For the purpose of this chapter, all words used in the present tense include the future tense. All words in the plural number include the singular number and all words in the singular number include the plural number, unless the natural construction of the word clearly indicates otherwise. The word "shall" is mandatory. The word "used" includes "designated, intended, built, or arranged to be used."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ADAPTIVE REUSE
Changes to an existing building to accommodate a new function.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
ADDITION
Increase existing building or structure by building outside of existing walls and/or roof.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL
A procedure whereby a certificate of appropriateness ("COA") for in-kind repairs may be provisionally approved by the HARB consultant or architect before the regular HARB meeting, so that a permit may be expeditiously issued, and the applicant need not appear before the HARB. Administratively approved COAs must subsequently be approved by the HARB and by Municipal Council.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
ALTERATION
Any act or process requiring a building permit and any other act or process not requiring a building permit but specifically listed in this chapter as a reviewable action, including without limitation the repair, replacement, reconstruction, demolition or relocation of any structure or object, or any part of a structure which is visible from the public way, excluding alleys.
BUILDING
Any enclosed or open structure that is a combination of materials to form a construction for occupancy and/or use for human or animal habitation and is permanently affixed to the land, including manufactured homes.
BUILDING PERMIT
An approval statement signed by the Building Inspector or Codes Administrator authorizing the construction, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition or razing of all or a part of any building (within a HARB Zone).
BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATION
The request filed by any person with the Building Inspector or Codes Administrator that seeks authorization to erect, alter, reconstruct, repair, restore, demolish or raze all or a part of any building or structure within a HARB Zone that requires a certificate of appropriateness.
BUILDING INSPECTOR or CODES ADMINISTRATOR
A municipal employee of or individual retained by the Municipality of Norristown designated by Municipality of Norristown as the individual who enforces compliance of building and/or fire codes and issues the permit for the erection, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition or razing of all or a part of any building or structure within a HARB Zone.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
The approval statement signed by the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council which certifies to the historical appropriateness of a particular request for the erection, alteration, reconstruction, restoration, demolition or razing of all or a part of any building or structure within a HARB Zone and authorizes the issuance of a building permit for said request.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
COMPLETED APPLICATION
A completed permit or certificate of appropriateness application is an application that conforms to the submittal criteria for specific historic preservation projects, as determined by the Historical Architectural Review Board.
DEMOLITION
The dismantling or tearing down of all or part of any building and all operations incidental thereto, including neglecting routine maintenance and repairs which can lead to deterioration and decay.
DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT
The absence of routine maintenance and repair which can lead to a building's or structure's structural weakness, decay and deterioration resulting in its demolition.
ERECTION
The result of construction such as a building, structure, monument, sign or object on the ground or on a structure or building.
FEATURE
Any portion or element of a building or structure.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
FENESTRATION
The arrangement of windows on a facade.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
HARB ZONE A
That area within the National Register District in the Municipality of Norristown which is intended to be provided with the highest level of protection and delineated by the HARB Zone Map attached to this chapter and by the metes and bounds and other description in Article III of this chapter.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20; 12-1-2020 by Ord. No. 20-18[1]]
HARB (MUNICIPALITY OF NORRISTOWN HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD)
The agency that advises the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council and applicants for certificates of appropriateness on any requests for authorization to erect, alter, reconstruct, repair, restore or demolish all or part of any building within a HARB Zone.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
HISTORIC DISTRICT
Any area of the Municipality of Norristown created by ordinance of the Municipality of Norristown pursuant to the Pennsylvania Legislation Act of June 13, 1961, Public Law 282, No. 167, as amended, subject to the regulations herein contained. There are two such districts in Norristown, the "West Norristown" and the "Central Norristown" Historic Districts.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
IN-KIND REPAIR
Repair of a deteriorated building or structure component, as covered by the HARB Ordinance, using parts and materials which are exactly the same as the original, in terms including, but not limited to: appearance, material, size, arrangement, proportion, dimensions, color (excepting paint color), and texture.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
IN-KIND REPLACEMENT
The replacement of a deteriorated building or structure component, as covered by the HARB Ordinance, with a substitute which is exactly the same as the original in terms of, including but not limited to: appearance, material, size, arrangement, proportion, dimensions, color (excepting paint color) and texture; matching the original feature exactly.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
MUNICIPAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS
Those areas in the Municipality of Norristown having the same names and coincident in size and area with the Municipality's National Register Historic Districts.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC DISTRICT
Those areas possessing a concentration of historic structures, objects or sites which have been designated as worthy of preservation by the National Park Service.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
Completely new structure or building.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
PRESERVATION GUIDELINES
In matters pertaining to the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness, only the preservations guidelines or other subsequent publications of the HARB as defined in Article V herein are to be used, supplementing the criteria in this chapter.
RECONSTRUCTION
The act or process of reproducing by new construction the exact form and detail of a vanished building, structure or object, or a part thereof, as it appeared at a specific period of time but not necessarily of original material.
REPAIR
Fix a deteriorated part of a building or structure.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
REPLACE WITH NEW
Work that does not match original exactly.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
SIGN
Any feature permanently attached to a building mechanically, electrically or hydraulically, and displaying lettering or numbering (other than the street name or number) large enough to be read from the public sidewalk.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
STRUCTURE
Anything constructed or erected, having a permanent or semipermanent location on another structure or in the ground, including without limitation buildings, sheds, manufactured homes, garages, fences, gazebos, freestanding signs, billboards, antennas, satellite sending or receiving dishes, vending machines, decks and swimming pools.
WINDOW
An exterior feature of a building (even when covered, or potentially covered, by shutters, or storm windows); the fenestration element of a building or structure, including, but not limited to, features such as the number of lights, the arrangement of lights, the proportion and size of rails, stiles, and muntins, the mode of operability (e.g, double-hung vs. casement), and the position.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed the former definition of "HARB Zone B," as amended, which immediately followed this definition.