§ 7-4. Designation of historic districts and structures

(a) For the purposes of this chapter, the town council shall have the authority to establish, change, layout, and define districts which are deemed to be of historic or architectural value.

(1) For the purpose of this section, all properties contained within the boundaries marked "historic district zone" on the official zoning map of the town shall comprise a historic district.

(2) The historic district zone may also include specific buildings or structures of historic or architectural value established under subsection (b) of this section.

(b) Applications for specific buildings or structures for the historic district zone.

(1) An application for inclusion of a specific building or structure for inclusion in the historic district zone may be submitted to the historic district commission on an historic district commission property application form. Applications may be submitted by the historic district commission, a property owner of record, the town council or any other person or organization. All applications must include a letter of consent from all of the owners of the property.

(2) The historic district commission shall schedule a public hearing on all complete applications.

(3) The historic district commission shall, within 60 days after the public hearing, adopt, by resolution, findings and a recommendation, which includes the rationale for its decision, whether the specific building or structure meets the criteria set forth in section 7-3 for inclusion in the historic district zone. The property must also be a contributing structure designated by the historic house survey dated March 2008. The resolution shall be forwarded to the town council and the planning board for action in accordance with G.L. 1956, § 45-24-51 et seq.

(Rev. Ords. 1989, § 7-4; Ord. of 11-16-2011(1))

refstatelaw

Similar provisions, G.L. 1956, § 45-24.1-2.