The architectural review board has been established in order to assure that construction/renovation activities are of high quality design and materials and in general conformity with the style and design of surrounding structures. The architectural review board shall review the design and materials of additions to any building/structure, alterations and improvements to existing structures, buildings and properties, and shall also review the design, materials and compatibility of new construction within the City of Jennings. The goals of the architectural review board are as follows:

(a)

To improve the long term quality of the city's housing stock by adoption of architectural review standards for residential construction; and

(b)

To encourage high quality development, in residential, commercial, light industrial and planned unit developments, and to discourage poor exterior design, appearance and inferior quality that is likely to have a depreciating effect on the local environment and surrounding area; and

(c)

To enhance the beauty, livability and prosperity of the community; and

(d)

To encourage originality, creativity, and diversity in design and to avoid monotony; and

(e)

To preserve green space by requiring the preservation/replacement of existing trees and enhanced landscaping; and

(f)

To ensure residential design that is complementary with the character inherent within the surrounding neighborhood.

The architectural review board shall consist of the following:

(a)

One (1) member of the council to be selected by the city council; and

(b)

Six (6) citizen members; and

(c)

One (1) member with a degree in architecture. (Residency not required.)

All eight (8) members of the architectural review board shall be regular voting members; any five (5) of said members shall be sufficient for a quorum to transact business. Members of the architectural review board may also be a member of the city planning commission.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

The citizen members and the architect of the architectural review board shall be appointed by the mayor, with the consent and approval of the majority of the members of the city council, at the first regular meeting of the city council in April of each year or as soon thereafter as possible. Vacancies on the architectural review board shall be filled by the mayor with the approval of the city council for the unexpired term of the vacating member.

The member from the city council shall be selected annually by the an appointment by the city council. The term of office of the six (6) citizen members and the architect shall be for a term of four (4) years each.

All members of the architectural review board shall serve without compensation.

Citizen members and the architect of the architectural review board may be removed for cause stated in writing and after a public hearing.

The board shall, at its first meeting after the annual city general elections, or as soon thereafter as possible, elect from its members a chairperson, vice-chairperson and secretary; provided however, that the mayor, city attorney, director of public works division of housing and economic development and the member of the city council shall not be eligible to hold any of the offices provided for in this article.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

Meetings to consider applications for architectural review may be held in conjunction with the regularly scheduled meetings of the city planning commission or at any other time deemed necessary by the chairperson. All meetings shall be open to the public. The architectural review board shall keep a written record in the form of minutes of each meeting, depicting the discussion of the board and vote of each member present upon each agenda item. Absences and failure to vote shall also be noted for the record. Copies of minutes and materials used by the architectural review board shall be kept on file in the office of the department of public works division of housing and economic development. The architectural review board decision shall be in writing and shall include a finding of facts and conclusion.

All notification requirements, public meetings and/or hearings and availability for examination of records related to actions by the architectural review board shall conform with existing federal, state and local laws.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

All proposed new construction, alterations, additions, renovations or signage affecting the exterior appearance of a building or property shall be submitted to the director of public works division of housing and economic development and approved by the architectural review board prior to the commencement of construction/installation. An application and a list of the required submittal materials are available at the office during regular business hours.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

The director of public works division of housing and economic development shall have the authority to exclude from consideration by the architectural review board minor alterations, installations, repairs and/or additions which do not substantially affect the exterior appearance of the property. Such minor alterations, installations, repairs and/or additions not then subject to consideration by the architectural review board shall be reviewed and considered for approval by the director of public works division of housing and economic development. This review may include, but is not limited to the following:

• Signage meeting the provisions of the sign ordinance;

• Awning replacement;

• Window replacement;

• Facade changes not effecting the building's character;

• Mechanical equipment screening;

• Fences and retaining walls meeting the provisions of the building code;

• Small room additions (less than fifty (50) percent of the total square footage of the existing principal building);

• Landscaping;

• Expansion of surface parking lot where such expansion is twenty (20) percent or less of the existing lot size, or reconfiguration of surface parking lot;

• Detached garages/porte-cocheres and carports designed for no more than two (2) automobiles.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

The applicant must submit one (1) original and ten (10) copies of the application and all required documentation to the director of public works division of housing and economic development. At the time an application is filed, the applicant shall pay a fee as per the fee schedule contained in Article 31 of this appendix. The fee shall be paid to the City of Jennings. Applications and all required documentation shall be submitted fourteen (14) days in advance of the architectural review board meeting date, in order to be considered for that architectural review board agenda.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

Upon receipt of the architectural review application, plans and supporting documents, the director of public works division of housing and economic development shall review the documents to determine completeness. Once the director determines the submittal is complete, then the submittal shall be forwarded to the architectural review board.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

The architectural review board shall hear all applications for architectural review at meetings open to the public.

The architectural review board may approve as submitted, approve with modifications or deny an application.

(a)

If the application is approved as submitted, the director of public works division of housing and economic development may process an application for a building permit.

(b)

If the architectural review board approves the application with modifications, the director of public works division of housing and economic development shall process the application for a building permit only after the applicant submits the appropriate revisions required by the architectural review board.

All applications shall be promptly considered by the architectural review board which shall render a decision on an application within sixty (60) days from the date the architectural review board first considers the application. Failure of the architectural review board to make a decision within the sixty-day period shall result in the application being deemed approved. The sixty-day period may be extended through mutual written agreement between the applicant and the architectural review board.

Approval of the architectural review board shall be void unless a building permit has been issued within one (1) year from the date of approval. Upon request an extension of the approval may be granted, provided that all factors of the original approval are the same. Written notice requesting an extension must be received by the director of public works division of housing and economic development no less than forty-five (45) days prior to expiration of the original one-year period.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)

An applicant may appeal a decision made by the architectural review board to the city council. The appeal may be requested by the applicant by filing a request for appeal with the city clerk no more than thirty (30) days from the date of denial.

In the event that the architectural review board denies an application, no request for a hearing upon the same application will be accepted for a period of at least six (6) months from date of denial by the architectural review board.

(a)

Appeals. The appeal shall be heard at a regular or special meeting of the city council not more than sixty (60) days after receipt by the city clerk of the appeal.

(b)

Action by the city council. Upon appeal of a decision made by the architectural review board, the city council shall hear and conduct a hearing. The city council shall approve, modify or deny the application for appeal within forty-five (45) days of the hearing. The city council decision shall include a written finding of facts and conclusion. If the city council approves the application for appeal, the director of public works division of housing and economic development shall promptly begin processing the building permit. If the application is approved with modifications, the director of public works division of housing and economic development will process the application for a building permit after the applicant submits to the director of public works division of housing and economic development the appropriate revisions to the plans and/or specifications required by the city council.

(Ord. No. 2308, § 1(B), 1-27-14)