[Amended 12-1-2020 by Ord. No. 20-18]
A. 
Any activity visible from a public way, excluding alleys, requiring the issuance of a demolition or building permit by the municipality for the erection, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition or demolition by neglect of all or a part of any building within the HARB Zone A shall require the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness by Municipality Council.
B. 
The following activities shall be exempt from the provisions of this chapter:
(1) 
Work outside of the HARB Zone A.
(2) 
Demolition or construction of any building, structure or feature not visible from a public way, excluding alleys.
A. 
Upon receipt of a completed application for a building permit or a certificate of appropriateness for work to be done in the district, the Building Inspector shall act in accordance with the procedures being followed in that office, except those procedures that are modified by the following requirements:
(1) 
The Building Inspector shall determine whether the work proposed needs to be forwarded to the HARB staff for administrative approval review. If so, he shall forward copies of the completed application for a building permit, together with copies of any plot plan and building plans and specifications filed by the applicant to the HARB.
(2) 
The Building Inspector shall not issue a building permit for any erection, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration or demolition of all or part of any building in the HARB Zones until the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council has issued a certificate of appropriateness. If the Building Inspector or his or her representative issues a building permit without a COA due to an administrative or clerical error, said building permit shall be voided.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
B. 
Applications for certificate of appropriateness shall be accompanied by the following:
(1) 
For demolition permits:
(a) 
Photographs of the building, structure or part thereof proposed for demolition;
(b) 
Photographic evidence and written description of the deteriorated condition of the building or structure;
(c) 
Reason(s) for the demolition;
(d) 
Explanation why rehabilitation, reuse, plan alteration or stabilization with the intent to market and sell the property is not feasible or desirable;
(e) 
Proposed future use of the lot or part thereof occupied by the building;
(f) 
Timeline for implementation of proposed future use;
(g) 
Statement on disposition of architectural features/building materials.
(2) 
For construction permits:
(a) 
Architectural drawings with appropriate notes indicating conformity with the design guidelines listed below in Subsection J;
(b) 
Colored photographs of the lot or structure where the construction, reconstruction or assembling is to occur and streetscapes adjacent to and directly across the public street from the proposed construction activity;
(c) 
Reason(s) for any deviations from design guidelines listed in Subsection J, including financial feasibility and documented cost estimates or alternatives, if appropriate.
(3) 
The Building Inspector shall require applicants to submit a sufficient number of additional copies of material required to be attached to a completed application for a building permit or certificate of appropriateness so that the information needed to make the determination set forth in § 31-12H(1) through (8) will be available.
(4) 
The Building Inspector shall maintain in his office a record of all such applications and final dispositions of the same.
C. 
Board review of applications. Upon receipt of a completed building permit or certificate of appropriateness application under the jurisdiction of this chapter, the HARB shall consider such at its next regularly scheduled meeting or special meeting.
D. 
Notification of application of the HARB meeting. The owner of record or his or her representative(s) applying for a certificate of appropriateness and/or a building permit shall be advised of the time and place of said meeting and be invited to appear to explain his or her reasons at least 10 days before the HARB meeting. The HARB may invite such other persons as it desires to attend its meeting.
E. 
Preservation guidelines. In determining both oral and written recommendations to be presented to the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council concerning the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness authorizing a permit for the erection, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration, demolition, or demolition by neglect of all or a part of any building within the HARB Zones, the HARB shall consider the preservation guidelines set forth in § 31-10, and any such preservation guidelines developed by the HARB pursuant to and congruent with the objectives of this chapter.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
F. 
Time frame for Board decision. The HARB shall render a decision and recommendation on any application for a building permit under its review no later than 45 business days after the hearing/meeting provided for in § 31-9 of the Ordinance and shall submit, in writing, to the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council recommendations concerning the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
G. 
Application disapproval by the HARB. If the HARB decides to advise against the granting of a certificate of appropriateness, it shall so indicate to the applicant for a building permit. The disapproval shall indicate to the applicant the changes in plans and specifications, if any, which would protect the distinctive historical character of the HARB Zones and the architectural integrity of the building or structure. If the applicant determines that he or she will make the necessary changes, he or she shall so advise the HARB, which shall in turn advise the Municipality Council accordingly.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
H. 
Contents of written report. The written report to Municipal Council concerning the HARB’s recommendations on the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness "COA" shall be deemed to include the statements of recommendation on the COAs from the HARB Secretary, consultant or architectural historian, which may be forwarded to Council under separate cover. The report proper shall set up the findings of fact that shall include, but not be limited to, the following matters:
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
(1) 
The COA number.
(2) 
The street address of the site at which the work will be performed.
(3) 
The effect of the proposed change upon the general and local historic and architectural nature of the pertinent historic district.
(4) 
The appropriateness of exterior architectural features of the building which can be seen from a public street or way, and how they relate to the features of nearby buildings.
(5) 
The opinion of the HARB as to the appropriateness of the work or project proposed as it will preserve or destroy the historic character and nature of the building or the pertinent historic district.
(6) 
The specific recommendations of the HARB based on findings of fact or compromises reached as to the issuance by the Municipality of Norristown Council or its refusal to issue a certificate of appropriateness.
I. 
Public meeting to consider certificate of appropriateness. Council shall consider each recommendation from the HARB for a certificate of appropriateness and appeals from applicants according to the following procedure:
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
(1) 
Municipal Council shall consider, at a public meeting, within 20 business days of the HARB meeting, whether the Building Inspector shall issue a certificate of appropriateness. The Municipal Administrator shall notify both the applicant and the HARB of the date, time, and location of the public meeting.
(2) 
The procedure for review of appeals by applicants denied a recommendation for a certificate of appropriateness by the HARB shall consist of Council review of the written report, and/or a presentation by a representative the HARB, a presentation by the applicant or his or her representative, public comment, Council comment, and then a public vote. Municipal Council shall consider appeals within the same time frame as provided for in § 31-12I(1).
J. 
Preservation guidelines. In determining whether or not to certify to the appropriateness of the proposed erection, alteration, reconstruction, repair, restoration or demolition, of all or a part of any building within the HARB Zones, the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council shall consider the same factors as the HARB set forth in § 31-10 of this chapter and the report of the Board.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
K. 
Approval by the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council. If the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council approves the application, it shall issue a certificate of appropriateness authorizing the Building Inspector to issue a permit for the work covered.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
L. 
Disapproval by the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council. If the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council disapproves, a written reason(s) shall be given to the Building Inspector, the applicant and to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The disapproval shall indicate what changes in the plans and specifications would meet the conditions for protecting the distinctive historical character of the district and the architectural integrity of the building or structure. Upon receipt of a written disapproval of the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council, the Building Inspector shall disapprove the application for a building permit and so advise the applicant. The applicant may appeal this disapproval to the County Court of Common Pleas within the time specified by law.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
M. 
Final notification by Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council. In either case of approval or disapproval, the Municipality of Norristown shall notify the applicant of its decision within five working days of its meeting at which the application was considered.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
N. 
Administrative approval recommendation. If the applicant wishes only to make in-kind repairs, the HARB consultant, or, in the consultant’s protracted absence, a designated building inspector with the necessary qualifications and experience to evaluate historic property, after interviewing the applicant, and possibly viewing the property, may, if those repairs are determined to be truly in-kind, immediately issue a provisional COA as an “administrative approval.” In such cases, the consultant or building inspector shall represent the applicant at the next HARB meeting, where the applicant need not appear, and the HARB shall vote on and issue its recommendation to Council for final approval. Such provisional approval may be used for issuing a building permit, if one is required for the work described.
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
O. 
Duration of certificates of approval. Certificates of appropriateness issued by Norristown Council shall be valid for the same length of time as all zoning approvals granted by the Municipality pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code.[1]
[Added 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
[1]
Editor’s Note: See 53. P.S. § 10101 et seq.