[Adopted 12-18-2019 by Ord. No. 21-2019]
There is hereby established a Design Review Committee in and for the Borough of Atlantic Highlands in accordance with the provisions of this article.
The purpose of the Design Review Committee is to facilitate the development of public art in the Commercial Business District and/or Historic Business District within the Borough. The Mayor and Council find that it is in the best interest of the residents of and visitors to the Borough of Atlantic Highlands to create a committee to facilitate and promote the creation of public murals to achieve this purpose. The Committee shall ensure that public murals will complement the building and Commercial Business District and/or Historic Business District area with which they are associated.
A. 
The Design Review Committee (hereinafter "the Committee") shall consist of seven members and may be assisted by such additional persons as the Committee from time to time deems warranted. The Committee shall, at minimum, be comprised of the following representative members:
(1) 
Resident artist;
(2) 
Resident Historical Society member;
(3) 
Resident Arts Council member;
(4) 
Planning Board member;
(5) 
Resident Chamber of Commerce member;
(6) 
Resident architect or professional planner;
(7) 
Councilmember.
B. 
All Committee persons shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the Mayor. Members shall be appointed for a one-year term expiring December 31 of each year; except that in reference to initial appointments, three members shall be appointed for a two-year term, and two members shall be appointed for a one-year term.
C. 
All applications for murals shall be submitted to the Municipal Clerk for review by the Committee with a copy to the Zoning Officer. The Committee shall meet at least monthly in the Borough Hall when an application for a mural has been presented and is pending and at any other time as deemed necessary and agreed upon by the members of the Committee.
The members of the Committee shall annually elect from their members the following officers with the following duties:
A. 
Chairperson. The duties of the Chairperson will be to preside over all meetings of the Committee.
B. 
Vice Chairperson. The duties of the Vice Chairperson will be to perform the duties of the Chairperson in case of absence or vacancy.
C. 
Secretary. The duties of the Secretary will be to keep a record of all meetings, and at each meeting to make a report of the previous meeting.
A. 
The Committee shall have the authority to:
(1) 
Review all application requests for a permit for an outdoor mural that is not already the subject of land use approval;
(2) 
Schedule a meeting with the applicant (who shall be either the property owner or a tenant with written permission of the property owner), not inconsistent with Chapter 229 of this Code, for the purpose of reviewing said application.
(3) 
Advise the applicant, in writing, of the date, time and place of said meeting to review the application.
(4) 
Make a recommendation to the Mayor and Council as to whether they should approve or deny the permit request for a public mural.
(5) 
Issue and revoke permits for outdoor murals once approved by the Mayor and Council.
(6) 
Forward the application to the Mayor and Council for final permit approval.
B. 
Upon written recommendation for denial of an application by the Committee, the applicant may appeal the recommendation of the denial of their application to the Mayor and Council within 30 days of denial. The Mayor and Council shall review the denial and either affirm the denial, overturn the denial, or overturn the denial with added restrictions. The decision of the Mayor and Council on review of a denial of an application shall be final.