Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction be subject to a fine in accordance with the general provisions of the Code of Ordinances.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.999)
(a) 
A historic and cultural preservation commission shall be created, composed of three members, to be appointed by the town council. All members shall have a demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge in the historic traditions of the town and a commitment to the preservation thereof. The town shall endeavor, to the extent possible, to appoint persons to serve on the commission from the following categories:
(1) 
Architect, planner, or design professional.
(2) 
Historian.
(3) 
Attorney.
(4) 
Owner or resident of a landmark property.
(5) 
Archaeologist.
(6) 
Licensed real estate broker or appraiser.
(b) 
Commissioners shall serve for terms of two years each, their terms to be staggered. Initial terms shall be one one-year term and two two-year terms.
(c) 
The commission shall include a member of the town planning and zoning commission as an ex officio member, as well as the planning director for the town.
(d) 
The commission shall be authorized to do the following:
(1) 
Adopt rules and procedures.
(2) 
Adopt identification criteria and rules for preservation sites and areas.
(3) 
Conduct and administer historic resource surveys.
(4) 
Recommend designation of landmarks.
(5) 
Establish committees as needed.
(6) 
Develop public outreach and awareness programs.
(7) 
Approve/disapprove certificates of appropriateness.
(8) 
Provide design and other reasonable forms of advice to owners and tenants of historic properties in the certificate of appropriateness review process.
(9) 
Recommend the acquisition of endangered resources to the town council when necessary.
(10) 
Recommend the acceptance/denial of donations and preservation easements.
(11) 
Propose tax and/or other financial incentives to encourage preservation of historic and cultural resources.
(12) 
Prepare and promote design guidelines for landmarks.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.085)
The council shall appoint a qualified staff person or appropriate resident of the municipality to serve as the historic preservation officer. Said officer shall administer this article and advise the commission on matters submitted to it. In addition to serving as the commission’s representative, the officer is responsible for coordinating the commission’s and town’s activities with those of state and federal agencies and nonprofit organizations.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.086)
(a) 
The town council is hereby authorized to designate sites, buildings, structures, landscapes, geographic features, and objects as landmarks.
(b) 
Property owners of proposed landmarks shall be notified prior to the commission hearing on the recommended designation. At the commission’s public hearing on the matter, interested parties and technical experts may present testimony or documentary evidence that will become part of a record regarding the historic, architectural, or cultural importance of the proposed landmark.
(c) 
Upon recommendation of the commission, the proposed landmark shall be submitted to the planning and zoning commission within 30 days from date of submittal of the designation request. The planning and zoning commission shall give notice and conduct its hearing within 45 days of receipt of such recommendation from the commission. Such hearing shall be in the same manner and according to the same procedures as specifically provided in the town’s general zoning ordinance (see article 14.02). The commission shall make its recommendation to the town council within 45 days subsequent to its hearing on the proposed designation.
(d) 
The town council shall schedule a hearing on the commission’s recommendation to be held within 45 days of receipt of the recommendation of the planning and zoning commission. The council shall give notice, follow the publication procedure, hold its hearing, and make its determination in the same manner as provided in the general zoning ordinance of the town (see article 14.02).
(1998 Code, sec. 32.087)
A landmark may be designated if it:
(1) 
Possesses significance in history, architecture, archaeology, geography, paleontology, and/or culture.
(2) 
Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local, regional, state, or national history.
(3) 
Is associated with the lives of persons significant in the town’s past.
(4) 
Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction.
(5) 
Represents the work of a master designer, builder, or craftsman.
(6) 
Represents an established and familiar visual feature of the town.
(7) 
Has architectural value.
(8) 
Features very rare or unusual flora or fauna, and/or represents unique geographic forms.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.088)
(a) 
No person shall carry out any construction, reconstruction, restoration, rehabilitation, removal, or relocation of any designated landmark, nor shall any person make any material change in the light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving, or any other exterior elements visible from a public right-of-way or easement that affect the appearance and cohesiveness of any landmark, without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness (CA) in accordance with this article.
(b) 
Prior to commencement of any work, the owner of a property shall file an application for a CA with the town’s planning director. The application must contain the following:
(1) 
Name, address, and telephone number of the applicant, and the address of affected property if different.
(2) 
Detailed description of the proposed work.
(3) 
Current photographs of the property (and historic photos if available).
(4) 
Drawings of changes or new construction, and samples of materials, when appropriate.
(5) 
Other information deemed necessary by town staff for clarification of the project and its impact.
(c) 
In considering applications for certificates of appropriateness, the commission shall follow the United States Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings. The commission shall further consider the following:
(1) 
Every reasonable effort shall be made to adapt the property in a manner that requires minimal alteration of the landmark and its environment.
(2) 
The distinguishing original qualities or characters of a landmark and its environment, as well as distinctive stylistic features, should not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive features should be avoided.
(3) 
All landmarks shall be recognized as products of their own times, and, as such, alterations that have no historical basis shall be discouraged.
(4) 
Deteriorated architectural features should be repaired rather than replaced. If replacement is unavoidable, the new material should reflect the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture, and other visual qualities. Repair and replacement of missing features should be based on as accurate a duplication as is possible based on the historic record and known comparable construction.
(5) 
Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.
(d) 
The commission shall conduct a duly noticed public hearing, and subsequently approve, deny, or approve with conditions all CA requests within 30 days of receipt of completed applications, determining whether the proposed work is consistent with the regulations contained in this article and all other applicable ordinances.
(e) 
All decisions of the commission shall be in writing, and shall include reasons for denial or modification, if applicable.
(f) 
If an applicant is dissatisfied or otherwise disagrees with the decision of the commission, the applicant may appeal the decision to the town council, in writing, within 30 days.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.089)
Nothing in this article shall be construed to prevent the ordinary maintenance and/or repair of any feature of a landmark. Such ordinary maintenance and repair shall be defined as any work that does not involve a change in design, material, color, or outward appearance, and includes in-kind replacement or repair. The town’s planning director shall be responsible for defining “ordinary maintenance” on a case-by-case basis.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.090)
A demolition permit for a landmark structure shall not be issued until review and issuance of a completed certificate of appropriateness application by the commission. The following information must be supplied by the applicant prior to an application being considered complete: description of condition of the landmark, estimated cost of restoration or repair, demonstration that adaptive reuse or restoration of the landmark has been seriously evaluated, available historic records of the landmark, architectural drawings for any new proposed construction that is intended to replace the landmark, any conditions that are proposed to be voluntarily placed on new construction/development that would mitigate the loss of the landmark, and any other information upon which the town staff finds it appropriate for the commission to render a decision on the application.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.091)
(a) 
An applicant whose demolition CA is denied by the commission may apply for hardship relief. The application must prove that the property is incapable of earning a reasonable return on the owner’s investment, the property cannot be adapted for another use that can earn a reasonable return, and efforts to find a purchaser interested in acquiring the property and preserving it have failed.
(b) 
The commission shall conduct a public hearing, and subsequently approve or deny all applications for hardship relief within 30 days of receipt of completed requests.
(c) 
All decisions of the commission shall be in writing, and shall include reasons for denial, if applicable.
(d) 
If an applicant is dissatisfied or otherwise disagrees with the decision of the commission, said applicant may appeal the decision to the town council, in writing, within 30 days.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.092)
No owner or person with an interest in real property designated a landmark shall permit the property to fall into a serious state of disrepair so as to result in the deterioration of any exterior feature that would, in the judgment of the commission, produce a detrimental effect upon the character of the property or the life and character of the landmark itself.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.093)
All work performed pursuant to a certificate of appropriateness issued under this article shall conform to any and all requirements contained herein. It shall be the duty of the planning director to periodically inspect, or cause to be inspected, any such work to ensure compliance. If failure to comply is found to occur, a stop-work order shall be issued and held in effect until compliance is attained.
(1998 Code, sec. 32.094)