There is hereby established in the Township of Mount Olive the
Historic Preservation Commission of the Township of Mount Olive.
The Historic Preservation Commission shall have five members.
Each member shall, upon appointment, be designated as a member of
Class A, Class B or Class C. Class A members shall be persons knowledgeable
in building design and construction or architectural history. Class
A members may reside outside the Township of Mount Olive. Class B
members shall be persons knowledgeable in or with a demonstrated interest
in local history. Class B members may reside outside the Township
of Mount Olive. Class C members shall be those persons who are not
designated as Class A or Class B members. Class C members shall be
citizens of the Township of Mount Olive who shall hold no other municipal
office, position or employment, except for membership on the Planning
Board or Board of Adjustment. The Historic Preservation Commission
shall include at all times at least one member of each Class A, B
and C. At all times, the number of Class A and B members shall total
at least one less than a majority of the Commission. There shall be
two alternate members of the Historic Preservation Commission, designated
"Alternate No. 1" and "Alternate No. 2," who shall meet the qualifications
of Class C members.
The Mayor of the Township of Mount Olive shall appoint all members
of the Historic Preservation Commission.
The terms of office for members of the Historic Preservation
Commission shall be four years, except for initial appointments to
the Historic Preservation Commission. The initial appointments to
the Historic Preservation Commission shall be, for three members,
for terms of one year, two years and three years, and for two members,
for terms of four years. The terms of office for alternate members
shall be for two years, except that the initial appointment for one
of the alternate members shall be for one year.
The Township Council shall make provision in its budget and
appropriate funds for the expenses of the Historic Preservation Commission.
The Historic Preservation Commission may employ, contract for and
fix the compensation of experts and other staff services as it shall
deem necessary. The Commission shall obtain its legal counsel from
the Municipal Attorney at the rate of compensation determined by the
Township Council. Expenditures pursuant to this subsection shall not
exceed, exclusive of gifts or grants, the amount appropriated by the
Township Council for the Commission's use.
The Historic Preservation Commission shall have the responsibility
to:
A. Prepare a survey of historic sites of the municipality.
B. Make recommendations to the Planning Board on the historic preservation
plan element of the Master Plan and on the implications for preservation
of historic sites of any other Master Plan elements.
C. Advise the Planning Board on the inclusion of historic sites in the
recommended capital improvement program.
D. Advise the Planning Board and Board of Adjustment on applications for development pursuant to §
15-32 of this chapter.
E. Provide written reports pursuant to §
15-33 of this chapter on the application of the Zoning Ordinance provisions concerning historic preservation.
F. Carry out such other advisory, educational and informational functions
as will promote historic preservation in the municipality.
The Planning Board and Board of Adjustment shall make available
to the Historic Preservation Commission an informational copy of every
application submitted to either Board for development in historic
zoning districts or on historic sites designated on the Zoning or
Official Map or in any component element of the Master Plan. Failure
to make the informational copy available shall not invalidate any
hearing or proceeding. The Historic Preservation Commission may provide
its advice, which shall be conveyed through its delegation of one
of its members or staff to testify orally at the hearing on the application
and to explain any written report which may have been submitted.