Explanation
Background:
The legislation grants the Italian Village Commission the authority to utilize interim guidelines for applications that propose to use artificial siding in new construction within the Italian Village Historic District. Currently, the Italian Village Guidelines are largely silent with respect to the appropriateness of artificial siding materials when new construction is proposed. Furthermore, the guidelines currently do not provide any direction as to design and/or installation standards. This ambiguity has led to significant problems in Italian Village when applicants seek to use artificial siding materials.
Currently, all of the City's architectural review commissions are engaged in a process of amending guidelines which will include updated standards for reviewing applications in which the use of artificial siding is proposed. It is anticipated that Council will receive these guideline revisions in September 2003. However, there is an immediate need to address the situation in Italian Village to provide clarity to property owners and the commission as to the appropriate standards to apply in considering whether to approve a certificate of appropriateness for instance where applicants seek to use artificial siding material.
In order to expedite the ability of the Italian Village Commission to immediately utilize these guidelines on an interim basis, this legislation also waives Section 3116.03 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, which addresses the process of amending architectural review guidelines.
Fiscal Impact:
None.
Title
To adopt interim guidelines proposed by the Italian Village Commission addressing the use of artificial siding materials on new construction projects within the Italian Village Historic District; to waive Section 3116.03 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959; and to declare an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Italian Village Commission is an architectural review commission created by Council pursuant to Chapter 3327 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959; and
WHEREAS, there is an increasing amount of new construction occurring within the boundaries of this historic district; and
WHEREAS, certain applicants have sought to use artificial siding material to clad new structures being erected within Italian Village; and
WHEREAS, neither the Columbus City Codes, 1959, nor the Italian Village Guidelines expressly prohibit the use of artificial siding; and
WHEREAS, the City Code and the Guidelines provide little if any direction as to design and/or installation criteria for the commission to use in considering whether to approve an application for a certificate of appropriateness in which artificial siding is proposed for new construction; and
WHEREAS, the City's architectural review commissions are engaged in a process of updating their respective guidelines to provide some uniformity among the historic districts; and
WHEREAS, the City will fully comply with Section 3116.03 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, as this above-mentioned process moves forward; and
WHEREAS, the legislation that will propose to amend such guidelines will likely be submitted to Council in September 2003; and
WHEREAS, there is an immediate need to provide clarify with respect to the use of artificial siding in the Italian Village Historic District due to ongoing disputes with certain developers because of the ambiguity in the current guidelines; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the City of Columbus in that it is immediately necessary to adopt interim guidelines proposed by the Italian Village Commission and to waive Section 3116.03 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, thereby preserving the public health, peace, property, safety and welfare; Now therefore:
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS, OHIO
Section 1. That the interim guidelines proposed by the Italian Village Commission attached and incorporated herein shall be adopted for use by the commission on a temporary basis until the City completes the process of updating the guidelines for all architectural review commissions.
Section 2. That Council hereby determines that it is in the best interests of the City to waive the requirements of Section 3116.03 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, to the extent that the process for adopting interim guidelines undertaken herein conflicts with the process articulated in the City Code.
Section 3. That for the reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.