[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town of Ridgefield 6-5-1974 as Ch. 6, Art.
I of the 1974 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to promote the
educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of the Town through
the preservation and protection of buildings, places and districts
of historic interest by the maintenance of such landmarks in the history
of architecture and of the Town.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: By ordinance of 6-28-2000 the
Town adopted by reference the provisions of C.G.S. §§ 7-147p
to 7-147y regarding historic properties.
As used in this chapter the following terms
shall have the meaning ascribed to them:
Includes the location, architectural style, general design
and general arrangement of such portion of the exterior of a structure
as is open to view from a public street, way or place.
Ridgefield Historic District No. 1 and any other historic
district hereafter established pursuant to state law.
A.
Established. Through the development of appropriate
settings for buildings, places and districts, there is hereby established
an historic district in the Town, to be known as "Ridgefield Historic
District No. 1, Main Street, South," and the boundaries of the historic
district are hereby fixed and defined in the manner shown on the map
on file with the Town Clerk.
B.
Extension.
[Added 4-23-1976]
(1)
The original historic district known as "Ridgefield
Historic District No. 1 Main Street, South," is hereby extended to
include all those certain pieces and parcels of land as shown on the
Map of Existing and Proposed Historic Districts of Ridgefield, Connecticut,
which map is dated December 1, 1974, revised March 20, 1975, and is
on file in the office of the Town Clerk.
(2)
The names of the property owners to whom notice was
given pursuant to C.G.S. § 7-147b, Subsection (e), are:
Mr. and Mrs. Augustus J. Detzer; First Church of Christ Scientist;
Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art; Mr. Robert Kraus; Mr. and Mrs.
Lance Ballou, Jr.; Mrs. Betty Lou Campbell; Dr. Robert E. Mead; Keeler
Tavern Preservation Society; Mr. and Mrs. Donald H. Schmuck; Mr. and
Mrs. John Webster; Mr. and Mrs. Clifford R. Wilmot; Mrs. Hammersley
Carpenter; St. Stephen's Episcopal Church; Mrs. Julia R.S. Woodford;
Mrs. Lillian Robinson; Miss Dorothy E. Honan; Mr. and Mrs. J. Edward
Hall; Mr. and Mrs. Paul Fisher; Mrs. Fielding V. Jackson; Jesse Lee
Memorial United Methodist Church; Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Crehan;
Dr. and Mrs. David Weingast; Mr. and Mrs. William McMahon; Mr. and
Mrs. Calvin S. Brunen; First Congregational Church; Mr. James P. Lewis,
Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. Rideout; Dr. and Mrs. Patrick A. Neligan;
Dr. and Mrs. Theodore Safford, Jr.; Dr. Gordon Pettit; DiNapoli Development
Co., Inc.; Mrs. Lesley Williams; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bowie; Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Kluger; Mr. and Mrs. Vernon M. Welsh; Mr. and Mrs. Joseph
R. Hackett; Mrs. E. Margaret Starr Jessup; C. V. Construction Company,
Inc.; and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
[Added 4-23-1976]
A.
All those certain pieces and parcels of land, shown
and delineated as "High Ridge-District No. 2" on that certain map
titled "Map of Existing and Proposed Historic Districts of Ridgefield,
Connecticut," which map is dated December 1, 1974, revised March 20,
1975, and is on file in the office of the Town Clerk, are hereby included
as an historic district of the Town of Ridgefield.
B.
The names of the property owners to whom notice was
given pursuant to C.G.S. § 7-147b, Subsection (e), are:
Mrs. Jeanne M. Bassett; Mr. James P. Ettinger, Jr.; Mr. and Mrs. Albert
D. Swanson; Altna Craig Convalescent Home; Mr. Royal C. Van Etten;
Mrs. Lois Hall Herrick; Mr. George R. Halpern; Mrs. Elsie Craig; Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Martin; Mr. and Mrs. Stanley R. Lewis; Mr. and Mrs.
Russell L. Seymour; Miss Mary Proal Lindeke; Mr. and Mrs. Albert A.
Arvay; Mr. and Mrs. Roderick Ellis; Mr. Henry Prieger; Messrs. Joseph,
James and Aldo Bacchiochi; Mr. and Mrs. Melish A. Thompson; Mr. and
Mrs. David Atherton; Mr. and Mrs. John Alymer White; Misses Jane and
Mary Henle; Mr. and Mrs. James A. Bacchiochi; Mrs. Joan L. Jacobson
Minot; Mr. and Mrs. W. Lee Noel; Mrs. Bernice O. Schwartz Ridgefield
Water Supply Company; First Congregational Church; and the Greenwich
Federal Savings and Loan Association.
A.
Required; control of advertising.
(1)
No building or structure shall be erected, altered,
restored, moved or demolished within an historic district until after
an application for a certificate of appropriateness as to exterior
architectural features has been submitted to the Commission and approved
by said Commission.
(2)
The style, material, size and location of outdoor
advertising signs and bill posters within an historic district shall
also be under the control of such Commission.
B.
Public hearing required.
[Amended 3-21-2007]
(1)
The Historic District Commission shall hold a public hearing upon each application for a certificate of appropriateness. Notice of the time and place of said hearing shall be given by publication in the form of a legal advertisement appearing in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the municipality at least seven days before such hearing. Within not more than 65 days after the filing of an application as required by Subsection A(1) (which time may be extended with the consent of the applicant), the Commission shall pass its decision upon such application and shall give written notice of its decision to the applicant. Evidence of approval, as referred to in Subsection A(1), shall be by certificate of appropriateness issued by the Commission. In the event that the Commission disapproves an application, it shall state its reasons therefor in the written notice of its decision.
(2)
Failure of the Commission to act within 65 days (or
any extension thereof) shall constitute approval and no other evidence
of approval shall be needed. The Commission shall keep a record of
all applications for certificates of appropriateness and of all its
doings under this chapter.
C.
Issuance; considerations to issuance. If the Commission
determines that the proposed erection, construction, restoration,
alteration or razing will be appropriate, it shall issue a certificate
of appropriateness. In passing upon appropriateness, the Commission
shall consider, in addition to any other pertinent factors, the historical
and architectural value and significance, architectural style, general
design, arrangement, texture and material of the architectural features
involved and the relationship thereof to the exterior architectural
style and pertinent features of other structures in the immediate
neighborhood.
D.
Refusal to issue. A certificate of appropriateness
may be refused for any building or structure, the erection, reconstruction,
restoration, alteration or razing of which, in the opinion of the
Commission, would be detrimental to the interest of the historic district.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to
prevent the ordinary maintenance or repair of any exterior feature
in the historic district which does not involve a change of design
thereof, nor to prevent the construction, reconstruction, alteration
or demolition of any such feature which the Building Official or a
similar agent shall certify to the Commission is required by the public
safety because of an unsafe or dangerous condition, nor to prevent
the construction, reconstruction, alteration or demolition of any
such feature under a permit issued by a Building Official or similar
agent prior to the effective date of establishment of such district.
Where, by reason of topographical conditions,
district border line situations, immediately adjoining existing developments,
or because of other unusual circumstances, the strict application
of any provision of this chapter would result in exceptional practical
difficulty or undue hardship upon the owner of any specific property,
the Commission in passing upon applications shall have the power to
vary or modify strict adherence to this chapter, or to interpret the
meaning of this chapter so as to relieve such difficulty or hardship,
provided that such variance, modification or interpretation shall
remain in harmony with the general purpose and intent of this chapter
so that the general character of the district shall be conserved and
substantial justice done. In granting variations, the Commission may
impose such reasonable and additional stipulations and conditions
as will, in its judgment, better fulfill the purpose of this chapter.
[Amended 10-5-1983]
Regulations and orders of the Commission issued
pursuant to this chapter or to any rule of procedure adopted hereunder
shall be enforced by the Historic District Enforcement Officer, who
shall be appointed by the Board of Selectmen for a two-year term,
who may be authorized by the Commission to inspect and examine any
building, structure, place or premises and to require in writing the
remedying of any condition found to exist therein or thereon in violation
of any provision of the regulations or orders made under the authority
of this chapter or of any rule of procedure adopted hereunder.
The owner or agent of any building or premises
where a violation of any provision of this chapter or of any bylaw
adopted hereunder has been committed or exists, or the agent, architect,
building contractor, or any other person who commits, takes part or
assists in any such violation, or who maintains any building or premises
in which any such violation exists, shall be fined not less than $10
nor more than $100 for each day that such violation continues, but,
if the offense is willful, the person convicted thereof shall be fined
not less than $100 nor more than $250 for each day that such violation
continues. Each day such violation continues to exist shall constitute
a separate offense.
