Rockland County, NY Historic Preservation

Rockland County contains unparalleled historic resources for a County of its size and additional efforts are needed to ensure their preservation. Encouragement and support of historic preservation is a significant component of future community vitality, revitalization, economic development, heritage tourism and agri-tourism. Therefore, the primary intent and purpose of this chapter is to create a coordinated County-wide historic preservation program to better preserve and utilize these historic resources to enhance the quality of life for County residents. In 1966, Congress established a preservation program for the United States, pursuant to which the national historic preservation program has operated as a decentralized partnership between the federal government and the states. The federal government established a program of identification, evaluation, and protection of historic properties, which is implemented primarily by the states. The success of this relationship prompted Congress to expand the partnership to provide for participation by local governments. The National Historic Preservation Act amendments of 1980 authorize a federal-state-local preservation partnership. The federal law directs the Secretary of the Interior to certify qualified local governments that meet certain requirements, upon application and upon the recommendation of the state historic preservation officer. To support a coordinated County-wide historic preservation program, the County of Rockland desires to be a certified local government under the state historic preservation program in order to receive a variety of services, such as technical assistance and special grants for training, surveys, and public education and demonstration projects.

§ 75A-2 Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise indicated by the context, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BOARD

The County of Rockland Historic Preservation Board.

COUNTY INVENTORY

A planning list for general reference in preservation activities by the County that shall include, at a minimum, the following:

All properties in the County that have been listed on the County, state or national registers of historic places;

All locally designated historic properties;

All County-owned properties that meet the national register criteria for evaluation; and

All properties identified as significant and worthy of preservation, pursuant to the criteria and procedures which shall be adopted as specified herein.

COUNTY UNDERTAKING

Any of the following:

Any physical activity undertaken by a County agency and/or department, including the alteration or demolition of property and the transfer, lease or sale of property;

The funding by a County agency and/or department of any physical activity, including the alteration or demolition of property and the transfer, lease or sale of property; or

The approval or entitlement by a County agency and/or department of any physical activity, including the alteration or demolition of property and the transfer, lease or sale of property.

§ 75A-3 Historic Preservation Board.

There is hereby created an Historic Preservation Board, consisting of 13 members, hereinafter referred to as the "Board." The members of such Board shall be residents of Rockland County, shall meet the qualifications listed below to the extent that such persons are available in the County and shall be appointed by the County Executive, subject to confirmation by the County Legislature, as follows:

(1)

One member shall be the County Historian;

(2)

One member shall be an architectural historian;

(3)

One member shall be an architect;

(4)

One member shall be an archeologist;

(5)

One member shall be the Commissioner of Planning or his/her designee;

(6)

One member shall be the County Archivist or his/her designee;

(7)

One member shall be the Executive Director of the Historical Society of Rockland County or his/her designee;

(8)

One member shall be the County Highway Superintendent or his/her designee;

(9)

One member shall be the County Director of Tourism or his/her designee;

(10)

At least four members shall be selected from the public at large;

(11)

The membership of the Board shall at all times provide for representation by at least one resident of each of the several towns in Rockland County.

All Board members shall have a demonstrated interest, competence or knowledge of historic preservation.

Of the members first appointed, four shall be appointed for terms of one year; four for terms of two years; and five for terms of three years. Their successors shall be appointed for terms of three years from and after the expiration of the terms of their predecessors in office.

§ 75A-4 Powers and duties of Board.

The Board shall have the following powers and duties:

To foster development of model regulations that enhance protection of historic resources, including design guidelines and viewshed protection requirements. Such model regulations, guidelines and requirements shall be guided by the objective that new development harmonize with the historical built form and overall community character, rather than requiring a particular architectural style.

To advise towns and villages of the County inventory and their local historically sensitive areas in order to provide guidance and assistance in their preservation.

To review and maintain the identification by the Historical Society of Rockland County and the mapping and imaging by the County of Rockland Department of Planning of historic sites and structures in the County, in accordance with guidance from the State Historic Preservation Office, and be prepared to advise the towns and villages regarding the preservation of these sites and structures.

To advise towns and villages in the restoration and enhancement of their downtown districts, including guidance in securing funding where applicable.

To work with and advise the County of Rockland and towns and villages on historic roads programs within Rockland County. These programs should establish guidelines for the maintenance of trees, stone walls and other elements that contribute to the historic character of designated roadways.

To advise the County Executive, County Legislature, Commissioner of Planning, and other pertinent County agencies and departments on Rockland Route 200, a cultural and recreational route which would tie together existing parks, hiking trails, bike routes, recreational activities, economic interests, educational institutions, and historic and cultural sites into a package of activities and points of interest, tracing the earliest development and landmarks of the County.

To maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties within Rockland County, which shall be coordinated with and complementary to the survey activities of the New York State Historic Preservation Office.

To participate in the process of nominating County-owned properties to the state and national registers of historic places and to review and comment upon nominations within Rockland County which are proposed by others.

To advise owners of eligible properties in becoming listed on the state and national registers of historic places.

To create and maintain a County register of historic places.

To advise the County Executive, County Legislature, Commissioner of Planning, and other pertinent County agencies and/or departments upon all County undertakings and recommend approval, modification, or disapproval of undertakings that might affect properties included in the County inventory or other historic properties.

To advise the County Executive, County Legislature, Commissioner of Planning, and other pertinent County agencies and/or departments whenever the County is called upon to formulate planning advice concerning actions that may affect properties in the County inventory or other historic properties.

To advise the County Executive, County Legislature, Commissioner of Planning and other pertinent County agencies and/or departments in cooperative efforts with local societies and boards and regional, state and federal organizations which have programs related to historic preservation.

To advise the County Executive, County Legislature, Commissioner of Planning and other pertinent County agencies and/or departments on issues related to historic resources, archeological resources and impacts on community and neighborhood character when reviewing actions regulated under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

To adopt regulations in respect to procedure before it and in respect to any subject matter to which it has jurisdiction under this chapter or any other law after a public hearing by the Board and subject to the approval of the Legislature of Rockland County. Upon adoption and approval of such regulations, they shall be duly filed with the Clerk to the Legislature of Rockland County.

To generally conduct meetings on a monthly basis and at such other times as it shall deem appropriate and upon recommendation by the County Executive. In no case shall the Board meet fewer than four times per year, and all meetings shall be open to the general public, announced by public notice, documented and written records shall be kept of all its meetings and proceedings.

To maintain in written format policies, procedures, guidelines and regulations, and to make such records available for public inspection at the offices of the Board.

To submit an annual historic preservation report to the State Historic Preservation Office, the County Executive, and the County legislature no later than October 15, covering the period ending on the preceding September 30.

§ 75A-5 Procedures for Board action and standards and criteria for Board decisions.

The Board shall, no later than 12 months from the filing of this chapter with the Secretary of State, adopt regulations that establish procedures for Board action and standards and criteria for Board decisions that are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's standards for archaeology and historic preservation. At a minimum, said regulations shall provide guidance in implementing § 75A-4J, K and L above, regarding the provision of comment upon all County undertakings and the review of planning advice that the County is called upon to formulate concerning actions that may affect historic properties.

§ 75A-6 Criteria and procedures for County register of Historic Places.

The Board may, from time to time, with written consent of the property owner(s), designate by resolution to the County Legislature specific properties that may be worthy of preservation and protection. The list of such properties designated by the Board and approved by the County Legislature shall constitute the County Register of Historic Places. The effects of placement on the register shall be limited to recognition and protection from acts by the County. The Board shall, no later than 12 months from the filing of this chapter with the Secretary of State, adopt criteria and due process provisions for designation of properties on the County Register of Historic Places.

§ 75A-7 Criteria and procedures for County inventory.

The Board shall, no later than 12 months from the filing of this chapter with the Secretary of State, adopt criteria and due process provisions for designation of properties to the County inventory.