Title
Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code (Zoning and Planning) by amending Chapter 14-2007 (Historic Buildings, Structures, Sites, Objects and Districts) to require that the Historical Commission make recommendations to City Council and the Mayor regarding the designation of districts of the City as historic; providing for designation of historic districts by ordinance; and amending the procedures for such designations; all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code (Zoning and Planning) is amended as follows:
TITLE 14. ZONING AND PLANNING.
* * *
CHAPTER 14-2000. SPECIAL CONTROLS IN AREAS
ABUTTING PARKWAYS, HISTORICAL SHRINES AND CIVIC PROJECTS.
* * *
§14-2007. Historic Buildings, Structures, Sites, Objects and Districts.
* * *
(2) Definitions. The following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in this section:
* * *
(k) Historic district, object, site or structure. A district, object, site or structure which is designated [by the Commission] as historic pursuant to this section.
* * *
(4) Powers and Duties of the Commission. The powers and duties of the Philadelphia Historical Commission shall be as follows:
* * *
(b) [Delineate] Make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council concerning the delineation of the boundaries of [and designate as historic] those districts which the Commission determines, pursuant to the criteria set forth in Subsection (5) of this Section, [are significant to the City] should be designated as historic;
* * *
(6) Public Notice and Meeting:
* * *
(d) During the sixty days prior to a Commission hearing on whether to recommend designation of a particular historic district, the City Planning Commission shall review and comment on creation of the district and transmit its comments to the Historical Commission to assist the Commission in making its determination.
(e) The Commission shall provide City Council and the Mayor with its recommendation with respect to the designation of a particular historic district, along with the reasons for its recommendation. Council shall act on the recommendation by ordinance as it deems appropriate.
(f) The Commission shall send written notice of the designation as historic of a building, structure, site[,] or object[, or district] to the owners of each separately designated building, structure, site or object and, upon an ordinance designating a particular district as historic becoming law, to the owners of each building, structure, site, or object within such [a] district [designated historic], which shall include reasons for the designation. Notice shall be sent to the registered owner's last known address as the same appears in the real estate tax records of the Department of Revenue and sent to the “Owner” at the street and address of the property in question. The Commission shall send written notice of historic designation to any person appearing at the public hearing who requests notification.
[(f)] (g) * * *
[(g)] (h) * * *
(7) Permits:
* * *
(l) The Department shall not issue any permit for the demolition, alteration or construction of any building, structure, site or object which is being considered by the Commission for designation as historic or which is located within a district being considered by the Commission for designation as historic where the permit application is filed on or after the date that notices of proposed designation have been mailed, except that the Department may issue a permit if the Commission has approved the application or has not taken final action on designation or recommendation of designation of a district and more than ninety (90) days have elapsed from the date the permit application was filed with the Commission. Where the Commission takes final action on designation or recommendation within the time allotted herein, any permit application on file with the Department shall be deemed to have been filed after the date of the Commission's action for purposes of this section, except that, if the Commission has recommended designation of a district, the Department may only issue a permit if more than one hundred eighty (180) days have elapsed from the date of the Commission’s recommendation and an ordinance designating the district as historic has not become law.
* * *
SECTION 2. The districts designated as historic by the Historical Commission prior to the time of adoption of this Ordinance shall remain so designated, unless such designation is removed by ordinance.
____________________________
Explanation:
[Brackets] indicates matter deleted.
Italics indicate new matter added.
End