The name of the body hereby established shall
be the "Thornbury Township Historical Preservation Commission."
The Thornbury Township Historical Preservation
Commission (hereinafter referred to as "Commission") shall be empowered
to do the following:
A. Conduct a survey of historic resources for the purpose
of determining those of historic and/or architectural significance
and the pertinent facts about such resources; to act in collaboration
with the Planning Commission of Thornbury Township, Chester County
and other appropriate groups with respect to such survey; to maintain
and periodically revise a detailed inventory and map or maps of such
historically and/or architecturally significant resources and the
data collected concerning the said resources, appropriately classified.
B. Research and record the history of Thornbury Township,
Chester County.
C. Research significant historic objects, sites, structures,
buildings and districts and to recommend to the Board of Supervisors
the nomination of the same to the National Register of Historic Places.
D. Encourage preservation of the historical character
of the Township landscape and, in particular, the relationship of
historic resources to their natural setting, and the preservation
of the Township's natural flora and plantings, such as trees and hedgerows.
E. Propose from time to time to the Planning Commission
and Board of Supervisors the establishment of historic districts in
accordance with the then-applicable statutes and rules and regulations
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
F. Formulate regulations for the establishment of an
appropriate system of markers for selected historic and/or architectural
resources, including proposals for the installation and care of such
historic markers and to recommend adoption of the same to the Board
of Supervisors.
G. Prepare and publish books, maps, brochures and descriptive
materials about the Township's history and historic and/or architectural
resources.
H. Cooperate with and advise the Board of Supervisors
and the Planning Commission of Thornbury Township, Chester County
and other Township agencies in matters involving historically and/or
architecturally significant resources, including the review of zoning
and/or subdivision and land development proposals and building/demolition
permit applications to determine the extent to which the same have
the likelihood of impacting upon historic and/or architectural resources.
I. Cooperate with and enlist assistance from the National
Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission and other local, state and national
historical societies, conservancies and other agencies, public and
private, concerned with historic and/or architectural preservation.
J. To advise owners of historic and/or architectural
buildings and resources on problems in connection therewith and methods
of preservation thereof.
K. To keep abreast of technical literature reports and
documents relevant to historic and/or architectural preservation in
Thornbury Township, Chester County.
L. To promote public interest in the work of the Commission,
by carrying on a public relations program and by other appropriate
means.
M. To advise the Board of Supervisors on the acquisition,
whether by gift, purchase, grant, bequest, easement, devise, lease
or otherwise, and/or the restoration of historic and/or architecturally
significant properties and other resources, historical records and
other data and material within the purview of the Commission.
N. To make plans for the establishment of a permanent
archive of Township records and documents and to make recommendations
to the Board of Supervisors concerning the same.
O. To perform such other duties and undertake such other
responsibilities as may be delegated to the Commission from time to
time by the Board of Supervisors.
[Amended 3-20-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-1; 7-17-2012 by Ord. No.
2012-2]
The Commission shall be composed of seven persons,
each of whom shall be a resident of Thornbury Township, Chester County,
and each of whom shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors. Duly
appointed Commission members shall serve at the pleasure of the Board
of Supervisors but, unless otherwise removed by the Board of Supervisors,
shall serve for terms of five years each, or until their successors
are appointed. All persons appointed shall serve their full terms
unless voluntarily resigned or removed by the Board of Supervisors,
at the pleasure of the Board. Vacancies on this Commission occurring
otherwise than by expiration of term shall be for the unexpired term
and shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
Members of the Commission shall receive no compensation
for their services, but may be reimbursed for the expenses actually
and necessarily incurred by them in the performance of their duties
and in the conduct of Commission business, when such reimbursement
is authorized by the Chairman of the Commission and approved by the
Board of Supervisors.
The person appointed for the initial five-year
term shall serve as the first Chairperson of the Commission and shall
serve for a period of one year. The members of the Commission shall
annually elect their own Secretary and such other officers as they
shall deem appropriate and, after the initial term of the initial
Chairperson, shall elect their own Chairperson, and all officers shall
serve for a period of one year. Vacancies in any office created by
resignation or otherwise, including a vacancy in the office of Chairperson,
even if occurring during the first year, shall be filled for the unexpired
term by election by the members of the Commission. The Commission
shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of all business
within its jurisdiction.
Regular public meetings shall be held to conduct
the business of the Commission. The Commission shall keep records
of its meetings and activities and shall make an annual report and
such other periodic reports to the Board of Supervisors as the Board
may require or the Commission may deem appropriate.
The Commission may, with the consent of the
Board of Supervisors, utilize any funds, personnel or other assistance
made available by Chester County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
or the federal government or any of its or their agencies, or from
any other private or public sources. Accounting for the receipt of
such funds and for the expenditure thereof shall be pursuant to such
regulations as the Board of Supervisors may adopt. Unless specifically
authorized by the Board of Supervisors, the Commission shall not establish
any separate bank or other account for the deposit or accumulation
of funds. The Board of Supervisors may enter into agreements or contracts
regarding the acceptance or utilization of such funds or other assistance
as may be available. The Commission shall submit a plan of activities
and a proposed budget to the Board of Supervisors during the regular
Township budget process. Funds for the expenses to be incurred by
the Commission shall, at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors,
be appropriated by the Board of Supervisors. The Commission may expend
moneys for such administrative, clerical, printing and legal services
as may from time to time be required, but its expenditures shall be
limited to the amount of funds appropriated to it by the Board of
Supervisors or otherwise obtained from other sources as set forth
above and, at all times, expenditures of the Commission shall be subject
to the approval of the regulation by the Board of Supervisors.