[Added effective 6-4-1969 by Ord. No. 69-5]
The purpose of this article is:
A.
To safeguard the heritage of the City of Geneva by
preserving districts and buildings and structures in the City which
reflect elements of its cultural, social, economic, political and
architectural heritage.
B.
Stabilize and improve property values.
C.
Foster civic pride.
D.
Strengthen the local economy.
E.
Promote the use of historic districts, buildings and
structures for the education, pleasure and welfare of the citizens
of the City.
A.
Districts.
(1)
The Historic District to be known as the South Main
Street-Pulteney Park Historic District shall be bounded and described
as follows: Commencing at the southeast corner of South Main and Seneca
Streets, extending south to Conover Street, including all properties
on the east side of South Main Street, crossing South Main Street
due west, extending 400 feet west from the west side of South Main
Street, extending north to include all properties along the west side
of South Main Street to William Street, including all properties facing
Park Place, all properties on the north side of Washington Street
between Park Place and Pulteney Street, including the properties numbered
135 Washington Street, 129 Washington Street, 128 Washington Street,
144 Pulteney Street and 35 William Street and the properties on the
west side of Pulteney Street between Washington Street and Worthington
Avenue and crossing South Main Street at the southeast corner of South
Main and William Streets to the place of beginning.
(2)
The Historic District to be known as the Genesee Park
Historic District shall be bounded and described as follows: Commencing
at the northeast corner of Genesee Street and Genesee Park, east to
the northeast boundary of 9 Genesee Park, south to property at 44
Lewis Street, crossing Lewis Street to the property at the southwest
corner of Geneva Street and Lewis Street, extended south along the
west side of Geneva Street west along the border of St. Peters Episcopal
Church property, 145 Genesee Street, crossing Genesee Street, west
to the western boundary of 152 Genesee Street, north along the western
boundary of 146, 140 Genesee Street, crossing Lewis Street, going
north crossing Goodelle Terrace, bounded on the west by the properties
fronting Genesee Park on the west, north to the northern boundary
of number 112 Genesee Street, then east crossing Genesee Street to
the place of beginning.
B.
Buildings and structures. The historic buildings and
structures are designated as follows:
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Thomas Folger House
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105 Jay Street
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Ashcroft House
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112 Jay Street
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Douglas-Blackwell House
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William Smith College Campus
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Van Brent-Foote (DeLancey) House
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46 DeLancey Drive
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Greek Revival House
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273 Washington Street
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Greek Revival House
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226 Washington Street
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Greek Revival House
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218 Washington Street
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Victorian Eclectic House
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210 Washington Street
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Federal Three-Bay House
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508 Washington Street
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Greek Revival House
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143 William Street
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Greek Revival House
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96 Pulteney Street
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Greek Revival House
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92 Pulteney Street
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Geneva Women's Club
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336 South Main Street
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Baldridge House
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196 Genesee Street
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Simpson House
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34 Elmwood Place
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Former Smith Nursery Office
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580 Castle Street
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Denton House
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643 North Street
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Gothic House
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165 Washington Street
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The Smith Observatory
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Castle Street
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The Smith Opera House for the Performing Arts
[Added 1-24-1990 by Ord. No. 2-1990] |
82 Seneca Street
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No structure or building, including stone walls,
fences, steps and paving, shall be erected, constructed, reconstructed,
altered, restored, repaired, moved, or demolished in the historic
districts or on the designated historic buildings and structures,
and no sign, light, fence, wall or other appurtenant fixture, hereafter
called "appurtenant fixtures," shall be erected or displayed on any
lands, buildings or structures therein or thereon unless such action
complies with the requirements of this article.
A.
Creation of Commission. In order to execute the purposes
declared in this article, there is hereby created a commission to
be called the "Historic Districts and Structures Commission."
B.
Membership of the Commission.
(1)
The Historic Districts and Structures Commission shall
consist of seven members whose residences are located in the City
of Geneva. They shall be appointed by the City Council of the City
of Geneva for terms of office of three years, provided that two of
the initial members shall be appointed for one year, two for two years
and three for three years, and subsequently members shall be appointed
for terms of three years as terms expire. Members of the Commission
may be reappointed after their terms expire. The terms of office of
the members shall begin as of the date of passage of this article.
(2)
Before making said appointments, the City Council
shall request the Board of Directors of the Geneva Historical Society
for recommendations. In no event is the City Council required to accept
any recommendations so made to it. A vacancy occurring in the membership
of the Commission for any cause shall be filled by a person appointed
by the City Council for the unexpired term. The members of the Commission
shall serve without compensation.
A.
The Commission, in reviewing applications for certificates
of appropriateness, shall consider the appropriateness of proposed
exterior features of buildings, structures and appurtenant fixtures,
location on the lot and removal or demolition of any building or structure
under authority of said Commission, where such exterior features,
buildings, structures and appurtenances are subject to public view
from a public street or way. All plans, elevations and other information
deemed necessary by the Commission to determine the appropriateness
of the exterior features or buildings in question shall be made available
to it by the applicant. In reviewing the plans, the Commission shall
give consideration to:
(1)
Historical architectural value and significance of
the structure and its relationship to the historic value of the surrounding
area;
(2)
The general compatibility of exterior design, arrangement,
texture and materials proposed to be used; and
(3)
Any other factor, including aesthetic, which it deems
pertinent.
B.
The Commission shall pass only on exterior features
of a structure and will not consider interior arrangements, nor shall
it disapprove applications except in regard to considerations as set
forth in the previous subsection.
C.
It is also the intent of this article that the Commission
shall be lenient in its judgment of plans for new construction or
for alteration, repair or demolition of structures of little historic
value, except when such construction, alteration, repair or demolition
would seriously impair the historic value and character of surrounding
structures or the surrounding area. It is not the intent of this article
to limit new construction, alteration or repair to any one period
of architectural style, but rather to preserve an aesthetic whole.
D.
Nothing contained in this article shall be construed
to prevent the ordinary maintenance or repair of any exterior architectural
feature in either the historic districts or on designated structures
of historic and architectural importance which does not involve a
change in design, material, color or the outward appearance thereof.
E.
The Commission shall have the power to call in experts
to aid in its deliberations and may ask the Council for appropriations
for such services.
F.
The Commission shall have the power to issue a certificate
of approval if it approves of the plans submitted to it for its review.
The Superintendent of Building and Zoning shall not issue a building
permit until such certificate of approval has been issued by the Commission.
A.
The Historic Districts and Structures Commission shall
elect from its membership annually a Chairman and Vice-Chairman from
its own number.
B.
The Chairman shall preside over the Commission and
shall have the right to vote. The Vice-Chairman shall, in cases of
absence or disability of the Chairman, perform the duties of the Chairman.
C.
All Commission members shall have voting rights. The
Commission may adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with the
provisions of this article.
D.
The Commission shall adopt rules which shall provide
for the time and place of holding regular meetings. It shall provide
for the calling of special meetings by the Chairman or by at least
three members of the Commission.
E.
At least four members of the Commission shall constitute
a quorum for the transaction of its business.
F.
All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the
public, and any person or his duly constituted representative shall
be entitled to appear and be heard on any matter before the Commission
before it reaches its decision.
G.
The Commission shall be furnished with a secretary
by the City who shall keep a record of all resolutions, proceedings
and actions of the Commission. This shall constitute a record which
shall be open to public view. The concurring affirmative vote of four
members shall constitute approval of plans before it for review or
for the adoption of any resolution, motion or other action of the
Commission.
A.
Application for a building permit to construct, alter, repair, move or demolish any structure in the historic districts or one of the specific historic buildings and structures shall be made to the Superintendent of Building and Zoning. The application shall state whether the property is in an historic district or listed as an historic designated structure in § 350-56B. Plans shall be submitted showing the structure in question and also showing its relation to adjacent structures.
B.
Upon the filing of such application, the Superintendent
of Building and Zoning shall immediately notify the Historic Districts
and Structures Commission of the receipt of such application and shall
transmit it together with accompanying plans and other information
to the Commission unless it pertains solely to the interior of the
structure.
C.
The Historic Districts and Structures Commission shall
meet within 15 days after notification by the Superintendent of Building
and Zoning of the filing, unless otherwise mutually agreed upon by
the applicant and Commission, and shall review the plans according
to the duties and powers specified herein. In reviewing the plans,
the Commission may confer with the applicant for the building permit.
D.
The Commission shall approve or disapprove such plans
and, if approved, shall issue a certificate of approval, which is
to be signed by the Chairman, attached to the application for a building
permit and immediately transmitted to the Superintendent of Building
and Zoning. The Chairman shall also stamp all prints submitted to
the Commission signifying its approval.
E.
If the Commission disapproves of such plans, it shall
state its reasons for doing so and shall transmit a record of such
action and reasons therefor in writing to the Superintendent of Building
and Zoning and to the applicant. The Commission may advise what it
thinks proper if it disapproves of the plans submitted. The applicant,
if he so desires, may make modification to his plans and shall have
the right to resubmit his application at any time after so doing.
F.
The failure of the Historic Districts and Structures
Commission to approve or disapprove of such plans within 45 days from
the date of application for the building permit, unless otherwise
mutually agreed upon by the applicant and Commission, shall be deemed
to constitute approval, and the Superintendent of Building and Zoning
shall proceed to process the application without regard to a certificate
of approval.
G.
After the certificate of approval has been issued
and the building permit granted to the applicant, the Commission shall
from time to time inspect the construction, alteration or repair approved
by such certificate and shall take such action as is necessary to
force compliance with the approved plans.
Any person or persons jointly or severally aggrieved
by a decision of the Historic Districts and Structures Commission
which shall result in the failure of the Superintendent of Building
and Zoning to issue a building permit shall have the right to appeal
to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a variance as provided by this
chapter and seek such other remedies as may be provided for by this
chapter or general law.
The provisions of this article shall be in addition
to and shall in no manner supersede or nullify any other provisions
contained in this chapter.
