§ 17.52.100. Powers and duties.

A.

The historic district commission shall have the following powers and duties in addition to any other powers and duties provided in this chapter:

1.

To review any application to construct, alter, reconstruct, move or demolish any site or structure within an historic district if any exterior changes are involved which would affect the historic, archeological, or architectural significance of the site or structure, any portion of which is visible or intended to be visible from a public way, and to approve, modify, or reject such application;

2.

To direct studies, reports, and surveys to identify historically, culturally, archeologically, or architecturally significant landmarks, sites, structures, and districts that exemplify the cultural, social, economic, political, or architectural history of the city, state or nation;

3.

To adopt and utilize in its review of applications for rehabilitation and new construction design guidelines and criteria for designated landmarks, sites, structures, and districts which are consistent with the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, 1995. Guidelines may include design characteristics intended to meet the needs of particular types of landmarks, sites, structures, and districts, and may identify categories of changes that, because they are minimal in nature, do not affect historic, cultural, archeological, or architectural significance, and do not require review by the commission. Guidelines shall be presented to the mayor and city council for approval;

4.

To adopt rules of procedure necessary in discharging its duties, provided that said rules:

a.

Are consistent with the general regulations for historic districts,

b.

Provide for appropriate public notice to interested local groups or neighbors of various classes of applications,

c.

Permit the commission to act in an advisory fashion in advance of requests for permits in order to encourage improvements, demolition and reconstruction in ways that will enhance the historic district, and

d.

Assure that bureaucratic requirements are minimized;

5.

To appoint professional advisors.

B.

In reviewing an application and plans, an historic district commission shall give consideration to:

1.

The historic, archeological and architectural significance of the site or structure and its relationship to the historic, archeological or architectural significance of the surrounding area;

2.

The relationship of the exterior architectural features of the structure to the remainder of the structure and to the surrounding area;

3.

The general compatibility of exterior design, scale, proportion, arrangement, texture, and materials proposed to be used; and

4.

Any other factors, including aesthetic, which the commission deems to be pertinent.

C.

An historic district commission shall pass only on exterior features of a structure and shall not consider interior arrangement, nor shall it reject applications except with regard to the considerations set forth above.

D.

Strictness in Judgment of Plans; Limiting Architectural Style to One Period.

1.

The commission shall strictly judge plans for sites or structure determined by research to be of historic, archeological, or architectural significance.

2.

Unless the plans would seriously impair the historic, archeological, or architectural significance of the surrounding site or structure, the historic district commission may not strictly judge plans:

a.

For a site or structure of little historic, archeological, or architectural significance; or

b.

Involving new construction.

3.

The commission is not required to limit construction, reconstruction, or alteration to the architectural style of any one period.

E.

Special Consideration.

1.

In the case of an application for construction, reconstruction, or alteration affecting a site or the exterior appearance of a structure or for the moving or demolition of a structure, which a commission deems of unusual importance to the city or unusual importance to the entire state or nation, the commission shall attempt, with the owner of the structure, to formulate an economically feasible plan to preserve the site or structure.

2.

Unless a commission is satisfied that proposed construction, alteration, reconstruction, moving or demolition will not materially impair the historic, archeological, or architectural significance of a site or structure, the commission shall reject the application and shall file with the Housing and Community Development Department a copy of the rejection of such application.

3.

If an application is submitted for construction, reconstruction, alteration or for moving or demolition of a site or structure that a commission deems of unusual importance, and no economically feasible plan can be formulated, the commission shall have ninety (90) days from the time it concludes that no economically feasible plan can be formulated to negotiate with the owner and other parties in an effort to find a means of preserving the site or structure.

F.

Approval Under Certain Circumstances. In any case of any site or structure deemed to be valuable for its historic, archeological, or architectural significance to the neighborhood or area within which it exists, the commission may approve proposed construction, reconstruction, alteration, moving or demolition, despite the fact that the changes come within the provisions of subsection E of this section if:

1.

The site or structure is a deterrent to a major improvement program which will be of substantial benefit to the city;

2.

Retention of such structure would cause undue financial hardship to the owner; or

3.

Retention of such structure would not be in the best interest of a majority of persons in the community.

G.

In any case of any structure deemed to be valuable for the period of architecture it represents and important to the neighborhood or area within which it exists, a commission may file with the Housing and Community Development Department of the city its approval of such application to demolish or alter such structure if any of the circumstances under which approval might have been given under the preceding sections are in existence and shall file approval if:

1.

Such structure is a deterrent to a major improvement program which will be of substantial benefit to the city;

2.

Retention of such structure would cause undue financial hardship to the owner; or

3.

Retention of such structure would not be in the best interest of the majority of the community.

(Ord. 1976 (part), 2005; Ord. 1916 § 1 (part), 2004)

( Ord. No. 2459, 10-9-2017 )