To encourage the preservation of historic structures/districts in the City of Clayton and to assure that owners of properties in historic districts are given the opportunity to preserve specific properties/areas. The goals of this Article are as follows:

All residential areas, except areas within Urban Design Districts, that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places are eligible for local designation. Designation of an area is voluntary based upon the criteria described below.

A National Register Historic District will be considered by the Plan Commission for local designation if a petition containing signatures of owners of no less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the residential properties in an area designated as a National Historic District on the attached Map "A" (or as may be amended in the future) (which is on file in the City offices) is received requesting local designation. The Plan Commission will hold a public information session. After the public information session, a ballot will be sent to the owner of each property in the proposed district to vote on the designation. Only the owner of property is eligible to vote. Each property will be given one (1) vote. An affirmative vote of sixty-six percent (66%) of the properties in the proposed district must be received within forty-five (45) days to continue the process. If the requisite affirmative votes are received within forty-five (45) days from the mailing date, notice of the proposed designation and a public hearing to be conducted by the Plan Commission will be sent by first class mail to all owners within the proposed district as shown by St. Louis County records.

The public hearing notification will follow the process for rezoning as outlined in Chapter 405 (Zoning Regulations), Article XI (Text Amendments and Rezoning). A majority of the Plan Commission must vote to recommend the area a locally designated district. The recommendation for designation will then be forwarded to the Board of Aldermen for final approval.

Exception: Current and future areas designated as Urban Design Districts (UDDs) are excluded from consideration, even if located in a National Register Historic District. These Urban Design District standards are already special zoning areas with standards specific to each district and are not intended to preclude new development, but rather to encourage quality development whose size, scale, mass and architectural design respects the character of the district and surrounding area. These areas have and will continue to experience redevelopment that has been accommodated by the UDD Standards.

Upon receipt of the recommendation from the Plan Commission, the City Clerk shall schedule a public hearing on the nomination. Notice of the time and place of the public hearing shall be sent to the owner(s) of record within the district at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the hearing and shall be published in a newspaper having a general circulation within the City at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date of the hearing. The Board of Aldermen may approve the recommendation of the Plan Commission, with or without modification, or may decline to adopt the proposed designation. Approval shall be by way of an ordinance and such ordinance shall identify the reasons for the historic designation.

Designation of Declaration. Within ten (10) days of adoption of an ordinance by the Board of Aldermen, the City Clerk shall provide written notification of such action by regular mail to the owner(s) of record in the designated historic district. A copy of the designation ordinance shall also be sent to the Plan Commission.

The Designation Ordinance. Upon designation, locally designated historic districts shall be classified as an "H" Historic District. The "H" designation will be a zoning classification and impact all properties within the local designation except those properties/locations exempt as described in Section 405.1522. The official Zoning District Map of the City of Clayton shall be amended to show the location of the "H" Historic Districts.

A certificate of appropriateness shall be required before the following actions affecting the exterior architectural appearance of any property in a locally designated historic district may be undertaken:

Applications for a certificate of appropriateness shall include proposed plans and specifications in sufficient detail for the ARB to have full knowledge of the requested action, including how the proposed actions will affect the appearance, materials and architectural design of the building, structure or land within the designated district and the contemplated use of the building or land.

Construction-related activities in locally designated districts must receive a certificate of appropriateness granted by the ARB prior to the issuance of any building or demolition permit. Procedures for the granting of certificates of appropriateness are as follows:

In considering an application for a building or demolition permit for a certificate of appropriateness, the ARB shall take into consideration the Secretary of Interior's "Standards for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings", some of which are as follows: