A. Creation and size. There is hereby established an Aberdeen Historic Preservation Commission consisting of five (5) members, as provided in subsection B(3) below. Members of the Aberdeen Historic Preservation Commission shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall be residents of the City of Aberdeen except as provided in subsection (B)2 below.

B. Composition of the Commission.

1. All members of the Commission must have a demonstrated interest and competence in historic preservation and possess qualities of impartiality and broad judgment.

2. The Commission should include at least two (2) professionals who have experience in identifying, evaluating and protecting historic resources and are selected from among the disciplines of architecture, history, architectural history, planning, prehistoric and historic archaeology, folklore, cultural anthropology, curation, conservation and landscape architecture, or related disciplines. Any Commission action that would otherwise be valid shall not be rendered invalid by the temporary vacancy of one or all of the professional positions, unless the action is related to meeting Certified Local Government (CLG) responsibilities cited in the Certification Agreement between the city and the state Historic Preservation Officer on behalf of the state. The Mayor may grant exception to the residency requirement of Commission members in order to obtain representatives from these disciplines.

3. In making appointments, the Mayor may consider names submitted from any source, but the Mayor shall notify history and Aberdeen development related organizations of vacancies so that names of interested and qualified individuals may be submitted by such organizations for consideration along with names from any other source.

C. Terms. The original appointment of five (5) members to the commission shall be as follows: one (1) for two (2) years, three (3) for three (3) years and one (1) for four (4) years. Thereafter, appointments shall be made for a three (3) year term. The Mayor shall fill vacancies for the unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

D. Meetings.

1. The Commission shall adopt a regular meeting schedule and a schedule of submittal deadlines for applications filed pursuant to this chapter.

2. A public record shall be kept of the Commission’s meetings, resolutions, proceedings and actions.

E. Powers and duties. The major responsibility of the Historic Preservation Commission is to identify and actively encourage the conservation of the city’s historic resources by initiating and maintaining a register of historic places and reviewing proposed changes to register properties; to raise community awareness of the city’s history and historic resources; and to serve, together with the Aberdeen Board of Museum and History, as a resource in matters of history, historic planning and preservation.

1. The Commission shall establish and adopt its own rules of procedure to comply with the Open Public Meetings Act (Chapter 42.30 RCW) and the responsibilities identified in this Section, and shall select from among its membership a chairperson and such other officers as may be necessary to conduct the Commission’s business.

2. The Commission shall engage in the following functions:

(a) Conduct and maintain a comprehensive inventory of historic resources within the boundaries of the city and publicize and periodically update inventory results. Properties listed on the Historic Inventory maintained by the Commission shall be recorded on official zoning records with an “HI” (for historic inventory designation). This designation shall not change or modify the underlying zone classification.

(b) Initiate and maintain the Aberdeen Register of Historic Places. This official register shall be complied of buildings, structures, sites, objects and districts identified by the Commission as having historic significance worthy of recognition and protection by the city, including efforts to encourage owners to maintain, rehabilitate and preserve properties.

(c) Review nominations to the Aberdeen Register of Historic Places according to criteria in AMC 17.50.040(B) and adopt standards in its rules to be used to guide this review.

(d) Review proposals to construct, change, alter, modify, remodel, move, demolish, or significantly affect properties or districts on the register as provided in AMC 17.50.050; and adopt standards in its rules to be used to guide this review and the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness or waiver.

(e) Provide for the review either by the Commission or its staff of all applications for development approvals, permits, environmental assessments or impact statements, and other similar documents pertaining to listed historic resources or adjacent properties.

(f) Review and submit nominations to the State and National Registers of Historic Places and insure public participation in the State and National Register nomination processes under compliance with Open Public Meetings Act (Chapter 42.30 RCW).

(g) Serve as the Special Valuation local review board under Chapter 84.26 RCW to: (i) determine the eligibility of historic properties for special valuation; (ii) verify that the improvements are consistent with the Washington State Advisory Council’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Maintenance; (iii) Enter into agreements with property owners for the duration of the special valuation period as required under WAC 254-20-070(2); (iv) approve or deny applications for special valuation; and (v) monitor property for continued compliance with agreements and statutory eligibility requirements during the 10 year special valuation period; and (vi) and comply with all other local review board responsibilities identified in Chapter 84.26 RCW.

3. In addition to the mandatory regulatory duties in subsection (2) above, the Commission shall have the authority to:

(a) Participate in, promote, and conduct such public information, educational and interpretive programs relating to historic and prehistoric resources as it may determine appropriate.

(b) Serve as the city’s liaison with federal, state and other local government historic preservation programs.

(c) Review and comment to the Mayor and City Council on land use, housing and redevelopment, municipal improvement and other types of planning and programs undertaken by the city, its public development corporations, other neighboring communities, and the state or federal governments as they relate to historic resources of the city.

(d) Advise the Mayor and City Council generally on matters of history and historic preservation.

(e) Provide information to the public on methods of maintaining and rehabilitation historic properties. This may take the form of pamphlets, newsletter, workshops, or similar activities.

(f) Officially recognize excellence in the rehabilitation of historic buildings, structures, sites and districts and new construction in historic areas; and encourage appropriate measures for such recognition.

(g) Distribute information to the public and city departments on incentives for preservation of historic resources, including legislation, regulations and codes which encourage the use and adaptive reuse of historic properties.

(f) Investigate and report to the Mayor and City Council on the use of various federal, state; local or private funding sources available to promote historic resource preservation in the city.

E. Compensation. All members shall serve without compensation.

F. Commission staff. Commission and professional staff assistance shall be provided by the Community Development Department of the city of Aberdeen with additional assistance and information to be provided by other departments as may be necessary to aid the Commission in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this ordinance.