To protect that portion(s) of the Borough reflecting the cultural, economic, social, political and architectural history of the Borough of Munhall, 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).

Beginning at the point of intersection of the southerly right-of-way line of Boon Way and the westerly right-of-way line of Andrew Street; thence southwardly along the said westerly right-of-way line of Andrew Street to its point of intersection with the northerly right-of-way line of Brush Way; thence westwardly along said southerly right-of-way line of Brush Way to its point of intersection with the extended easterly property line of 601 East Tenth Avenue; thence southwardly along the said easterly property line of 601 East Tenth Avenue to its point of intersection with the northerly right-of-way line of East Tenth Avenue to its point of intersection with the extended westerly right-of-way line of Louise Street; thence southwardly along the westerly right-of-way line of Louise Street to its point of intersection with the northerly right-of-way line of East Twelfth Avenue; thence generally westwardly along the northerly right-of-way line of East Twelfth Avenue to its point of intersection with the easterly right-of-way line of Stark Way to its point of intersection with the southerly property line of 410 East Eleventh Avenue; thence southwardly along the said property line to its point of intersection with the property line separating 410 East Eleventh Avenue and 1110 McClure Street; then northwestwardly along said property line to its point of intersection with the southerly property line of 1110 McClure Street; thence southwestwardly along said property line extended to the center line of McClure Street, which is also the municipal boundary line separating the Borough of Homestead and the Borough of Munhall; thence northwestwardly along the said center line/Borough line to its point of intersection with the center line of East Eighth Avenue, which is also the municipal boundary line separating the Borough of Homestead and the Borough of Munhall; thence eastwardly along the said center line/Borough line to its point of intersection with the extended easterly right-of-way line of Library Place; thence southwardly along the said easterly right-of-way line of Library Place to its point of intersection with the southerly right-of-way line of Boon Way; thence eastwardly along the said southerly right-of-way line of Boon Way to its point of intersection with the westerly right-of-way line of Andrew Street, the point of beginning.

Beginning at the existing boundary of the Munhall Local Historic District at the intersection of Andrew Street and Brush Way; thence southward along the center line of Andrew Street to the intersection of Andrew Street and Park Way; thence along the center line of Martha Street to the intersection of Bluff Way; thence westward along the center line of Park Way eastward to the intersection of Park Way and Martha Street; thence along the center line of Martha Street southward to the intersection of Martha Street and East Twelfth Avenue; thence along the center line of East Twelfth Avenue westward to the existing boundary of the Munhall Historic District at the intersection of East Twelfth Avenue and Louise Street.

Beginning at the existing boundary of the Munhall Local Historic District at the intersection of Margaret Street and Twelfth Avenue; thence eastward along the center line of Twelfth Avenue to the intersection of Twelfth Avenue and Martha Street; thence southward along the center line of Martha Street to the intersection of Bluff Way; thence westward along the center line of Bluff Way to the intersection of Bluff Way and Louise Street; thence along westward crossing over Louise Street and proceeding along the southerly property line of 514, 512, 510 and 508 East Twelfth Avenue to the intersection of Blake Way; thence westward crossing over Blake Way and proceeding along the southerly property lines of 506, 504 and 500 East Twelfth Avenue to the intersection of Margaret Street; thence northward along the center line of Margaret Street back to the existing boundary of the Munhall Historic District at the intersection of Margaret Street and Twelfth Avenue. Also, beginning at the existing boundary of the Munhall Historic District at the intersection of Twelfth Avenue and Stark Way; thence westward along the center line of Twelfth Avenue to the intersection of Twelfth Avenue and McClure Street; thence northward along the center line of McClure Street to the existing boundary of the Munhall Historic District to the point of intersection of McClure Street and property line of 1101 McClure Street.

The Historical Architectural Review Board shall be a joint municipal board of the Boroughs of Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall. Members shall be appointed by the borough councils. It shall be composed of not less than 11 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 or borough engineer of each of the three boroughs, and the remaining six members shall be two persons from each of the three boroughs who are residents of the borough and who have knowledge of and interest in the preservation of historic districts.

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

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

The Historical Architectural Review Board 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 Board 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 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 councils 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 article.

Recommend areas and buildings to the borough council(s) for designation as local historic districts.

Review and make recommendations to the borough council(s) on applications for certificates of appropriateness pursuant to the requirements of this article.

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 article.

To 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.

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

National Register historic district. An area listed as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.

Local historic district. An area designated as a 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).[1]

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 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 Historical Architectural Review Board 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 local historic district, the Historical 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 Historical Architectural Review Board shall not become final until it is approved and adopted by the Borough Council.

The erection of any building or structure, including signs, within the Local Historic District.

The reconstruction, alteration or restoration of the exterior of any building or structure within the Local Historic District.

The razing, demolition or movement of any building or structure within the Local Historic District.

Issue the certificate of appropriateness.

Issue the certificate of appropriateness subject to reasonable conditions.

Deny the certificate of appropriateness.

The distinctive historical character of the district.

The architectural integrity of the building or structure.

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 elevations 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 features 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 and 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 applicable 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 applicable zoning district requirements does not guarantee approval of certificate of appropriateness.

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

In the case of a building to be razed, demolished or moved, the Historical Architectural Review Board and the Borough Council shall consider the extent to which the loss of the building will detract from the Local Historic 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 Review Board is against the proposed demolition, a period of 90 days shall be provided during which the Review Board shall attempt to negotiate with the applicant in order to achieve an acceptable alternative to the proposed demolition. If agreement is not reached by end of the ninety-day period, the Review Board 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 Review Board, a permit shall not be issued for 10 days, during which time the Historical Architectural Review Board 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 and foundations causing or contributing to the deterioration specified in Subsection B(1) above.

Significant rotting and other forms of decay.

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 article shall be fined.

Any person permitting or causing demolition by neglect shall be subject to a fine per day for every day that said condition remains unabated or uncorrected after having received written notice of such condition from the Borough.