[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Rochester 1-29-1987 by L.L. No. 2-1987. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
There is hereby created an Historic Preservation
Commission for the Town of Rochester. The Commission shall be composed
of not less than seven members and not more than 15 members, all residents
of the town, each appointed by the Town Board for a term of three
years.
A.
The Historic Preservation Commission shall undertake,
by itself and with the help of any other individual or group, to survey
the town for the purpose of determining which structures, buildings,
sites or landscapes are worthy of preservation efforts because of
their historical, cultural, architectural or other social value. The
Commission shall create its own written standards, guidelines and
definitions by which it will determine whether a building, structure,
site of landscape is worthy of preservation efforts.
C.
After completion of its survey of the town in whole
or in part, the Commission shall undertake to establish a Historical
Information and Review Service, the purposes of which are as follows:
(1)
Review. At least once per month the Code Enforcement
Officer shall provide the Historic Preservation Commission with a
copy of all applications for a permit to build, change or alter any
structure, building, site or landscape located within an Historic
District, if one exists, or which has been designated by the Commission
as worthy of preservation efforts. Thereafter, the Commission shall
undertake to meet with such applicants and review their application
and plans for change to such historically designated structure, building,
site or landscape. The Commission, however, shall have no power to
prohibit such plans if they are otherwise acceptable under law.[2]
(2)
Information. The Commission shall also undertake to
provide an information service providing members of the public with
information concerning:
(a)
The possibility of obtaining grant money for
historic preservation purposes;
(b)
The possibility of obtaining tax benefits because
of work performed upon or not performed upon historically designated
structures and buildings;
(c)
Ways and means by which property owners may
be able to obtain an historical analysis of a specific piece of property;
(d)
Building, alteration, renovation and restoration
techniques for historically or architecturally significant buildings
or structures; and
(e)
Any other options available to owners or residents
of designated historic properties.
The Commission shall take all action by majority
vote. The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Commission shall be appointed
by the Town Board annually at its organizational meeting. The Commission
shall keep written minutes of its meetings. Written minutes shall
also be kept of every meeting in which the Commission reviews applications
for a permit to build, demolish, renovate, change or restore any property
located within an Historic District or which has been designated by
the Commission to be worthy of preservation efforts. The Commission
may also establish written rules regarding its internal procedure
and policies.
