Chapter 2.26
HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION
Sections:
2.26.010 Establishment.
2.26.020 Membership.
2.26.030 Terms of office.
2.26.040 Removal.
2.26.050 Quorum.
2.26.060 Chair and vice-chair.
2.26.070 Frequency of meetings.
2.26.080 Rules of procedure.
2.26.090 Staff services.
2.26.100 Duties and responsibilities.
2.26.110 Inventory of historic resources.
2.26.120 The designated landmarks register.
2.26.010 Establishment.
There is established a city of Cottage Grove historic landmarks commission for the city. The purpose of this commission is to act as an advisory body to the city council and the planning commission, to make known its decision on items within the commission’s authority and to refer recommendation and findings for requests which require the council’s final action. The commission shall: establish a program for the identification, evaluation, and designation of historic resources as landmarks; recommend public incentives for the preservation of designated landmarks; and implement land use regulations regarding the alteration, moving or demolition of designated landmarks and historic resources of statewide significance. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.020 Membership.
The commission shall consist of a minimum of three members and not more than five members with a demonstrated positive interest, knowledge, or competence in historic preservation. 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. The community development director or designee shall be an ex officio member of the commission. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
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. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.040 Removal.
Any member may be removed from office by the city council during his/her term. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.050 Quorum.
A simple majority of the seated members shall constitute a quorum to conduct official business. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
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. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.070 Frequency of meetings.
The commission shall meet at least twice 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. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.080 Rules of procedure.
Except as otherwise established by the council and state statute, the commission may adopt rules governing the conduct of its business. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.090 Staff services.
The community development department shall provide staff services to the commission. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.100 Duties and responsibilities.
The duties and responsibilities of the commission are:
A. With the approval of the city manager the commission may seek, accept, and expend grant and gift funds; cooperate with public and private entities; and employ clerical and expert assistance.
B. 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; document historic resources prior to their alteration, demolition, or relocation and archive that documentation; assist the owners of historic resources in securing funding for the preservation of their properties; and recommend public incentives and code amendments to the planning commission and/or city council.
C. The commission may develop and publish written and graphic guidelines and example materials to clarify the criteria in this chapter or the Cottage Grove development code and to assist applicants in developing complete and viable applications.
D. The commission shall periodically identify and evaluate the historic resources of the city of Cottage Grove and maintain an inventory of historic resources pursuant to Section 2.26.110. At such time as surveys are being conducted, owners of the subject properties shall be notified and invited to provide comment and input.
E. The commission shall periodically revise the designated landmarks register of the city of Cottage Grove by adding or deleting properties pursuant to Section 2.26.120.
F. Employing the procedures and criteria in Title 14, the Cottage Grove development code, the commission shall review and make recommendations to the planning commission upon applications for the alteration, relocation, or demolition of designated landmarks, or the major exterior alteration, relocation, or demolition of historic resources of statewide significance.
G. The commission shall advise and make policy recommendations to the city council and the planning commission on matters relating to historic preservation; and shall make an annual report, in writing, to the city council on its activities and expenditures during the preceding twelve months in January of each year. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.110 Inventory of historic resources.
A. The commission shall determine and periodically revise priorities for the identification and evaluation of historic resources.
B. Unless the commission finds extraordinary historic importance, only properties over fifty years of age shall be considered for inclusion in the inventory of historic resources.
C. The commission shall develop or adopt a system, based on historic integrity and significance, for evaluating historic resources. The system shall rank surveyed historic resources as eligible, potentially eligible, or ineligible for listing on the designated landmarks register. Owners of surveyed properties will be notified of these findings.
D. Documentation of properties in the inventory of historic resources shall be on forms compatible with the statewide inventory of historic properties, and upon completion, copies of the forms shall be supplied to the State Historic Preservation Office.
E. Records concerning archaeological sites shall not be made available to the public. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)
2.26.120 The designated landmarks register.
A. Properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including all properties within National Register Historic District boundaries, are eligible for automatic listing on the designated landmarks register. As historic resources of statewide significance, all such properties are subject to the regulations in Title 14, the Cottage Grove development code, and are to be included on the designated landmarks register.
B. Any individual or group, including the historic landmarks commission acting on its own initiative, may nominate a historic resource for inclusion on or removal from the historic landmarks register by submitting a complete application to the community development director. The burden of proof lies with the applicant. No property shall be so designated without the written consent of the owner or, in the case of multiple ownership, a majority of the owners.
C. The community development director shall establish standards for a complete application. Upon acceptance of a complete application the community development director shall schedule a public hearing before the landmarks commission pursuant to applicable state laws and procedures established for a type III application.
D. In order to be included or maintained on the historic landmarks register the commission must find that the historic resource is over fifty years of age or of extraordinary historic importance, and possesses sufficient historic integrity, and:
1. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local, state, or national history; or
2. Is associated with the lives of persons, or groups of people, significant in local, state, or national history; or
3. Embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural type, style, period, or method of construction, or that represents the work of a master, or that possesses high artistic values, or that represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
4. Has yielded or is likely to yield information which is important in local, state, or national history.
E. The commission shall develop findings to support its decisions. These findings shall indicate those elements of a property, including interior, landscape, and archaeological features, that are included in the designation and subject to regulation under the provisions of this chapter. Findings shall be referred with a recommendation of approval or denial to the planning commission for adoption. Properties designated as part of the designated landmarks register shall be demarcated with an HP historic preservation overlay zoning district on the adopted city of Cottage Grove zoning map.
F. There is no fee for designation of a historic resource as a designated landmark. (Ord. 2946 §1(part), 2007)