A.
An Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB) is hereby established
to be composed of members appointed by the Borough Council. The membership
of HARB shall be as follows:
(1)
One member shall be a registered architect;
(2)
One member shall be a licensed real estate broker;
(3)
One member may be the Building Inspector;
(4)
One member may be a Planning Commission member;
(5)
One member may be an attorney; and
(6)
Two members shall be persons with demonstrated interest, knowledge,
ability, experience or expertise in restoration, historic rehabilitation,
or neighborhood conservation or revitalization who have interest in
the preservation of the historic districts and are property owners
who reside in the district.
B.
The initial terms of the first member shall be so fixed that no more
than two members shall be replaced or reappointed during any one calendar
year. Vacancies on the HARB shall be filled within 120 days. However,
every member shall continue in office after expiration of the term
until a successor has been appointed. Their successors shall serve
for a term of five years. The position of any member of HARB appointed
in his or her capacity such as a registered architect, a licensed
real estate broker, Building Inspector, Planning comMission member,
and other categories, who ceases to be so qualified shall be automatically
considered vacant. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be only
for the unexpired portion of the term.
C.
It shall be the duty of each HARB member to remain conscious of and
sensitive to any possible conflict of interest (including but not
limited to financial considerations) which may arise by virtue of
his or her membership on the Board. A member, promptly upon his determining
he has a conflict himself relative to any matter brought, shall disqualify
himself from participating, in any manner, publicly or privately,
in the presentation, discussion or deliberation of and the voting
on any such manner, including temporarily absenting himself from the
room in which the discussion is being held.
A.
Advisory role. HARB shall give recommendations to the Borough Council
regarding the advisability of issuing any certificate of appropriateness
required to be issued in accordance with the Act of June 13, 1961,
P.L. 282, No. 167 as amended ("Act 167")[1] and this Article IV.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 53 P.S. § 8001 et seq.
B.
Board rule-making power. HARB may make and alter rules and regulations
for its own organization and procedure, provided that they are consistent
with the laws of the commonwealth and all provisions of this chapter.
C.
Removal of members. Any board member may be removed for misconduct
or wrongdoing, unlawful execution of Act 167 or this chapter, or failure
to perform his or her responsibilities pursuant to Act 167 or this
chapter, or for other just cause by a majority vote of the Borough
Council, but not before he or she has been given the opportunity of
a hearing to defend to any alleged infractions of Act 167 or this
chapter.
D.
Annual reports. The members of HARB shall make an annual report to
the Borough Council, which shall include:
(2)
The number and types of cases reviewed;
(3)
The number of cases for which a certificate of appropriateness was
either approved or denied;
(4)
Number of HARB meetings which each member attended;
(5)
Historic preservation related training which each member attended;
(6)
A narrative summary describing the state of preservation in the Borough
Historic District with recommendations in policy, goals, and objectives
for the Borough Council's consideration.
(7)
The HARB Chairperson shall be required to prepare information necessary
for the Borough Manager to submit a Certified Local Government Annual
Report of all annual HARB activities.
E.
Compensation. HARB may employ secretarial and professional assistance,
and incur other necessary expenses by resolution of Borough Council.
F.
Meetings. HARB shall meet publicly at least one time annually at
regularly scheduled intervals. Further, HARB may hold any additional
meetings it considers necessary to carry out its powers and duties
indicated in this chapter. Such meetings shall be opened to the public.
A majority of HARB shall constitute a quorum and action taken at any
meeting shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the members
present.
G.
Training. HARB members and HARB support staff shall be required to
attend a minimum of eight hours annually of seminars, conferences
or workshops related to historic preservation and HARB administration.
In addition to the above, HARB shall have the following powers
and duties:
A.
To conduct a survey of buildings, structures, objects and monuments
for the purpose of determining those of historic and/or architectural
significance and pertinent facts about them; action in coordination
with the Borough Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board, and other
appropriate groups and to maintain and periodically revise the detailed
listings (resource inventories) of historic resources and data about
them, appropriately classified with respect to national, state and
local significance in accordance or consistent with the Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission's "Cultural Resource Management
in Pennsylvania: Guidelines for Historic Resource Surveys."
B.
To propose, from time to time as deemed appropriate, the establishment
of additional historic districts and revisions to existing historic
districts.
C.
To formulate recommendations concerning the establishment of an appropriate
system of markers for selected historic and/or architectural site
and buildings, including proposals for the installation and care of
such historic markers.
D.
To formulate recommendations concerning the preparation and publication
of maps, brochures and descriptive material about the Borough historical
and/or architectural sites and buildings.
E.
To cooperate with and advise the Borough Council and the agencies
in matters involving historically and/or architecturally significant
sites and buildings (such as appropriate land usage, parking facilities
and signs, as well as adherence to lot dimensional regulations and
minimum structural standards).
F.
To cooperate with and enlist assistance from, the National Park Service,
the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Pennsylvania,
the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and other agencies,
public and private, from time to time, concerned the preservation
of historic sites and buildings.
G.
To advise owners of historic buildings regarding rehabilitation,
repairs, maintenance methods and technologies, adaptive use, economic
and tax incentives and other historic preservation strategies.
H.
To promote public interest in the purpose of this chapter by carrying
on educational and public relations programs.
