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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD2025-003 Title 2 HPCSponsored by: City Clerk Introduction: February 10, 2025 Public Hearing: February 25, 2025 Amended and Enacted: February 25, 2025 CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-003 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, AMENDING SEWARD CITY CODE, TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2.30, ARTICLE 4 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION WHEREAS, Title 2, Section 2.30 of the Seward City Code, pertains to the City of Seward Boards and Commissions; and WHEREAS, the current city code for Boards & Commissions leaves some questions that need to be more clearly defined; and WHEREAS, to better define the roles of city staff involvement and the Historic Preservations Commission, the City Clerk has brought forward this ordinance to amend Title 2, Article 4 — Historic Preservation Commission. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY OF SEWARD ORDAINS, that: Section 1. Seward City Code Title 2 is hereby amended to read as follows with new language underlined and deleted language is stricken: 2.30.410 Established. A. Ala -historic preservation commission is hereby created, consisting of seven residents of the City of Seward or surrounding arcvs, and general Seward area spanning from Lowell Point to the Tern Lake Junction on the Seward Highway, who shall be appointed by the council. If Applicants must receive at (cast four votes in order to be appointed. No officer or employee of the city m he ntcd mhcr of the c comic. ioF1 1. Applicants must receive at least four votes in order to be appointed. The council may use ballot voting to make the appointments or make a nomination and call for a vote. Council may also choose not to make an appointment and re -advertise the vacancy. 2. At least four seats shall be filled by residents inside Seward city limits. If there are no city residents applying, council may consider filling the seats with non-residents. 3. No officer or employee of the city may be appointed a member of the board. B. To the extent available in the community, three commission members shall be professionals, as defined in Appendix A of 36CFR 614 , from the disciplines of history, architecture or architectural history and archaeology. If the commissioners are not professionals in the disciplines of history, architecture or architectural history, and archaeology, then CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-003 Page 2 of 4 consultants in these disciplines will be appointed as consultants to the historic preservation commission. Consultant appointments shall be approved by the historic preservation commission and must be qualified under the standards defined in Appendix A of 36 CFR 61. A chairman of the commission shall be selected annually by the appointed members. C. Chair and vice chair. 1. The commission shall select a chair and vice chair annually. 2. The chair shall preside at all commission meetings, may participate in the debate, and vote on any matter of the commission. 3. In the absence of the chair, the vice chair shall exercise all the powers of the chair. D. The city manager, or designee from the Seward Community Library & Museum, shall assist the commission and shall be qualified by special training and experience in the field of historic preservation. City staff will be the regular technical advisor of the commission ,but ;hall not have the power to vote. and prepare and distribute the meeting packets. E. City staff shall provide a clerk to the commission. The clerk shall: 1. Properly advertise the meetings as required by the Alaska Open Meetings Act; 2. Prepare the commission packet; and 3. Attend the commission meetings and keep a record of commission proceedings. E. The city clerk's office shall: 1. Advertise the meetings as required by the Alaska Open Meetings Act. 2. Attend and clerk the commission meetings and take meeting minutes of commission proceedings. 2.30.415 Terms of office; filling vacancies. A. Members of the historic preservation commission shall be appointed for a term of three years, provided that the terms of initial appointments shall be staggered so that as nearly as possible a pro rata number of members shall be appointed for each year. B. The city council, may appoint any qualified person to fill a vacancy of any member of the board provided that the appointment shall be for the unexpired term of the vacancy. C. Following a member's absence from three consecutive regular meetings of the commission, the remaining commission members shall decide whether the commission member should be retained or whether to request council appointment of a new member. C. Any recommendation from the commission or administration for dismissal of a commissioner shall be forwarded to city council for action. 1 1 CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-003 Page 3 of 4 D. New commissioners shall take the oath of office with the city clerk. E. Commissioners who serve one full term may receive a plaque in recognition upon end of service. F. Commissioners serve two or more full terms on the commission may receive an engraved gold pan in recognition upon end of service. 2.30.420 Meetings and quorum. A. The commission will meet at least twice each year in city council chambers or at a time and place to be designated by the commission. B. Four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, except that, in the absence of a quorum, any number less than a quorum may adjourn the meeting to a later date. Thc affirmative votes of at Ieast a majority of those commission C. Four affirmative votes are required for any action. C. Thc clerk to thc commission shall keep minutes of proceedings showing thc vote of each member upon ach question and shall keep records of any actions, all of which shall be immediately filed in thc office of the city clerk and shall be a public record. 2.30.425 Powers and duties. A. It shall be the responsibility of the historic preservation commission to: 1. Develop a local historic plan that will include provisions for identification, protection and interpretation of the area's significant resources. Such a plan is to be compatible with the Alaska Historic Preservation Plan and to produce information compatible with and for the Alaska Heritage Resources Survey. 2. Survey and inventory community historic architectural and archaeological resources within the community. 3. Review and comment to the state historic preservation officer on all proposed National Register nominations for properties within the community area. 4. Act in an advisory role to other officials and departments of local government regarding the identification and protection of local historic and archaeological resources. 5. Work toward the continuing education of citizens regarding local historic preservation and community history. 6. Support the enforcement of the Alaska Historic Preservation Act, AS 41.35. 7. Review local projects and recommendations about the effect on properties identified in the local historic preservation inventory. CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA ORDINANCE 2025-003 Page 4 of 4 B. The commission shall have no authority to solicit, expend or commit city funds without first obtaining approval by and any necessary appropriations from the city council. Section 2. This ordinance shall take effect ten (10) days upon enactment. ENACTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA this 24th day of February 2025. THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA N ► V1 Jam. Sue McClure, Mayor AYES: Barnwell, Crites, Warner, Osenga, Finch, Wells, McClure NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None ATTEST: Kris Peck City Clerk (City Seal) ..r .ri City Council Agenda Statement Meeting Date: February 10, 2025 To: City Council From: City Clerk Subject: AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEWARD, ALASKA, AMENDING SEWARD CITY CODE, TITLE 2, CHAPTER 2.30, ARTICLE 4 — HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION Background and justification: The current city code for Boards & Commissions leaves several unanswered questions that need to be defined or answered more clearly, such as the boundaries of Seward's "surrounding areas" and the line about "city staff shall provide a clerk to the commission." This ordinance intends to better define the roles of city staff and the clerk's office in relation to Historic Preservation Commission as well as tighten other aspects of the commission. This ordinance also provides more clarity to standard operating practices such as board members taking the Oath of Office and receiving recognition for service on the board. New additions include a requirement for one board member to reside inside city limits Another major change is the voting would require a minimum of 4 votes rather than a majority of those present. Attorne Review X Yes Attorney Signature: Not applicable Comments: Sy„r. r .J