West Cape May City Zoning Code
§ 27-19.7
Standards, Design Guidelines and Criteria.
[Ord. No. 364-06 § 1; Ord. No. 378-07 § 1; Ord. No. 495-2015; Ord. No. 533-2018; 9-11-2024 by Ord. No. 640-24]
a.
This section provides uniform standards, design guidelines and criteria for the regulation of Historic Sites and Districts by the Historic Preservation Commission. All projects requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness, Permits for Minor Work, and all applications for development shall be governed by the principles of the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating & Reconstructing Historic Buildings, and the "West Cape May Guidelines for the Historic District." In the event that there is a conflict between any of the documents referenced above, the "West Cape May Guidelines for the Historic District" shall prevail.
b.
Criteria for Finding Appropriateness. The Historic Preservation Commission may consider the siting, design, arrangement, texture, details, scale, shape, materials, finish, and relationship to streetscape of the proposed work and the relationship of those characteristics to the historic, architectural, cultural, archaeological, and aesthetic significance of the historic site or district.
c.
In considering applications to the Historic Preservation Commission, the Commission shall not consider use, zoning requirements for setbacks, density, height limitations or lot coverage in finding appropriateness, as these fall within the purview of the Planning Board.
d.
In considering development applications referred to it by a Board, the Historic Preservation Commission may consider use, zoning requirements for setbacks, density, height limitations, and lot coverage, in rendering its advice to the Planning Board on the application of the zoning ordinance provisions concerning historic preservation. The Commission should emphasize the streetscape when reviewing applications for development. The Commission shall not hear applications for development unless referred to it by either the Planning Board or the Zoning Board of Adjustment.
e.
Criteria for Review of all Applications. All reviews of applications for Certificate of Appropriateness and plans within historic preservation districts shall consider:
1.
The cultural, historic or architectural values of a structure and its relationship to the surrounding area.
2.
The general compatibility of the proposed use to the cultural and historical values of the surrounding area.
3.
The general compatibility of exterior design, arrangement, texture and materials proposes to be used. In carrying out the review under the guidelines, the following criteria shall be utilized:
(a)
All exterior elevations, including the roof, must be maintained and new construction must be compatible with existing districts and surrounding areas.
(b)
In-kind or similarly compatible building materials must be utilized.
(c)
Uses shall be environmentally compatible with the uses adjacent to the property and throughout the surrounding areas. Uses shall not adversely affect the uses in the adjacent or surrounding areas.
f.
Guidelines. From time to time the Historic Preservation Commission may, pursuant to resolution, adopt guidelines that shall become part of this chapter. Those guidelines include, but are not limited to, guidelines for demolition applications, window guidelines, door guidelines, exterior sheathing guidelines, fence guidelines, streetscape guidelines and design guidelines. A copy of the guidelines shall be available in the offices of the Construction Official, the Zoning Official and the Borough Clerk. The guidelines may be amended by the Historic Preservation Commission, but shall not take effect until approved by ordinance of Board of Commissioners. [Guidelines Amendments: Ord. No. 409-08 § 1; Ord. No. 439-09 § 1; Ord. No. 495-2015; Ord. No. 575-2019]