It is hereby declared as a matter of public policy that the protection,
enhancement and perpetuation of landmarks and historic districts is necessary
to promote the economic, cultural, educational and general welfare of the
public. Inasmuch as the identity of a people is founded on its past and inasmuch
as the Village of Nassau has many significant historic, architectural and
cultural resources which constitute its heritage, this chapter is intended
to:
A. Protect and enhance the landmarks and historic districts
which represent distinctive elements of the Village of Nassau's historic,
architectural and cultural heritage.
B. Foster civic pride in the accomplishments of the past.
C. Protect and enhance the Village of Nassau's attractiveness
to visitors and the support and stimulus to the economy thereby provided.
D. Ensure the harmonious, orderly and efficient growth and
development of the village.
There is hereby created a Commission to be known as the "Village of
Nassau Historic Preservation Commission."
A. The Commission shall consist of five (5) members to be
appointed by the Mayor.
B. Commission members shall serve for terms of five (6)
years, with the exception of the initial term of one (1) of the members which
shall be one (1) year, one (1) which shall be two (2) years, one (1) which
shall be three (3) years and one (1) which shall be four (4) years.
C. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Commission shall
be elected by and from among the members of the Commission.
D. The powers of the Commission shall include:
(1) Within the budget established by the Village Board, employment
of staff and professional consultants as necessary to carry out the duties
of the Commission.
(2) Promulgation of rules and regulations as necessary for
the conduct of its business.
(3) Adoption of criteria for the identification of significant
historic, architectural and cultural landmarks and for the delineation of
historic districts.
(4) Conduct of surveys of significant historic, architectural
and cultural landmarks and historic districts within the village.
(5) Designation of identified structures or resources as
landmarks and historic districts.
(6) Acceptance on behalf of the village government of the
donation of facade easements and development rights and the making of recommendations
to the village government concerning the acquisition of facade easements or
other interest in real property as necessary to carry out the purposes of
this chapter.
(7) Increasing public awareness of the value of historic,
cultural and architectural preservation by developing and participating in
public education programs.
(8) Making recommendations to village government concerning
the utilization of state, federal or private funds to promote the preservation
of landmarks and historic districts within the village.
(9) Recommending acquisition of a landmark structure by the
village government where its preservation is essential to the purposes of
this chapter and where private preservation is not feasible.
(10) Approval or disapproval of applications for certificates
of appropriateness pursuant to this chapter.
E. The Commission shall meet at least four (4) times per
year, but meetings may be held at any time on the written request of any two
(2) of the Commission members or on the call of the Chairman or the Mayor.
F. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist
of three (3) of the Commission's members, but not less than a majority
of the full authorized membership may grant or deny a certificate of appropriateness.
No person shall carry out any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction,
demolition, new construction or moving of a landmark or property within an
historic district, nor shall any person make any material change in the appearance
of such property within an historic district, nor shall any person make any
material change in the appearance of such property, its light fixtures, signs,
sidewalks, fences, steps, paving or other exterior elements visible from a
public street or alley which affect the appearance and cohesiveness of the
historic district without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness
from the Historic Preservation Commission. A certificate of appropriateness
is that written document evidencing the Commission's approval, with or
without conditions, for alteration, demolition or new construction affecting
landmarks or historic districts.
All work performed pursuant to a certificate of appropriateness issued
under this chapter shall conform to any requirements included therein. It
shall be the duty of the Building Code Enforcement Officer to inspect periodically
any such work to assure compliance. In the event that work is found that is
not being performed in accordance with the certificate of appropriateness
or upon notification of such fact by the Historic Preservation Commission,
the Building Code Enforcement Officer shall issue a stop-work order and all
work shall immediately cease. No further work shall be undertaken on the project
as long as the stop-work order is in effect.
Any person aggrieved by a decision of the Historic Preservation Commission
relating to hardship or a certificate of appropriateness may, within forty-five
(45) days of the decision, file a written application with the Village Board
of Trustees for review of the decision. Such appeal shall be based on the
record before the Commission. The Village Board shall render its written decision
within sixty (60) days of the hearing of the appeal.