To protect the portions of the City of Coatesville
which recall the architectural and cultural heritage of our city and
state; to awaken in our people an interest in our historic past; and
to promote the general welfare, education and culture of our city,
there is hereby created a commission to be known and designated as
the "Historical Commission of the City of Coatesville, Pennsylvania."
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
LANDMARK STRUCTURE
Any structure designated by the Historical Commission, which
has also been approved and registered on the Pennsylvania Register
of Historic Places maintained by the Commonwealth Historical and Museum
Commission and the National Register of Historic Places maintained
by the United States Department of the Interior.
[Amended 9-9-1996 by Ord. No. 1033-96]
The Commission shall consist of seven (7) regular
members appointed by the City Council. In addition, the Mayor may
serve, ex officio, as a member of the Commission.
The term of office each of the seven (7) regular
members shall be three (3) years. The initial terms of the first seven
(7) members shall be as follows: Two (2) shall serve until the first
Monday of January 1965; two (2) until the first Monday of January
1966; and three (3) until the first Monday of January 1967. Their
successors shall serve for terms of three (3) years. An appointment
to fill a vacancy in office shall be only for the unexpired portion
of the term. Members shall serve without compensation.
No person shall be eligible to appointment who
is not a citizen of the United States and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
At least four (4) members of the Commission must reside within the
city limits of Coatesville. Remaining members may reside within the
greater Coatesville area. The position of any member of the Commission
who thereafter moves his or her residence from the City of Coatesville
or its surrounding area shall be automatically considered vacant.
The preservation and continued utilization of
districts, buildings or objects whose general character is important
historically or uniquely valuable for design or location are hereby
declared to be a public use, a form of municipal conservation, essential
to the public interest. The Commission is therefore charged with the
responsibility of developing and continuing an effective program of
landmark recognition and preservation. The Commission shall survey
and designate, in a suitable manner, areas, places, buildings, structures,
monuments, works of art and other objects having special historical,
architectural, community or aesthetic interest and value and worthy
of preservation.
The Commission shall have the power of review
and recommendation in any case involving the demolition of a landmark
structure or alteration that would be in such manner as to change
its essential character. The Commission shall have the opportunity
to study and review all plans and proposals involving the reconstruction,
alteration, restoration, demolition and razing of properly designated
landmarks as herein provided.
Upon receipt by the Commission of a notice that
an application for a building permit involving a landmark structure
has been filed, a report on said review, together with any recommendations,
shall be given to the City Council, in writing, within fifteen (15)
days from the date of said referral. If the Commission shall fail
to file such a report within the specified time and manner, it shall
be conclusively presumed that the Commission has approved the proposed
application.
In determining the counsel to be presented to
the Council of the City of Coatesville concerning the issuing of a
building permit for the erection, reconstruction, alteration, restoration,
demolition or razing of all or a part of a landmark structure, the
Commission shall consider and incorporate in its report the following
matters:
A. The exact location of the area in which the work is
to be done.
B. The exterior changes to be made or the exterior character
of the structure to be erected (outlining general design, architectural
features, arrangement, texture, material and color) and the relation
of such factors to the original structure and to other structures
in the area.
C. A list of the surrounding structures, with their general
characteristics.
D. The opinion of the Commission (including any dissent)
as to the appropriateness of the work proposed as it will preserve
and enhance or damage and destroy the historic or architectural aspect
and nature of the landmark structure in question.
E. The specific counsel of the Commission to the Council
of the City of Coatesville as to the issuance of a building permit
for the work as proposed.
Upon receipt of an unfavorable written report
from the Commission, the Council of the City of Coatesville shall
consider the application and make a final determination thereon.