Historic Commission

Meetings 

5:30 p.m. 
Third Thursday of each month, Special hearings as needed
Council Chambers

Historical Districts

• The South Main Street District
• Commercial South Main Street District
• The Highlands Historic District
• Central Urban Core Historic District
• Oakland Conservation District

Establishment
A. The Middletown Historic Commission is hereby established by City Council.
B. The Middletown Historic Commission may be hereafter referred to as the “Historic Commission.”

Membership
a. The Historic Commission shall be comprised of seven members, all of whom shall be residents of the City and appointed to the Historic Commission by City Council.
b. All members shall have, to the greatest extent practical, interest and proficiency in historic preservation, reconstruction, rehabilitation and restoration. Every attempt shall be made to include the following areas of expertise in the appointment of members:
ii. A registered architect;
iii. A professional landscape architect, historian, archaeologist, or city planner;
iv. A person whose education and experience qualify him or her in building construction;
v. A member of the Middletown Historical Society;
vi. One elector who neither resides nor owns property in a designated historic district or a zoning district which requires approval of City Council for alterations and/or modifications;
vii. One elector from each historic district or zoning district which requires approval of this City Council for alterations and/or modifications, who shall reside or own property in such district;
viii. An attorney; and
ix. A member of the Planning Commission.
C. Each member shall serve four-year terms. Terms shall be staggered so as no more than two members are up for appointment each year. The terms of existing members shall continue until expiration.
D. Any such member of the Historic Commission may serve on other administrative boards of the City, if such other office is not incompatible with membership on the Historic Commission.
E. Members of the Historic Commission may be removed for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance by City Council.
F. A vacancy occurring during the term of any member of the Historic Commission shall be filled, by appointment from City Council for the unexpired term in a manner authorized for the original appointment.
G. To the extent practical, vacancies shall be filled within sixty (60) days for the remainder of any unexpired terms in the same manner as the original appointments and confirmations.
H. Additional Qualifications
(i) All members shall have, to the greatest extent practical, interest and proficiency in historic preservation, reconstruction, rehabilitation and restoration and a determination to work for the overall improvement of the quality of the physical environment of the City.

Roles and Powers of the Historic Commission
The Historic Commission shall have the following roles and powers to:
A. Conduct a continuous survey of all areas, places, structures, works of art, or similar objects in the City which the Historic Commission has reason to believe are or will be eligible for designation as historic sites, landmarks or districts according to guidelines established by the State Historic Preservation Office;
B. Make recommendations for designation of landmarks and historic districts to the City Council;
C. Establish and implement written guidelines for the conservation of designated local landmarks and historic districts;
D. Act in an advisory role to other officials and departments of local government regarding the protection of local cultural resources;
E. Act as a liaison on behalf of the local government to individuals and organizations concerned with historic preservation;
F. Work for the continuing education of the residents of the City in regard to the archaeological, historical, and architectural heritage of the City and the historic sites and historic districts designated under the provisions of this chapter;
G. Conduct or encourage members to attend training/educational sessions at least once a year, or in-depth consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office, pertaining to work and functions of the Commission or on specific historic preservation issues;
H. Provide a public forum for the review of nominations of areas, places, structures, works of art, landmarks or similar objects within the City to the National Register of Historic Places of the U.S. Department of the Interior. Review shall include the relationship of the proposed nomination to the Historic Preservation Plan of the City and any other consideration which may be relevant to the proposed nomination. Such nominations may be generated from the Historic Commission or from any other source;
I. Adopt and periodically modify the Historic Preservation Plan as the general policy for designation of Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts and for the issuance or denial of certificates of appropriateness;
J. Hear, review, and make decisions on alternative equivalent review applications related to the historic preservation standards;
K. Review and make decisions on certain certificates of appropriateness;
 L. Perform any other duties related to the administration and enforcement of this code as authorized by the charter and this code; and
M. Undertake additional responsibilities upon mutual written agreement between the State Historic Preservation Office and the City.
N. Seek outside guidance, expertise, or assistance for commission decisions.

Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations
The Historic Commission shall, by a majority vote of its entire membership, adopt bylaws, rules, or regulations for the governance of Historic Commission activities provided they are consistent with the charter and with any other ordinances of the City.

Meetings and Records
A. Rules of procedure shall be established and made public. At least (4) meetings must be held every year at regular intervals. All meetings of the Commission shall be held in an accessible public place.
B. All decisions must be made at public meetings. Applicants must be notified of meetings and advised of decisions in writing.
C. No Commission member shall take part in the hearing, consideration, determination, or vote of any case in which the member is involved or has a financial interest. Chapter 1226: Review Authority and Procedures 1226.01: Review and Decision-Making Authorities Middletown Development Code 193
D. Planning Director or their designate will serve as Secretary to the Commission and will keep minutes of all meetings. The Secretary shall keep, or cause to be kept, a complete record of all decisions and actions of the Commission. In addition, the Secretary shall prepare an annual report of Commission activities, cases, decisions, special projects, and qualifications of its members.
E. All minutes and annual reports will be kept on file at the Planning Department and available for public inspection subject to the City’s public records retention schedule.
F. The Historic Commission shall hold such meetings as it may require for conducting its business.
G. The Historic Commission shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairperson from among the members of the Historic Commission at the Commission’s first meeting of the year. During the temporary absence of the Chairperson, the Vice Chairperson shall fulfill the duties of the Chairperson. If both the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson are absent, a member of the Historic Commission may make a motion to appoint an acting Chairperson for that meeting.
H. All meetings shall be open to the public, except as exempted by law.

Quorums and Decisions
A. Any combination of four or more members of the Historic Commission shall constitute a quorum.
B. The Historic Commission shall act when at least four members concur. Non-decision items, such as continuance or approval of minutes, shall require a majority of the quorum to concur.
C. The Historic Commission may be required to make an annual report and such other reports as may be requested by City Council. 

**If you're interested in serving on the Historic Commission, please contact James Metz, City Planner, at 513-425-7947 or jamesme@cityofmiddletown.org to obtain an application.