A Historic Preservation Commission is created and established
which may be known and referred to as the "West Hollywood Historic
Preservation Commission" or as the "Historic Preservation Commission."
(Prior code § 2994; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 4, 2003)
The Historic Preservation Commission shall consist of seven members who shall have a significant interest in the city such as residency, business or residential ownership, economic involvement or some other valid link to be determined by the City Council, to the purpose of the Commission. All members of the Commission shall have a demonstrated interest or competence in, or knowledge of, historic preservation and the cultural resources of the city. At least two Commission members are required to be appointed from among professionals in the disciplines of history, architecture, architectural history, planning, prehistoric and historic archeology, folklore, cultural anthropology, curation, conservation, and landscape architecture or related disciplines, such as urban planning, American studies, American civilization, or cultural geography, to the extent that such professionals are available in the community. Commission membership may also include lay members who have demonstrated special interests, competence, experience, or knowledge in historic preservation. Commission members shall not be officers or employees of the city. Commission members are subject to a background check as set forth in Section
2.30.050 of this code.
(Prior code § 2995; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 5, 2003; Ord.
21-1164 § 1, 2021; Ord.
23-09 § 7, 2023)
Each member of the City Council shall appoint one member of
the Historic Preservation Commission. The Council as a whole will
appoint the remaining two members, and as to those, shall endeavor
to appoint professionals in preservation-related fields. Appointments
shall be made at a regular Council meeting.
(Prior code § 2996; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 6, 2003)
a. Each
member of the Historic Preservation Commission appointed directly
by individual councilmembers shall serve a two-year term commencing
on March 1st following a general municipal election. Upon expiration
of the term of office, each such Commission member shall continue
to serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. Each
such member of the Commission serves at the pleasure of the appointing
councilmember and may be removed by that councilmember at any time.
In the event the office of a councilmember becomes vacant during the
term thereof, and until the office is filled, the Commission member
appointed by such councilmember may be removed by a majority vote
of the City Council.
b. The
two Commission members appointed by the Council as a whole shall serve
two-year terms commencing on March 1st following a general municipal
election. Upon expiration of the term of office, each such Commission
member shall continue to serve until his or her successor is appointed
and qualified. Such members may be removed by a majority vote of the
City Council; provided, however, that no member of the Commission
may be removed prior to March 1st following any municipal election.
c. Commission members are subject to term limits as set forth in Section
2.30.040 of this code.
(Prior code § 2998; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
90-262 § 1, 1990; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 8, 2003; Ord.
19-1067 § 2, 2019; Ord.
23-09 § 8, 2023)
Regular meetings of the Historic Preservation Commission shall
be as provided in the Commission by-laws, provided that the Commission
shall meet no more than once monthly.
(Ord. 03-663 § 9, 2003)
For the five individually appointed positions, vacancies on
the Historic Preservation Commission shall be filled by appointment
of the individual councilmember or his or her successor who made the
appointment that is vacated. Vacancies in the two remaining at-large
seats shall be filled by appointment by the City Council.
(Ord. 03-663 § 10, 2003)
If a member of the Historic Preservation Commission is absent for more than three regular meetings in any twelve-month period, the office of such member shall be vacated. In such event, the City Clerk shall notify the City Council of the vacancy and shall advertise for a replacement. A successor may be appointed for the remainder of the term as provided in Section
2.40.060. Notwithstanding the foregoing, up to three additional absences in a twelve-month period will be permitted for the purpose of bonding with a new baby, adopted child, or foster child and will not be counted against the allowable number of excused absences.
(Prior code § 29102; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 4, 2003; Ord.
03-663 § 11, 2003; Ord.
23-09 § 9, 2023)
The Historic Preservation Commission shall have the power and
be required to:
a. Periodically
update the city's Historic Resources Survey.
b. Recommend to the Planning Commission and City Council, in accordance with the criteria set forth in Section
19.58.070 of this code, the designation of cultural resources including structures, portions of structures, improvements, natural features, landmarks, sites. objects, historic districts, multiple resource or thematic groupings of structures sharing common characteristics or uses.
c. Maintain
a local public register of cultural resources, historic districts
and sites within the city, including all information required for
each designation.
d. Prepare
prescriptive standards and design guidelines to be used in reviewing
applications for permits to construct, alter, remodel, relocate, enlarge,
remove or demolish any cultural resource, or structure within a historic
district, or conservation zone. Such design guidelines shall be based
upon the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
e. Issue
certificates of appropriateness to alter, construct, remodel, relocate.
enlarge, remove, or demolish cultural resources or structures within
a historic district where authorized by this chapter, and recommend
the issuance of such certificates for cultural resources or structures
within a historic district to the Planning Commission in all other
cases.
f. Review
and comment upon the conduct of land use, housing and redevelopment,
municipal improvements and other types of planning and governmental
programs undertaken by any agency of the city, county, state, or federal
government as they relate to the cultural resources of the community.
g. Work
towards obtaining and maintaining Certified Local Government status
and actively pursue the designation of local certified historic districts
and National Register nominations to enable property owners to make
use of federal tax incentives. Investigate and make recommendations
to the City Council on the use of other various federal, state, local
or private funding sources and mechanisms available to promote cultural
resource preservation in the city.
h. Review
all applications for permits, environmental assessments, environmental
impact reports, environmental impact statements and other similar
documents pertaining to designated and potential cultural resources,
or related neighboring property within public view. The Community
Development Department staff shall forward all such documents to the
Historic Preservation Commission for review and comment, prior to
review and approval by the Planning Commission, as appropriate.
i. Review
the actions and proposed actions, and advise environmental review
processes, of all city departments, and public agencies, and their
agents and employees, concerning the effects of their actions, programs,
capital improvements or activities on designated and potential cultural
resources.
j. Recommend
to the Department of Community Development the hiring of staff, retaining
of consultants and qualified archaeologists when potential archeological
resources are involved, and the conducting of studies as the Historic
Preservation Commission deems desirable or necessary.
k. Cooperate
with local, county, state and federal governments in the pursuit of
the objectives of cultural resource preservation.
l. Render
advice and guidance, upon the request of the property owner or occupant,
on the restoration, alteration, remodeling, enlargement, removal,
decoration, landscaping or maintenance of any cultural resource, or
historic district.
m. Render
advice and guidance, upon the request of the property owner or occupant,
on procedures for inclusion of a cultural resource on the National
Register of Historic Places.
n. Participate
in, promote and conduct public information, education, and interpretation
programs pertaining to cultural resources preservation.
o. Confer
recognition upon the owners of cultural resources or of property within
historic districts by means of certificates, plaques or markers and
from time to time, recommend that the City Council issue commendations
to owners of cultural resources who have rehabilitated their property
in an exemplary manner.
p. Advise
the City Council on the maintenance and operation of cultural resources
and historic districts under the city's ownership and control, and
oversee compliance with façade easements on such properties.
q. Assume
responsibilities and duties which may be assigned to the city by the
state under the Certified Local Government provisions of the National
Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended.
r. Undertake
any other action or activity necessary or appropriate to the implementation
of its powers and duties or to fulfill the objectives of cultural
resource preservation.
s. Assist
private individuals and/or private or non-profit organizations with
a desire to restore, preserve, maintain, and operate a property listed
on the Register of Cultural Resources to purchase such property from
an existing owner unable to so restore, preserve, maintain, and operate
the property as a cultural resource.
(Prior code § 29103; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 4, § 12, 2003)
Accurate and permanent records of all meetings, proceedings
and acts of the Commission shall be kept, and such records shall have
the same status as records of other administrative departments of
the city.
(Prior code § 29104; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
03-663 § 12, 2003)
The Historic Preservation Commission shall organize and operate
in accordance with uniform by-laws for city commissions adopted by
the City Council.
(Prior code § 29105; Ord. 243 § 1, 1989; Ord.
98-513 § 1, 1998; Ord.
02-627 § 2, 2002; Ord.
03-663 § 4, § 12, 2003)
Members of the Historic Preservation Commission may receive
compensation for their services as set by resolution of the City Council.
The secretary of the Commission shall submit to the Finance Officer
at the end of each calendar month, a statement showing the number
of meetings of the Commission attended by each member during each
month. No additional compensation shall be made for expenses incurred
by the members of the Commission in the performance of their duties,
except that the City Council may from time to time authorize in advance,
expenditures for attendance at seminars, institutes, or other meetings
which the City Council finds to be beneficial to the Commission members
in the performance of their duties and in the best interest of the
city. Claims for such expenses shall be filed with the Finance Officer
and shall be subject to audit and approval by the City Council.
(Ord. 03-663 § 13, 2003)