The Historic 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 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 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 Historic 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 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.

The HARB shall have the power and duty to:

The following kinds of districts may be included in a Historic Overlay District established by the Borough Council:

Within any Historic Overlay District, all principal structures shall be classified based on their contribution to the overall character and integrity of the district in the following categories:

Individual structures, groups of structures, land, or land and structures in combination, may be designated by the Borough Council by ordinance as historic resources in the overlay district and shall be subject to the provision of this section. In designating properties not listed in historic districts for inclusion in two historic overlay districts, the following kinds of properties shall be eligible:

The Historic 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 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 Historic Architectural Review Board shall not become final until it is approved and adopted by the Borough Council in accordance with the requirements for zoning amendments under Part 12 of this chapter.

With the exception of the uses and activities described in § 27-1705.B, "Exempt Activities," a certificate of appropriateness will be required for the following:

Within 45 days after receipt of the recommendation from the Planning Commission, or if no recommendation is received, then 90 days after the public meeting of the HARB, the Borough Council shall either:

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 replaces, 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.

All signs within the Historic Overlay District shall comply with the sign regulations which are applicable in the underlying zoning district, unless excepted under the provision of this subparagraph hereunder, and with the additional special standards for signs contained elsewhere in this chapter.

In the case of a building to be razed, demolished, or moved, the Historic Architectural Review Board 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 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 the 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 their 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 Historic 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 1 above.

Significant rotting and other forms of decay.

Creation of any hazardous or unsafe condition or conditions.