Pursuant to the powers granted by the Second Class Township Code, a Commission is hereby created to be known as the West Brandywine
Township Historical Commission.
The members of the Historical Commission shall serve without compensation,
although they may be reimbursed for expenses necessary to carry out the objectives
of the Commission when those expenses are deemed necessary and appropriate
and approved by the Board of Supervisors in advance of such expenditures.
The Board of Supervisors may, after a duly advertised public hearing,
remove any members of the Commission from office for any of the following
reasons: inefficiency, neglect of duty, change of residence, absence, malfeasance
in office or conflict of interest.
The said Commission shall elect its own chairman and create and fill
such offices as it deems proper and necessary. The Commission may make and
alter its rules of procedure consistent with the ordinances of the Township
and the laws of the Commonwealth. It shall keep records of its minutes, transactions,
findings and determinations, and such records shall be a public record except
when prejudicial to a negotiation and therefore not in the public interest.
A majority of the Commission shall constitute a quorum, and action taken at
a meeting shall require the affirmative vote of the majority.
The Commission shall serve in an advisory capacity for historic preservation
and to accomplish this purpose, the Commission shall:
A. Record the Township's history and its significant
architectural, historic and natural sites and maintain a detailed inventory
and map(s) of these historic resources including informational data appropriately
classified, registration where appropriate, including the Chester County Historic
Certification and Pennsylvania Historic Resource Forum.
B. Create an awareness of the history of the Township from
the native Americans to the present day, including their cultural, agricultural,
business, educational and religious endeavors.
C. Research and record the history of West Brandywine Township
and serve as an advisory resource for owners of historic sites involved with
preservation and/or restoration.
D. To cooperate with all Township officials and agencies
in relation to the preservation and restoration of historic structure and
sites, including the possible acquisition and use of the same by the Township.
E. To consider, promote and, with the approval of the Board
of Supervisors, to apply for technical and financial assistance from all appropriate
local, Township, County, State, Federal and other agencies, and conservation
and environmental organizations, in connection with the preservation of significant
architecture, natural and historic sites within the Township, and to report
all related action to the Board of Supervisors.
F. To prepare and submit a yearly budget to the Board of
Supervisors for sums deemed necessary to carry out the duties and objectives
of the Historical Commission, on or before October 1 of the preceding year.
Funds shall be allocated to the Commission as the Board of Supervisors shall
determine in its sole discretion.
G. To prepare a yearly report of activity by January 1 of
each year, for presentation to the Board of Supervisors.
H. To review all plans or proposals for subdivisions and
land developments submitted to the Township pursuant to the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code, as amended, Act 170 of 1988, that contain any buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts
that are 50 years old or older or that contain any feature of historic, architectural,
cultural, archaeological, educational and aesthetic merit, and to make recommendations
to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors concerning the approval
of such subdivisions and land developments. Such recommendations shall be
made within the time constraints contained in the Municipalities Planning
Code, as amended, and such recommendations shall be advisory only.
I. In conjunction and cooperation with the Board of Supervisors,
the Planning Commission, the Zoning Officer and other interested Township
officials, to study the feasibility of creating Historic Districts within
the Township in accordance with and pursuant to the Act of June 13, 1961,
P. L. 282, No. 167, as amended, entitled "Historic Districts."
The Board of Supervisors may appropriate from the general Township funds
such funds as may be necessary and available for the work of the Historical
Commission in the year for which the appropriation is made.
This chapter shall become effective on August 17, 1995, as provided
by law.