It is the purpose and intent of the Township of Washington:
A. To promote, protect, enhance, perpetuate and preserve historic districts,
structures, sites and landmarks for the educational, cultural, economic
and general welfare of the public through the preservation, protection
and regulation of buildings, sites, monuments, structures, and areas
of historic interest or importance within the Township of Washington;
B. To safeguard the heritage of the Township of Washington by preserving
and regulating historic landmarks and districts which reflect elements
of its cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history;
C. To preserve and enhance the environmental quality of neighborhoods;
to strengthen the Township's economic base by the stimulation
of the tourist industry; to establish and improve property values;
D. To foster economic development;
F. To foster civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the Township's
past; and
G. To preserve and protect the cultural, historical and architectural
assets of the Township for which the Township has been determined
to be of national, state, and local historical and architectural significance.
Specific structures which are culturally, aesthetically, geographically,
historically or architecturally significant, as determined by criteria
established by the Historic Preservation Commission, shall be designated
as "historic structures" or "historic sites." Said designation shall
be formalized by resolution of the Township Council. Structures formally
accepted for listing on the national or state registries of historic
sites shall be automatically so designated.
The Planning Board and the Board of Adjustment shall refer to
the Historic Preservation Commission every application for development
submitted to either Board for development of historic sites or historic
structures whether or not designated on the Zoning or Official Map
or identified in any component element of the Master Plan. This referral
shall be made when the application for development is deemed complete
or is scheduled for a hearing, whichever occurs sooner. Failure to
refer the application as required 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.
All applications for issuance of permits of any kind pertaining
to historic sites or structures shall be referred to the Historic
Preservation Commission for a report of the Historic Preservation
Commission on the application of the Zoning Ordinance provisions concerning historic preservation to any of
those aspects of the change proposed which aspects were not determined
by approval of an application for development by a municipal agency.
The Historic Preservation Commission shall submit its report to the
Chief Construction Official within 45 days of the referral of the
application to the Historic Preservation Commission. If within the
forty-five-day period the Historic Preservation Commission recommends
to the Chief Construction Official against the issuance of the permit
or recommends conditions to the permit to be issued, the Chief Construction
Official shall deny issuance of the permit or include the conditions
in the permit, as the case may be. Failure to report within the forty-five-day
period shall be deemed to constitute a report in favor of issuance
of the permit and without the recommendation of conditions to the
permit.