[Added 2-23-2010 by Ord. No. 4-10; amended 6-10-2014 by Ord. No. 14-14]
The Architectural Review Committee is hereby established to promote the general welfare by preserving the exterior architectural heritage of the Township of Brick consistent with the Township's Master Plan, specifically by:
A. 
Encouraging the rejuvenation and maintenance of all structures built prior to 1875 in concert with the Historical Preservation Committee.
B. 
Stabilizing and improving property values.
C. 
Fostering civic pride and beauty.
D. 
Encouraging the private sector's involvement with restoring and preserving certain traditionally significant structures.
E. 
Providing advisory architectural reports pertaining to new exterior construction.
F. 
Providing advisory architectural reports to the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment.
G. 
Performing all duties and responsibilities as established under this section and the Code of the Township of Brick.
The regulations of this chapter shall apply to newly proposed subdivisions and other structures and major changes to existing structures requiring Planning Board or Zoning Board of Adjustment approvals.
A. 
Membership.
(1) 
The Architectural Review Committee shall consist of
(a) 
Two members of the Planning Board.
(b) 
Two members of the Board of Adjustment.
(c) 
The Township Engineer.
(d) 
The Township Planner.
(e) 
Two residents of the Township (excluding Township employees).
(f) 
One member of the Township Council.
(g) 
A Secretary.
(2) 
The Mayor shall appoint the member residents of the Township. The Township Council shall appoint its member representative and the Boards shall appoint their respective representatives.
B. 
Each member shall serve for a term of one year commencing on the appropriate date in January of each year and until their successors are appointed.
The Architectural Review Committee shall review any construction, addition or exterior alteration to any nonresidential building, or to any part thereof, or to any physical structures, including signs, which affect exterior features visible from a public street, way or place. All applications to the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment for attached dwellings and nonresidential buildings and additions or residential major subdivisions shall be referred to the Architectural Review Committee, which Committee shall make a report. Said report shall be advisory, with no final authority over any land use, zoning or planning decisions. If no such report is received within 45 days of such referral, the obligation to make such a referral shall be deemed satisfied.
A. 
All applications filed with the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment Secretary will be referred automatically to the Architectural Review Committee.
B. 
Upon the receipt by the Architectural Review Committee of such a referral, the Board Chairman and Township Planner shall either direct the Committee Secretary to issue a letter of no interest or refer the matter to the Architectural Review Committee for a written report, as previously described, no later than 45 days of such referral.
C. 
The following exhibits may be required to be filed with each application:
(1) 
An overall site plan of the proposed project.
(2) 
Building elevations of the subject property.
(3) 
Architectural drawings, candid photographs or commercial photographs showing details of construction, including exterior fixtures, signs or furnishings.
(4) 
Photographs of the subject property and adjacent properties.
(5) 
Any other information or displays which clarify the visual and physical impact of the proposed project.
D. 
If required to appear, it shall be the duty of the applicant to inquire as to which of the above exhibits are necessary. Such inquiry shall be made in writing to the Architectural Review Board upon the initial submission of such application to the Planning or Zoning Board of Adjustment. The Architectural Review Committee may then determine which submissions are necessary. The Architectural Review Committee will review all applications submitted and issue a report or a letter of no interest. Any deficiencies in an application will be noted in said report indicating the impact, if any, of such deficiencies.
In furtherance of the purposes set out herein, the Architectural Review Committee shall be guided by the following in their review of any application referred to them by the Planning Board or Board of Adjustment:
A. 
Proposed exterior construction and signage may be reviewed and, specifically, its impact on the streetscape and character of the neighborhood may be considered in assessing it appropriateness.
B. 
The Committee may consider, among other things, the materials, general design, lighting, arrangements, structure and exterior features, and the relationship of such features to similar features of other structures in the immediate surrounding area, as well as the position of such structures to the public way. Buildings shall generally relate in scale and design features to the surrounding buildings, except, however, where existing development does not represent a consistent architectural style, buildings should instead be designed to improve the overall streetscape, relying on the design standards for streetscaping set forth in this article.
C. 
Buildings shall avoid long, monotonous walls or roof planes. Offsets including projections, recesses, and changes in floor level shall be used in order to add architectural interest and variety, and to relieve the visual effect of a simple, long wall. Similarly, roof-line offsets shall be provided, in order to provide architectural interest and variety to the massing of a building and to relieve the effect of a single, long roof. Flat roofs should be avoided in favor of pitched roofs. Architectural embellishments that add visual interest to roofs, such as dormers, belvederes, cupolas, clock towers, and other similar elements are encouraged.
D. 
The architectural treatment of the front façade shall be continued, in its major features, around all visibly exposed sides of a building. All sides of a building shall be architecturally designed to be consistent with regard to style, materials, color, and details. Bland wall or service area treatment of side and or rear elevations visible from the public viewshed is discouraged.
E. 
All entrances to a building shall be defined and articulated by architectural elements such as lintels, pediments, pilasters, columns, porticoes, and other features where appropriate. Any such element utilized shall be consistent with the style, materials, colors and details of the building as a whole.
F. 
Light fixtures attached to the exterior of a building shall be architecturally compatible with the style, materials colors and details of the building. Facades shall be lit from the exterior, and, as a general rule, lights should be concealed through shielding or recessed behind architectural features. All lights shall be shielded to reflect downward and prevent sky glow.
G. 
All building mechanicals, including, but not limited to, air conditioning units, HVAC systems, exhaust pipes or stacks, elevator housing, satellite dishes and other telecommunications receiving devices shall be thoroughly screened from view from the public right-of-way and from adjacent properties using walls, solid fencing, roof elements or landscaping.
The Architectural Review Committee shall hold its regularly scheduled meeting monthly, at which time the applicant may appear and present unsworn testimony and such other evidence deemed relevant. The Architectural Review Committee shall establish a meeting schedule and shall see that said schedule is posted to provide adequate notice.
The Architectural Review Committee shall hold its annual organization meeting in January of each year at which time the Architectural Review Committee shall elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson from its members and elect a Secretary who may or may not be a municipal employee. The Administrative officer shall preside over the annual organization meeting.