[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
The Ste. Genevieve Heritage Commission is hereby created. The Commission shall consist of five (5) members, residents of the City, all of whom shall be appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Board. In addition, a member of the Board shall be appointed to serve as liaison but is not a voting member of the Commission. The Board shall make every reasonable effort to appoint persons with a demonstrated interest, competence or knowledge in historic preservation and the history and preservation of the City. To the extent possible and based solely upon the availability and willingness of citizens in the community to serve, the Commission shall include professional members representing such disciplines as architecture, architectural history, prehistoric and historic archaeology, planning, urban design, cultural geography, cultural anthropology, folklore, curation, conservation, landscaping architecture, construction, law, real estate brokerage, banking, history or other fields related to historic preservation, as well as residents of the historic district or potential historic districts. However, nothing herein shall require the Commission to be composed solely of such professional representative membership, and the absence of such professional representative membership shall not be construed as a lack of commitment to historic preservation by the City or the lack of interest, competence or knowledge in historic preservation by Commission members in any way.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
The terms of office of the members of the Commission shall be for three (3) years, excepting that the membership of the first Commission appointed shall serve respectively for terms of two (2) for one (1) year, two (2) for two (2) years and one (1) for three (3) years. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term only, and all reasonable efforts shall be made to fill the vacancy within sixty (60) days. The Commission shall hold at least four (4) meetings per year, and any member of the Commission who fails to attend at least fifty percent (50%) of all meetings, regular and special, in any calendar year shall thereby automatically vacate the membership unless retained by Mayoral direction.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
Officers shall consist of a Chair and a Vice Chair elected by a majority of the Commission who shall each serve a term of one (1) year and shall be eligible for re-election; but no member shall serve as Chair for more than two (2) consecutive years. The Chair shall preside over meetings. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice Chair shall perform the duties of the Chair. If both are absent, a temporary Chair shall be elected by those present. The Administrator may be elected to chair the meeting when the Chair and Vice Chair are not present but is not a voting member.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Commission. All decisions or actions of the Commission require the majority vote of all the members of the Commission. Meetings shall be held at regularly scheduled times, but no less than once each quarter, to be established by resolution of the Commission at the beginning of each calendar year or at any time upon the call of the Chair. No member of the Commission shall vote on any matter that may affect or appear to affect any property, income or business interest of that member. No action shall be taken by the Commission that could in any manner deprive or restrict an owner's use, modification, maintenance, disposition or demolition of property until such owner shall first have had the opportunity to be heard at public meeting of the Commission as provided herein. The Chair may administer oaths and compel the attendance of witnesses. All meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public except as allowed by State law. The Commission shall keep written minutes of Commission proceedings, showing the vote, indicating such fact and shall keep written records of Commission examinations and other official actions, all of which shall be filed in the office of the City Clerk and shall be public record.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
The Commission may, with the consent of the Board, apply for any Federal, State or private grant, grant-in-aid, gift or bequest in furtherance of the general purposes of this Chapter. Such grants shall be made to the City and be accounted for by the City Treasurer.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed in accordance with the City's Personnel Manual for expenses previously approved by the Board and incurred while on Commission business.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
A. 
The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
1. 
To adopt bylaws and procedural regulations, provided that such regulations are consistent with this Chapter and the Revised Statutes of Missouri;
2. 
To conduct surveys for the identification of archaeologically, historically and architecturally significant buildings, properties, structures, sites and areas that exemplify the cultural, social, economic, political or architectural history of the nation, State or City and to maintain the research information in an inventory accessible to the public;
3. 
To investigate and recommend to the Planning Commission and to the Board the adoption of ordinances designating properties or structures having special cultural, historic, archaeological, community or architectural value as "landmarks";
4. 
To investigate and recommend to the Board the adoption of ordinances designating areas as historic districts;
5. 
To keep and maintain at City Hall the Ste. Genevieve Landmarks Register of all properties and structures which have been designated as landmarks and historic districts by the City of Ste. Genevieve, including all relevant historical information readily available pertaining to each designation;
6. 
To confer recognition upon the owners of landmarks and property or structures within historic districts by means of certificates, plaques or markers; and to make recommendations for the design and implementation of specific markings of the streets and routes leading from one landmark or historic district to another;
7. 
To advise and assist owners of landmarks and property or structures within historic districts on physical and financial aspects of preservation, renovation, rehabilitation and reuse and on procedures for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places;
8. 
To nominate structures, sites or areas of historic significance to the Ste. Genevieve Landmarks Register, and/or to the National Register of Historic Places, and/or to the National Landmark Register and to review and comment on any National Register or National Landmark nominations;
9. 
To inform and educate the citizens of the City concerning the historic, archaeological and architectural heritage of the City through publication or sponsorship of maps, newsletters, brochures, pamphlets, programs and seminars;
10. 
To review all project applications for certificates of appropriateness as delineated in Section 410.260;
11. 
In reviewing applications, to consult the standards set forth in Section 410.320A;
12. 
To hold public hearings on each proposed nomination of a structure or site as a landmark and/or of an area as an historic district and on the guidelines developed for each nomination;
13. 
To request the Administrator to issue stop-work orders for any construction, alteration, removal or demolition undertaken without a certificate of appropriateness or to stop work that violates the conditions of a permit;
14. 
To administer on behalf of the City any property of historical significance or full or partial interest in real property, including easements, that the City may have or accept as a gift or otherwise upon approval by the Board;
15. 
To accept and administer on behalf of the City, upon approval of the Board, such gifts, grants and money as may be appropriated or designated for the purpose of this Chapter. Such money shall be accounted for by the City Treasurer and may be expended as directed by the donor, or as established by the Board for the purpose of carrying out the duties and powers of the Commission and the purposes of this Chapter;
16. 
To call upon available City staff members for technical advice;
17. 
To retain such specialists or consultants, subject to prior Board approval, or to appoint such citizen advisory committees as may be required from time to time;
18. 
To testify before all boards and commissions on any matter affecting historically, archaeologically, culturally and architecturally significant property, structures, sites and areas;
19. 
To make recommendations to the Board concerning budgetary appropriations to further the general purposes of this Chapter;
20. 
To periodically review the City Zoning Ordinance and to recommend to the Planning Commission any amendments appropriate for the protection and continued use of landmarks or property, sites and structures within historic districts.
[Ord. No. 3945 §1, 2-12-2015]
A. 
The Administrator shall have the following powers and duties:
1. 
To provide assistance and advice to the Commission.
2. 
Take minutes of each Commission meeting.
3. 
Be responsible for publication and distribution of copies of the minutes, reports and decisions to the members of the Commission.
4. 
Give notice as provided herein by law for all public hearings conducted by the Commission.
5. 
Advise the Board of vacancies on the Commission and expiring terms of members.
6. 
Prepare to submit to the Board and maintain a complete record of the proceedings before the Commission on any matter requiring Board consideration.
7. 
To the extent possible, may have pre-application conferences with all potential applicants for certificates of appropriateness prior to finalization of their applications to explain the administrative process and intent of this Chapter.
8. 
Shall have discretion to determine if a project is subject to review under this Chapter.
9. 
Shall review project applications for certificates of appropriateness as delineated in Section 410.260.
10. 
In reviewing applications, must consult the standards set forth in Section 410.320B.
11. 
May provide to applicants technical literature on preservation techniques and maintain a library of educational and technical materials for use by citizens and building owners in the City of Ste. Genevieve.
12. 
Shall maintain a current record of all certificates of appropriateness granted or denied and report same to the Commission at its regularly scheduled meetings.
13. 
Shall provide and/or conduct educational training and informational seminars for the Commission on historic preservation at least semiannually.