[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Pennsbury 4-17-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-4-17-1. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
A Township historical commission consisting of seven members is hereby created and reestablished, which shall be known as the "Pennsbury Township Historical Commission."
B. 
The members of the Historical Commission shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors.
C. 
In addition to the seven members, the Board of Supervisors may appoint nonvoting Township liaisons to the Historical Commission, which include a Board of Supervisors liaison, Planning Commission liaison, and the Code Enforcement Officer. The Board may also appoint members to adjunct committees. These liaisons and adjunct committee appointees shall not be members of the Commission but may participate in the discussions of the Commission.
D. 
Each Historical Commission member shall serve for a term of four years, which shall be so fixed that no more than two terms shall expire each year. The members of the Historical Commission in office on the date of enactment of this chapter shall remain in office until the expiration of their terms or their resignation. The Historical Commission shall notify the Board of Supervisors of any vacancies in the Historical Commission, and the Board of Supervisors shall act to fill those vacancies as soon as practical. Appointments to fill vacancies for unexpired terms shall be only for the unexpired portion of the term. Members shall serve without pay but shall be reimbursed for any personal expenditure in the conduct of Historical Commission business when authorized by the Board of Supervisors. The members of the Historical Commission shall be residents of the Township who shall express an interest in historic buildings, sites, structures and objects. If the members move out of the Township during their term of office, their term shall end and they shall no longer be eligible for Commission membership.
A. 
The Historical Commission shall annually elect from its own membership a Chair who shall preside over the meetings of the Historical Commission. The Commission may also elect such other officers as may be required for the conduct of its business.
B. 
A quorum shall be not less than a majority of the current membership. A quorum shall be required for the conduct of business of the Commission. Action of the Commission shall be an affirmative vote of the majority of a quorum.
C. 
The Historical Commission may make, alter and rescind rules for its procedures consistent with the ordinances of the Township and laws and regulations of the commonwealth. The Historical Commission shall deliberate and take official action at regular public meetings, unless the meeting may be closed in accordance with the Commonwealth Sunshine Act.[1] An agenda of each public meeting shall be available for inspection prior to the meeting. The Historical Commission shall keep minutes of its public meetings, which shall be the public record of its business and shall submit a report of its activities to the Board of Supervisors by March 1 of each year.
[1]
Editor's Note: See 65 Pa.C.S.A. § 701 et seq.
D. 
Expenditures. Within the limits of funds appropriated by the Board of Supervisors, the Historical Commission may employ staff or contract for clerical, consulting, or other technical services.
The Historical Commission shall have the following functions and duties:
A. 
Maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts in Pennsbury Township.
B. 
Provide advice and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, Planning Commission, Code Enforcement Officer, and/or Zoning Hearing Board regarding the following subdivision, land development and building matters:
(1) 
The issuance or denial of demolition permits for historic resources.
(2) 
Subdivision or land development applications which affect historic resources, in accordance with the requirements and procedures of Chapter 138, Subdivision and Land Development.
(3) 
Requests for special exceptions, conditional uses or variances affecting historic resources.
(4) 
Applications for the rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, conversion, enlargement or alteration of historic resources for compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
(5) 
Perform all functions required by the Township's ordinances, regulations and policies, including but not limited to those required by Chapter 162, Zoning.
C. 
Make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors concerning revisions, updates, or corrections to the Historic Resources Map.
D. 
Maintain an inventory that clearly identifies historic resources and their respective classifications (Class I or Class II) on the Historic Resources Map.
E. 
Contribute to and maintain files on Township historic resources, which at a minimum shall include the following items:
(1) 
For Class I historic resources: a copy of National Register and National Historic Landmark nominations that have been approved by the National Park Service and a copy of determination of eligibility (DOE) for listing on the National Register of Historic Places by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC).
(2) 
For Class II historic resources: documentation of these resources on a Pennsylvania historic resource survey form.
F. 
Perform such other functions and duties as may be assigned or requested from time to time by the Board of Supervisors.