Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in
this article shall be interpreted so as to give them the meanings
they have in common usage and to give this article its most reasonable
application. As used in this article, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated:
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
The Construction Official, who is the person designated by
the Township to handle the administration of building permit applications,
shall be the administrative officer.
BUILDING
A structure created to shelter any form of human activity.
CONTRIBUTING
A building, site, structure or object that adds to the historic architectural qualities, historic associations or archaeological values for which an historic district is significant because it was present during the period of significance and possesses historic integrity reflecting its character at that time or is capable of yielding important information about the period, or it independently meets the criteria for significance as set forth in §
6-54B(1) through
(8).
DESIGNATED LANDMARK OR DISTRICT
An individual building, structure, site, object or district
which has been designated as having historical, architectural, cultural,
aesthetic or other significance pursuant to the provisions of this
article.
HISTORIC DISTRICT
A geographic area with distinctly definable boundaries composed
of multiple buildings, sites, structures, or objects which has acquired
a unity of character through the interrelationships of the components
and has been designated as having historical, archaeological, cultural,
scenic, architectural or other significance pursuant to the provisions
of this article.
INTEGRITY
The authenticity of a landmark's or district's historic identity,
evidenced by the survival of physical characteristics that existed
during the period of significance.
LANDMARK
A building, structure, site or object which has a special
character or special historical or aesthetic interest as part of the
development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the Township,
state or nation and which has been designated as a landmark pursuant
to the provisions of this article.
MASTER PLAN
The Master Plan of the Township of Cranford, as amended from
time to time, compiled pursuant to the Municipal Land Use Law.
MUNICIPAL LAND USE LAW
The Municipal Land Use Law of the State of New Jersey, P.L.
1975, c. 291 (N.J.S.A. 40:55D-1 et seq.), as amended from time to
time.
NONCONTRIBUTING
A building, site, structure or object that does not add to
the historic architectural qualities, historic associations or archaeological
values for which a district is significant because it was not present
during the period of significance; alterations, disturbances, additions
or other changes cause it no longer to possess historic integrity;
or it is incapable of yielding important information about the period,
nor does it independently meet the National Register criteria.
OBJECT
Construction that is primarily artistic in nature or is relatively
small in scale and simply constructed, as distinguished from a building
or structure; although it may be movable by nature or design, an object
is associated with a specific setting or environment, such as statuary
in a designed landscape; objects should be located in a setting appropriate
to their significant historic use, role or character.
SITE
The location of a significant event, a prehistoric or historic
occupation or activity, or a ruin, where the location itself maintains
historic or archaeological value regardless of the value of any existing
buildings, structures or objects.
STRUCTURE
As distinguished from buildings, those functional constructions
made usually for purposes other than creating shelter.
There is hereby created in and for the Township of Cranford
a Board to be known as the "Historic Preservation Advisory Board of
the Township of Cranford."
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall be comprised
of nine members, including a liaison from the Township Committee,
with two alternates, and associate members as warranted.
A. Of the nine regular Board members:
(1) At least one less than a majority shall be designated as "Class A"
and "Class B," said classes defined as:
(a)
Class A: a person who is knowledgeable in building and construction
or architectural history and who may reside outside the municipality.
(b)
Class B: a person who is knowledgeable in or has a demonstrated
interest in local history and who may reside outside the municipality.
(2) Four shall be Class C members, said class being defined as citizens
of the municipality who shall hold no other municipal office, position
or employment except for membership on the Planning Board or Board
of Adjustment. One Class C member shall be a Cranford High School
student recommended by the high school history faculty.
(3) To the extent available from within the Township of Cranford, the
Mayor shall appoint, with regard to Class A, trained individuals from
the discipline of architecture or architectural history who meet the
requirements as set forth in the 1980 amendments to the National Historic
Preservation Act.
(4) A Township Committee member shall be appointed who shall serve as
liaison with the Board.
B. Of the two alternate Board members, both shall be Class C members,
as Class C is defined above. The two alternate Board members shall
be respectively designated "Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2."
C. Alternate members may participate in discussion of the proceedings
but may not vote except in the absence or disqualification of a regular
member. A vote shall not be delayed in order that a regular member
may vote instead of an alternate member. In the event that a choice
must be made as to which alternate member is to vote, Alternate No.
1 shall vote.
D. Interested members of the community may participate on the Board
as associate members. Associate members may participate in discussion
of the proceedings but may not vote.
E. The Township Committee liaison shall vote on all questions.
Regular members shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall serve
three-year terms, except that Municipal Planning Board or Zoning Board
of Adjustment members shall serve during their incumbency in office.
The terms of the members first appointed under this article shall
be so determined that, to the greatest practicable extent, the expiration
of such terms shall be distributed, in the case of the regular members,
evenly over the first three years after their appointment, provided
that the initial term of no regular member shall exceed three years
and that the initial term of no alternate members shall exceed two
years. Associate members shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall
serve for one-year terms. If any member of the Board misses three
consecutive meetings without a legitimate reason, he or she shall
be removed from the Board and so notified by the Mayor. Vacancies
shall be filled, within 60 days, in the same manner in which the previous
incumbent was appointed and for such incumbent's unexpired term.
The Mayor shall appoint a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson.
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall create rules
and procedures for the transaction of its business, subject to the
following:
A. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of five of
the Historic Preservation Advisory Board members, including the Chairperson
or, in his absence, the Vice Chairperson.
B. The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall appoint a Secretary,
who need not be a member of the Board. The Secretary shall keep minutes
and records of all meetings and proceedings, including voting records,
attendance, resolutions, findings, determinations and decisions. All
such material shall be public record.
C. The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall prepare and adopt
rules of procedure which will be made available to the public and
which include a specific section prohibiting conflicts of interest.
The members of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall
serve without compensation.
The governing body may make provision in its budget and appropriate
funds for the expenses of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board.
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board may employ, contract for
and fix the compensation of experts and other staff and services as
it shall deem necessary, subject to the availability of appropriated
funds. The Board shall obtain its legal counsel from the Municipal
Attorney at the rate of compensation determined by the governing body.
Expenditures pursuant to this section shall not exceed, exclusive
of gifts or grants, the amount appropriated by the governing body
for the Board's use.
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall have the following
powers and duties:
A. To identify, record and maintain a system for survey and inventory
of all building sites, places and landmarks and structures of historical
or architectural significance based on the Secretary of the Interior's
Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation
(Standards and Guidelines for Identification) and to aid the public
in understanding their worth, methods of preservation, techniques
of gathering documentation and related matters.
B. To prepare and adopt, pursuant to §
6-54 of this article, a public landmark and historic district designation list and official map which shall then be referred to the Planning Board for consideration of inclusion in the Master Plan and to the governing body of the Township of Cranford for consideration of inclusion in the Zoning Ordinance.
C. To propose to the Township Committee an historic river district including
several public facilities along the Rahway River.
D. To amend, from time to time, as circumstances warrant, the landmark historic district designation list and landmark historic district map in the manner set forth in §
6-54.
E. To make recommendations to the Planning Board on the historic preservation
plan element of the Master Plan and on the implications for preservation
of historic sites and historic districts of any other Master Plan
elements.
F. To advise the Planning Board on the inclusion of historic sites in
the recommended capital building, site, structure, or object program.
G. To advise the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment on applications for development pursuant to §
6-53 of this article.
H. To provide written reports on the application of the Zoning Ordinance
provisions concerning historic preservation.
I. To report at least annually to the Planning Board and the governing
body of the Township of Cranford on the status of historic preservation
in the Township and to recommend measures to improve the same.
J. To collect and disseminate material on the importance of historic
preservation and specific techniques for achieving the same.
K. To advise all municipal agencies regarding goals and techniques of
historic preservation and advise the Township Committee and Planning
Board of the relative merits of proposals involving public funds to
restore, preserve and protect historic buildings, places and structures,
including the preparation of long-range plans therefor, securing state,
federal and other grants and aid to assist therein and monitoring
such projects once underway.
L. To adopt and promulgate such regulations and procedures not inconsistent
with this article as are necessary and proper for the effective performance
of the duties herein assigned.
M. To review all proposed National Register nominations for properties
that come within the jurisdiction of the Board, as established by
the criteria of the 1980 amendments of the National Historic Preservation
Act of 1966.
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board shall meet on a regular
basis, but at a minimum of four times a year. All meetings shall comply
with the Open Public Meetings Act (N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq.).
No member of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board of Cranford
Township shall be permitted to act on any matter coming before the
Board in which he or she has, either directly or indirectly, any personal
or financial conflict of interest.