A. 
A Historical Architectural Review Board, hereafter referred to as HARB, is hereby established to be composed of seven members appointed by the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council. The membership of the HARB shall be as follows:
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20; 12-1-2020 by Ord. No. 20-18]
(1) 
One member shall be a registered architect;
(2) 
One member shall be a licensed real estate broker;
(3) 
One member shall be a Norristown Municipality Building Inspector;
(4) 
One member shall be a member of the Board of Directors of the Norristown Preservation Society;
(5) 
One member may be a person with knowledge of the building trades; 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 HARB Zone, each of whom reside in the Municipality's Historic District.
B. 
The initial terms of the first members shall be so fixed that no more than two members need 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 four years. The position of any member of the HARB appointed in his capacity such as a registered architect, a licensed real estate professional or lawyer, building inspector, etc., who ceases to be so engaged 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) that 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 matter, including temporarily absenting himself from the room in which the discussion is being held.
A. 
Advisory role. The HARB shall give recommendations to the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council regarding the advisability of issuing any certificate of appropriateness required to be issued in accordance with the said Act of June 13, 1961, Public Law 282, No. 167, as amended, and this chapter.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
B. 
Board role making power. The 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 this Act or failure to perform his or her responsibilities pursuant to this Act or for other just cause, by a majority vote of the Municipality Council, but not before he or she has been given the opportunity of a hearing to defend to any alleged infractions of said Act.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
D. 
Annual reports. The members of the HARB shall make an annual report to the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council which shall include:
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
(1) 
Any recommendations for changes in the ordinance;
(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 Municipality of Norristown HARB Zone with recommendations in policy, goals and objectives for Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council consideration.
E. 
Compensation. The HARB may employ secretarial and professional assistance and incur other necessary expenses with the prior approval of the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council. The HARB members will serve without compensation.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
F. 
Meetings. The HARB shall meet publicly at least once at regularly scheduled intervals. Further, the 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 the 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. The HARB members and the HARB support staff shall be required to attend a minimum of eight hours annually of seminars, conferences or workshops related to historic preservation and the HARB administration. The Municipality will cover the cost of training tuition or fees.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
In addition to the above, the 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; acting in coordination with the Municipality of Norristown Planning Commission, Zoning Hearing Board and the Norristown Preservation Society 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."
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
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 sites 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 Municipality of Norristown historical and/or architectural sites and buildings.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
E. 
To cooperate with, seek grants and advise the Municipality of Norristown Municipality Council and the Municipality of Norristown 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).
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
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 with the preservation of historic sites and buildings.
G. 
To propose, when appropriate, that the Municipality apply for inclusion within the Certified Local Government Program, as administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
H. 
Advise the Municipality, when appropriate, on strategies for protected dispersed historic resources, such as the Municipal Planning Code Zoning provision, Article VI, Sections 604 and 605.
[Amended 11-16-2010 by Ord. No. 10-20]
I. 
To advise owners of historic buildings regarding rehabilitation, repairs, maintenance methods and technologies, adaptive use, economic and tax incentives and other historic preservation strategies.
J. 
To promote public interest in the purpose of this chapter by carrying on educational and public relations programs.