To protect that portion(s) of the Borough reflecting the cultural, economic, social, political and architectural history of the Borough of Homestead, Allegheny County, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the nation.

To preserve property values, attract future residents and strengthen the local economy.

To foster public education, awareness of local history and civic pride in the beauty and accomplishments of the past.

To establish special development requirements and procedures to assure that new construction, reconstruction, alteration, rehabilitation, restoration or demolition of buildings within the district(s) enhances the character of the district(s).

The boundaries of the local historic district are as shown on the attached map entitled the "Borough of Homestead Historic Overlay Zoning Map."[1]

The boundaries of the National Historic District are as listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The HARB shall be a joint municipal board of the Boroughs of Homestead, West Homestead, and Munhall. Members shall be appointed by the Borough Councils. The HARB shall be composed of not less than eight members. One member shall be a registered architect appointed at-large by the three Borough Councils; one member shall be a licensed real estate broker appointed at-large by the three Borough Councils; one shall be a building inspector of each of the three Boroughs; and the remaining three members shall be one person from each of the three Boroughs who is a resident of that Borough and who has knowledge of and interest in the preservation of historic districts.

Each HARB member shall serve a term of three years and may be reappointed for an unlimited number of terms by the Borough Councils. HARB members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for any personal expenditures in the conduct of HARB business.

HARB members are required to disqualify themselves from voting on any project in which their own financial interests are directly or indirectly involved.

The HARB shall meet monthly at a regularly prescribed date and meeting place, and at other times as its Chairperson may deem necessary. All meetings of the HARB shall be open to the public. A simple majority of the HARB shall constitute a quorum, and action taken at any meeting shall require the affirmative vote of a majority of the HARB members present.

The HARB shall adopt such rules and regulations as it considers necessary in the administration of its duties. It shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member upon each question, or if absent or failing to vote, indicating such fact. It shall keep records of its hearings and other official actions, all of which shall be immediately filed with the Borough Secretary and shall be a public record.

The HARB shall prepare an annual report of its activities and present it to the Borough Council(s) by February 1 of each year.

Coordinate local historic preservation efforts with those of the Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Sponsor public information activities, when deemed appropriate, publicizing historic preservation efforts, including speaking engagements, press releases, the preparation and publication of maps, brochures and descriptive materials in the Boroughs, etc.

Conduct an inventory and classify historic resources according to the criteria in this Part.

Recommend areas and buildings to the Borough Council(s) for designation as historic overly districts.

Review and make recommendations to the Borough Council(s) on applications for certificates of appropriateness pursuant to the requirements of this Part.

Develop and recommend to the Borough Council(s) specific guidelines for each historic district prior to the establishment of such district, delineating specific criteria for the approval of certificates of appropriateness, in addition to the criteria listed in this Part.

Recommend the establishment of an appropriate system of markers for selected historic and/or architectural sites, buildings and structures, including proposals for the installation and care of such historic markers.

Advise owners of historic buildings on problems and issues of preservation, renovation, restoration and maintenance.

National Register Historic District: an area listed as an historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Certified Historic District: an area designated as an historic district by local ordinance which has been certified as significant by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission according to the provisions of the Historic District Act (Act 167 of 1961).

Local Historic District: an area designated as a historic district by the Borough Council, which has local historical or architectural significance but lacks federal or state recognition.

Significant: structures that are outstanding examples of the architecture of the district or of major importance in the history of the district.

Contributing: structures that may lack individual significance, but which contribute to the overall historic or architectural character of the district.

Noncontributing or intrusion: structures that do not contribute to the overall historic or architectural character of the district.

Properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places or evaluated by the National Park Service or the Pennsylvania History and Museum Commission as eligible for listing on the National Register.

Properties identified as having outstanding historic or architectural significance in a state historic resource survey or other competent inventory and with the recommendation of the HARB.

The HARB shall have the responsibility of recommending to the Borough Council the adoption of ordinances designating sites or areas as historic overlay districts.

Prior to the designation of any historic overlay district, the Historic Architectural Review Board shall submit to the Borough Council a report and recommendation on the historical and architectural significance of the site or area to be designated. Such report shall also attempt to provide an indication of the economic status of the property or properties under consideration for designation, including assessed value, recent real estate transactions or other appropriate data. The report shall also recommend the boundaries of any proposed historic district and recommend standards and guidelines for the approval of certificates of appropriateness in the proposed district.

The recommendation of the HARB shall not become final until it is approved and adopted by the Borough Council in accordance with the requirements for zoning amendments under Part 13 of the Borough's Zoning Chapter.

The erection of any building or structure, including signs, within an Historic Overlay District;

The reconstruction, alteration or restoration of the exterior of any building or structure within an Historic Overlay District; or

The razing, demolition or movement of any building or structure within an Historic Overlay District.

Issue the certificate of appropriateness;

Issue the certificate of appropriateness subject to reasonable conditions; or

Deny the certificate of appropriateness.

Building height. New buildings should be constructed to a maximum height that is within 10% of the average height of neighboring buildings.

Elevation proportion. The relationship between the height and width of the front elevation of a new building should be within 10% of the average proportions of adjacent buildings.

Proportion of openings. The relationship of height to width of windows and doors of a building should be within 10% of the proportions of windows and doors of adjacent buildings.

Spacing of windows and doors. The spacing of windows and doors in the front facade of a building should be similar to adjacent buildings.

Horizontal lines. Header and sill lines of a building should be located at similar heights or elevation as the horizontal lines of adjacent buildings.

Spacing of buildings on street. Setbacks and side yards of new buildings should be similar to those on adjacent parcels. Placement of sidewalks and projection of porches should be similar to adjacent buildings.

Roofs. The shape, style and material of the roof of a new building should be similar to the roofs of adjacent and surrounding buildings.

Building materials. Building materials should be compatible with materials commonly used within the historic district.

Color. The predominant color of a building and the color of its trim should be compatible with the colors of surrounding buildings.

Architectural details. The use of specific architectural elements and details such as porches, dormers, cornices, brackets, quoins, balustrades and the like may be used to strengthen the relationship of new construction to the existing architecture of the district. However, such detailing is not sufficient to assure appropriateness if the structure is not related to its surroundings in terms of massing, rhythm and proportions.

Landscaping. The use of plant materials that are traditional in the district should be encouraged. Similarly encouraged is the use of paving and fence materials that are traditional in the district.

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

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 features should be avoided when possible.

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

Changes which 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, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.

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

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 feature should be based on accurate duplications 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.

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.

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

Contemporary design for 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 such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material and character of the property, neighborhood or environment.

Whenever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired.

A sign which meets the requirements of the underlying district must still be certified as appropriate in relation to the specific building on which it is to be located and in terms of compatibility with signs in the surrounding area; compliance with the underlying zoning district requirements does not guarantee approval of a certificate of appropriateness.

The HARB may recommend and the Borough Council may issue a certificate of appropriateness for a sign which is not permitted by the regulations of the underlying zoning district if the proposed sign is shown to be historically accurate by documentation acceptable to the HARB.

In addition to the sign regulations found in Part 9, the following shall apply.

In the case of a building to be razed, demolished or moved, the HARB and the Borough Council shall consider the extent to which the loss of the building will detract from the Historic Overlay District and the purposes of this section and the public benefit to be gained by preserving the building or district in comparison to any loss or hardship to be suffered by the property owner.

If the initial recommendation of the HARB is against the proposed demolition, a period of 90 days shall be provided during which the HARB shall attempt to negotiate with the applicant in order to achieve an acceptable alternative to the proposed demolition. If agreement is not reached by the end of the ninety-day period, the HARB shall transmit its negative recommendation to the Borough Council, which shall issue or deny a certificate of appropriateness based on its consideration of all of the information presented. If the Borough Council authorizes issuance of a permit for demolition after a negative recommendation from the HARB, a permit shall not be issued for 10 days, during which time the HARB may request, and the Borough Council may order that issuance of a permit be delayed for an additional 90 days in order to allow documentation of the resource prior to its destruction.

Deterioration of exterior walls or other vertical supports, roofs or other horizontal members and external chimneys, such that the structural integrity of the building may be threatened or compromised;

Ineffective waterproofing of exterior walls, roofs or other horizontal members and external chimneys, such that the structural integrity of the building may be threatened or compromised;

Significant rotting and forms of decay;

Missing, damaged or broken exterior doors or windows that, as a result of their being missing, damaged or broken and not being boarded up or otherwise secured to remedy their missing, broken or damaged condition:

Creation of any hazardous or unsafe condition or conditions.

Any person demolishing or razing or causing the demolition or razing of all or part of any building or structure without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness in accordance with this Part shall be punishable as a summary offense with a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs of prosecution and, on default of payment, imprisonment for up to 30 days.

Any person permitting or causing demolition by neglect shall be subject to a fine of $100 per day for every day that said condition remains unabated or uncorrected after having received written notice of such condition from the Borough. For each missing, broken or damaged exterior door or window of such building or structure existing in violation of this chapter, said person shall additionally and separately pay a fine of: a) $100 per day, per door, for each missing, damaged or broken exterior door existing in violation of this chapter; and b) a fine of $100 per day, per window, for each missing, damaged or broken exterior window existing in violation of this chapter.