community Development staff;
3.
To consider and review proposed changes to buildings, structures,
humanly constructed objects, street furniture, City parks, civic areas,
public facilities or environmental features of a historic landmark
or within a historic district, reporting its recommendations to the
Department of Community Development staff;
4.
To consider applications for permission to demolish buildings, structures
or humanly constructed objects anywhere in the City, and to make recommendations
concerning such applications to the Department of Community Development
staff;
5.
To consider applications for conditional use permits for a historic
landmark or within a historic district, and to make recommendations
concerning such requests to the Plan Commission;
6.
To consider applications for the grant of variances to a historic
landmark or within a historic district, and to make recommendations
concerning such requests to the Board of Adjustment;
7.
To make such rules and regulations with respect to Commission procedures
as are consistent with the intent and purposes of this Article and
as are necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Commission
under this Article;
8.
To consider all applications for amendments, modifications or revisions
of this Article, and to make recommendations concerning such applications
to the City Council in such manner as to afford review and comment
by the Plan Commission;
9.
To file an application with the Zoning Administrator to amend the
text of the Zoning Code or to rezone any property in University City;
10.
To initiate from time to time a comprehensive review of the provisions
of this Article or any part thereof;
11.
To disseminate to owners or occupants of historic landmarks or within
historic districts, or to the general public, information concerning
the preservation of historic landmarks or historic districts;
12.
To solicit grants or gifts on behalf of the City and to make recommendations
to the City Council regarding the acceptance of grants or gifts;
13.
To spend appropriated funds, grant allocations, or other funds, for
the employment of technical advisors and other budgeted operating
expenses, subject to the limitations of established City budgetary
and purchasing procedures;
14.
To recommend inspections by Department of Community Development staff
and a representative of Historic Preservation Commission of historic
structures or objects within historic districts and to advise the
Department of Community Development staff of any findings of deterioration
such that the landmark, structure or object is in a state of demolition
as defined in Division 5 subject to staff scheduling and budgetary
restrictions. The Commission may recommend that the City require repairs
sufficient to prevent demolition by deterioration;
15.
To recommend to the Traffic Commission, Plan Commission and City
Council a plan for any established historic landmark site or historic
district regarding development, which plan may be adopted by the City
Council as an amendment to the ordinance establishing the historic
landmark or historic district;
16.
To consider proposed alteration or maintenance project involving
City-owned property that has been designated a historic landmark or
district and to report its findings and recommendations to the Department
of Community Development staff;
17.
To conduct ongoing survey and research to identify and document buildings,
structures, objects, sites and districts that are of historic, archaeological,
architectural, engineering, cultural, or scenic significance to the
locality, the State, or the nation;
18.
To recommend the establishment of regulations, guidelines and policies
to preserve the integrity and ambience of designated landmarks and
districts. The Commission shall make recommendations to the Department
of Community Development staff concerning new construction, alterations,
removals, and demolitions proposed within the boundaries of a landmark
or district, including review of plans for vacant lots and non-historic
buildings or structures within a district;
19.
To recommend to the City Council programs and policies and economic
incentives to encourage the preservation of significant historic landmarks
and districts;
20.
To prepare and make a recommendation to the Department of Community
Development staff, the Plan Commission and the City Council for a
comprehensive historic preservation plan, or preservation element
to the comprehensive City plan, including recommendations for codes,
ordinances, or community programs;
21.
To assist owners of properties of historic significance in appeals
to the Building Commissioner or Board of Appeals for relief from the
provisions of the Building Code or Property Maintenance Code for reasons
of historical appropriateness;
22.
To recommend to the City Council the acquisition by purchase, gift,
or bequest, fee title or lesser interest, including preservation restriction
or easements in designated properties and adjacent or associated lands
which are important for the preservation and use of the designated
properties;
23.
To maintain a register and map of designated landmarks and districts
and of significant historical, architectural, and archaeological properties.
