[R.O. 2011 §34-72.2; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
A. 
The membership of the Commission shall consist of nine (9) members who shall serve without compensation and who shall be appointed by the City Council for terms of three (3) years, except that the first (1st) three (3) of the members appointed shall serve for a one (1) year term each, and the next three (3) shall serve for a two (2) year term. Thereafter, the Council shall make appointments to fill the terms expiring. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be for unexpired terms only. The Commission shall be comprised of members with special interest, education and/or experience in historical preservation, and may include architectural historians, archaeologists, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and residents of historic districts. The membership of the Commission shall include at least two (2) architects and one (1) attorney.
B. 
Members of the Commission shall be residents of University City, and shall hold no other elected or appointed office or position in the City Government. In addition, thereto, one (1) member of the City Council designated by the City Council, the City Manager, the Zoning Administrator, and a liaison member from each historic district, selected through procedures established by the Commission, shall be advisors to and ex officio members of the Commission but shall have no vote on matters coming before the Commission.
[R.O. 2011 §34-72.3; Ord. No. 6139 §1(Exh. A (part)), 1997]
The Historic Preservation Commission shall elect its Chairperson annually from among the appointed members with voting rights and shall have the authority to employ such assistants and technical advisors as it considers necessary within the limits of its budget appropriations.
[R.O. 2011 §34-72.4; Ord. No. 6401 §1(part), 2002]
A. 
The Historic Preservation Commission shall act in an advisory capacity but shall not have administrative authority over decision making. The Commission shall act in an advisory capacity to the Department of Community Development staff in carrying out enforcement activities required on City ordinances on matters relating to the administration of this Article and shall have the following powers and duties:
1. 
To consider all applications to designate historic landmarks or districts and to make recommendations concerning such applications to the City Council and to prepare documentation supporting such recommendations;
2. 
To consider applications for building permits, including sign permits, for historic landmarks or within a historic district, and to make interpretations and recommendations concerning such applications to the Department of Community Development staff;
3. 
To consider and review proposed changes to buildings, structures, humanly constructed objects, street furniture, City parks, civic areas, public facilities or environmental features of a historic landmark or within a historic district, reporting its recommendations to the Department of Community Development staff;
4. 
To consider applications for permission to demolish buildings, structures or humanly constructed objects anywhere in the City, and to make recommendations concerning such applications to the Department of Community Development staff;
5. 
To consider applications for conditional use permits for a historic landmark or within a historic district, and to make recommendations concerning such requests to the Plan Commission;
6. 
To consider applications for the grant of variances to a historic landmark or within a historic district, and to make recommendations concerning such requests to the Board of Adjustment;
7. 
To make such rules and regulations with respect to Commission procedures as are consistent with the intent and purposes of this Article and as are necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Commission under this Article;
8. 
To consider all applications for amendments, modifications or revisions of this Article, and to make recommendations concerning such applications to the City Council in such manner as to afford review and comment by the Plan Commission;
9. 
To file an application with the Zoning Administrator to amend the text of the Zoning Code or to rezone any property in University City;
10. 
To initiate from time to time a comprehensive review of the provisions of this Article or any part thereof;
11. 
To disseminate to owners or occupants of historic landmarks or within historic districts, or to the general public, information concerning the preservation of historic landmarks or historic districts;
12. 
To solicit grants or gifts on behalf of the City and to make recommendations to the City Council regarding the acceptance of grants or gifts;
13. 
To spend appropriated funds, grant allocations, or other funds, for the employment of technical advisors and other budgeted operating expenses, subject to the limitations of established City budgetary and purchasing procedures;
14. 
To recommend inspections by Department of Community Development staff and a representative of Historic Preservation Commission of historic structures or objects within historic districts and to advise the Department of Community Development staff of any findings of deterioration such that the landmark, structure or object is in a state of demolition as defined in Division 5 subject to staff scheduling and budgetary restrictions. The Commission may recommend that the City require repairs sufficient to prevent demolition by deterioration;
15. 
To recommend to the Traffic Commission, Plan Commission and City Council a plan for any established historic landmark site or historic district regarding development, which plan may be adopted by the City Council as an amendment to the ordinance establishing the historic landmark or historic district;
16. 
To consider proposed alteration or maintenance project involving City-owned property that has been designated a historic landmark or district and to report its findings and recommendations to the Department of Community Development staff;
17. 
To conduct ongoing survey and research to identify and document buildings, structures, objects, sites and districts that are of historic, archaeological, architectural, engineering, cultural, or scenic significance to the locality, the State, or the nation;
18. 
To recommend the establishment of regulations, guidelines and policies to preserve the integrity and ambience of designated landmarks and districts. The Commission shall make recommendations to the Department of Community Development staff concerning new construction, alterations, removals, and demolitions proposed within the boundaries of a landmark or district, including review of plans for vacant lots and non-historic buildings or structures within a district;
19. 
To recommend to the City Council programs and policies and economic incentives to encourage the preservation of significant historic landmarks and districts;
20. 
To prepare and make a recommendation to the Department of Community Development staff, the Plan Commission and the City Council for a comprehensive historic preservation plan, or preservation element to the comprehensive City plan, including recommendations for codes, ordinances, or community programs;
21. 
To assist owners of properties of historic significance in appeals to the Building Commissioner or Board of Appeals for relief from the provisions of the Building Code or Property Maintenance Code for reasons of historical appropriateness;
22. 
To recommend to the City Council the acquisition by purchase, gift, or bequest, fee title or lesser interest, including preservation restriction or easements in designated properties and adjacent or associated lands which are important for the preservation and use of the designated properties;
23. 
To maintain a register and map of designated landmarks and districts and of significant historical, architectural, and archaeological properties.