Chapter 2.26
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Sections:
2.26.060 Chair and vice-chair.
2.26.070 Frequency of meetings.
2.26.100 Duties and responsibilities.
2.26.110 Inventorying, evaluating and determining significance of historic resources.
2.26.010 Establishment.
The city hereby establishes the city of Cottage Grove historic preservation commission. The purpose of this commission is to act as an advisory body to the city council and the planning commission, to make decisions on items within the commission’s authority, and to refer recommendations and findings for requests which require the city council’s final approval. The commission shall: establish a program for the identification, evaluation, and designation of historic resources as locally significant historic resources; recommend public incentives for the preservation of designated resources; encourage the promotion of historic preservation; and implement land use regulations under Section 14.26.300 regarding the alteration, moving or demolition of locally designated resources and historic resources of statewide significance. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.020 Membership.
The commission shall consist of seven members with a demonstrated positive interest, knowledge, or competence in historic preservation. All reasonable efforts must be made to appoint those with professional experience in the fields of preservation, architecture, archaeology, community history, building trades, real estate, or related specialties. Members shall be appointed by the city council. A majority of the members shall reside within the corporate boundaries of the city of Cottage Grove. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.030 Terms of office.
The terms of office of the commission shall be three years. A member may be appointed to fill an unexpired term should a member resign or be removed prior to the completion of their term. Members shall be eligible for reappointment. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.040 Removal.
Any member may be removed from office by the city council during their term. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.050 Quorum.
A majority of the seated members shall constitute a quorum to conduct official business. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.060 Chair and vice-chair.
A chair and vice-chair shall be elected annually by and from the seated membership. Officers are eligible for reelection. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.070 Frequency of meetings.
The commission shall meet at least four times a year, and as required to conduct business in a timely fashion. Notice of the meetings shall be in accordance with applicable state law. Minutes, applications, staff reports, findings, and decisions of the commission shall be maintained as public records in accordance with applicable state law. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.080 Rules of procedure.
Except as otherwise established by the city council and state statute, the commission may adopt rules governing the conduct of its business. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.090 Staff services.
The city manager shall appoint a historic preservation officer to serve as staff to the historic preservation commission and to carry out the administrative provisions of this chapter. The historic preservation officer may appoint a designee(s) to carry out responsibilities under this chapter. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.100 Duties and responsibilities.
The commission has the following duties:
A. Employing the procedures and criteria in this chapter, the commission must identify and evaluate historic resources in the city of Cottage Grove, determine the historic integrity and historic significance of historic resources and maintain a historic resource inventory consistent with the standards of the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.
B. Employing the procedures and criteria in Section 2.26.110, the commission must inventory, evaluate and determine significance of historic resources that may be considered for designation as locally significant historic resources for inclusion on a historic resource inventory. Employing the procedures and criteria in Title 14, the Cottage Grove Development Code, the commission must recommend to the city council historic resources for designation in the historic preservation overlay district.
C. Employing the procedures and criteria in Title 14, the Cottage Grove Development Code, the commission shall review and act upon applications for the preservation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, alteration, relocation, or demolition of significant historic resources, and new construction within the designated boundary of a significant historic resource.
D. The commission must support the enforcement of all federal and state laws relating to the protection of National Register resources, archaeological sites, and archaeological objects regardless if they are designated on the resource list.
E. Upon request, the commission must provide the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office written comments on or before the stated deadline regarding the eligibility of historic resources for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The commission must hold a noticed, public hearing as part of their deliberations and take into account public testimony when writing comments.
F. The commission must perform any other functions that may be designated by resolution or motion of the city council.
G. The commission may assume responsibility for functions of the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office under state and federal law as delegated by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office.
H. The commission may adopt and publish and adopt written and graphic guidelines and example materials to clarify the standards in this chapter and to assist applicants in developing complete and viable applications to preserve, rehabilitate, reconstruct, alter, relocate and demolish a significant historic resource, and/or erect new construction within the designated boundary of a significant historic resource.
I. The commission may undertake to inform the citizens of and visitors to the city of Cottage Grove regarding the community’s history and prehistory; promote research into its history and prehistory; collect and make available materials on the preservation of historic resources; provide information on state and federal preservation programs and incentives; and document historic resources prior to their alteration, demolition, or relocation and archive that documentation.
J. The commission may recommend to the city council to seek, accept, and expend public appropriations; seek, accept, and expend grant and gift funds; cooperate with public and private entities; and assist the owners of significant historic resources in securing funding for the preservation of their properties.
K. The commission may recommend incentives and code amendments to the planning commission and/or city council to promote historic preservation in the community.
L. The commission may comment on local, state, or federal issues, laws, and requests relating to historic preservation. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)
2.26.110 Inventorying, evaluating and determining significance of historic resources.
The following procedures must be used to identify historic resources that may be considered for designation as a locally significant historic resource on the historic resource inventory:
A. The historic resource inventory must be maintained as a public record with the exception of archaeological sites, the publication of which is prohibited by state law.
B. The commission must determine and periodically revise priorities for the historic resource inventory based on the community’s needs and interests, goals established in the city of Cottage Grove Historic Preservation Plan, and Historic Context, if these documents are adopted.
C. The commission may take photographs and create physical descriptions based on on-site observations, or obtain information concerning historic resources through archival research, oral histories, other inventories, surveys, or any other method or information allowed or available by law. In addition, when collecting information to inventory historic resources, the commission shall:
1. Notify state and federal resource management agencies and request current information about the historic resource(s); and
2. Consider other information submitted in the local process.
D. Historic resources must be evaluated for their historic integrity and significance and recorded in the historic resource inventory as eligible/significant (ES), eligible/contributing (EC), noncontributing (NC), or not in period (NP). Evaluation and documentation of properties in the historic resource inventory must follow the document "Guidelines for Historic Resource Surveys in Oregon, 2010" or most recent guidance for such efforts published by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office and be supplied to the agency within six months of the completion of the study.
E. Historic resources added to the historic resource inventory are not subject to the regulations described in Section 14.26.350, Historic Preservation Overlay District.
F. The objection of an owner must not prevent a property being inventoried, evaluated, or determined significant for placement on the historic resource inventory. (Ord. 3146 §1(Exh. A), 2021)