§ 18.18.305. Certificates of Appropriateness.

(a)

Intent. It is the intent of these regulations to insure that buildings, structures or districts on the register shall be in harmony with their surroundings. It is not the intention of these regulations to require the reconstruction or restoration of individual or original buildings, to prohibit the demolition or removal of such buildings or to impose architectural styles from particular historic periods. In considering new construction, the historical resources commission shall encourage contemporary design which is harmonious with the character of the district or historic resource.

(b)

Required. From and after the designation of the placement of a resource or district on the City of Reno Historic Register, no exterior portion of any building or other exterior feature including masonry walls, fences, light fixtures, steps, pavement, advertising signs or other appurtenant features on the parcel shall be erected, altered, restored, moved or partially demolished until after an application for a certificate of appropriateness as to exterior features has been submitted to and approved by the historical resources commission except as provided in Section18.18.301(b) above. Design guidelines or standards may be adopted by the city council for the area surrounding historic resources or historic districts. In an historic district, street widening, utility, street lighting, and bridge replacement projects, which involve undergrounding or relocation of aboveground facilities, or sidewalk projects, which involve relocation or widening, shall require a certificate of appropriateness. Such a certificate shall be obtained prior to the issuance of a building permit for the purpose of constructing, altering, moving or partially demolishing historic resources, but shall be required whether or not a building permit is required. Any permit not issued in conformity with this section shall be invalid.

(c)

Application Procedure.  

(1)

Pre-application meeting. It shall be the policy of the historical resources commission, in regard to applications involving new structures or extensive alterations and additions to existing structures, that a committee of the historical resources commission shall be available to meet informality with the applicant or his/her agent at an early stage in the design process to advise them concerning the historical resources commission guidelines, the nature of the area where the proposed work is to take place and other relevant factors. The committee, collectively and individually, shall refrain from any indication of approval or disapproval of the proposal, but shall not be barred from a reasonable discussion of the applicant's proposals. No advice or opinion given, or reported as having been given, by any member of the committee at such informal meeting shall be in any way official or binding upon the historical resources commission. A meeting of the committee shall be called at the request of an applicant.

(2)

Application. An application accompanied by sketches, drawings, photographs, specifications, descriptions, and any other necessary information regarding the proposed project, must be submitted at least 15 working days prior to the meeting of the historical resources commission.

(3)

Notice. All property owners of property within 300 feet of the subject property shall be notified by mail at least ten days prior to the meeting at which the matter is to be heard using stamped, addressed envelopes supplied by the applicant.

(4)

Public hearing. The historical resources commission shall hold a public hearing concerning the application.

(5)

Findings. In reviewing a certificate of appropriateness, the historical resources commission shall take into account the historic or architectural significance of the structure under consideration, the exterior form and appearance of any proposed additions or modifications to that structure, as well as the effect of such change or additions upon other structures in the vicinity and shall make findings related to the following standards:

a.

Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property that requires minimal alteration of the building, structure or site and its environment, or to use a property for its original purpose.

b.

The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural feature should be avoided, when possible.

c.

All buildings, structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and that seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.

d.

Changes that may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right. This significance shall be recognized and respected.

e.

Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship that characterize a building, structure or site shall be treated with sensitivity.

f.

Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of features, substantiated by historic, physical or pictorial evidence, rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.

g.

The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.

h.

Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by or adjacent to any project.

i.

Contemporary design or alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and when such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.

(6)

Economic finding. In the event that the historical resources commission denies a certificate of appropriateness, then the historical resources commission must review the economic effects on the owner of the property and make a finding as to whether or not an economic hardship has been created as outlined within this chapter.

(7)

Decision. The historical resources commission must approve or deny a certificate of appropriateness within 45 days after acceptance of a complete application, except when the time limit has been extended by mutual agreement between the applicant and the historical resources commission. The certificates may be issued subject to reasonable conditions necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, it is necessary for the historical resources commission to prepare a plan to alleviate anticipated economic hardship, then the above time limit is automatically extended by 60 days, during which time the city council shall not consider any action regarding the subject property.

(8)

Notification of decision. The decision of the historical resources commission shall be sent by regular mail to the applicant within seven days following the historical resources commission's action. A copy of the decision shall also be forwarded to those departments or divisions responsible for the issuance of permits.

(9)

Appeal. A decision by the historical resources commission to approve shall be a final decision. A decision by the historical resources commission to approve with conditions or to deny a certificate of appropriateness may be appealed to the city council by completing an appeal form and filing it with the city clerk within ten days of the date of the meeting at which the decision was made. Upon receipt of an appeal on the appropriate form accompanied by the service charge approved by the city council for appeals, the city clerk shall give notice by regular mail to the applicant and all property owners within 300 feet of the subject property at least ten days prior to the date of the public hearing. Said notice shall contain the date, time, place and purpose of the public hearing and the street address or approximate location of the subject property.

(d)

Repeat Applications. If the historical resources commission denies an application for a certificate of appropriateness, a new application affecting the same property may be submitted within one year of the denial only if either a substantial change is made in the plans for the proposed alteration, construction, restoration, reconstruction, moving or demolition or other conditions related to the register or surrounding uses have changed substantially.

(e)

Concurrent Approvals. The historical resources commission shall use all reasonable efforts to expedite any concurrent process with the State Historic Preservation Officer, if such a process is desired by the applicant for the purpose of securing both a certificate of appropriateness and a federal historic preservation tax credit.

(f)

Expiration of Certificate of Appropriateness. If a permit has not been issued, when required, and construction commenced within 18 months of issuance of the certificate of appropriateness by the historical resources commission, the certificate shall expire, unless a time extension has been granted by the historical resources commission prior to the expiration date. If work on an approved project is begun and then suspended for more than one year, the certificate of appropriateness shall expire unless the applicant applies for and receives approval of a time extension from the historical resources commission.

(Ord. No. 4313, § 1, 6-8-93)