Department of Community Development
Reference: Historic Preservation Overview and Code Amendments
To: Mayor Gregory Mills and Members of the City Council
Through: Michael P. Martinez, City Manager
Prepared By: Emma Lane, AICP, Senior Planner - Historic Preservation
Date Prepared: December 15, 2023
HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERVIEW
The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) acts in a quasi-judicial manner for the purpose of preserving the City's historic character. The duties of the HPC include recommending policies to the City Council regarding historic preservation, developing public education programs, and making decisions on applications for Certificates of Appropriateness (COAs) related to alterations to designated structures.
One of the main duties of the HPC is to continue the process of survey and inventory of cultural resources within the City for the purpose of designation of historic landmarks or historic districts. Even further, their duties extend to reviewing cultural resources nominated for designation as a historic landmark or district and providing a recommendation to the City Council. At the local designation level, the City currently has 13 individually designated resources, as well as one historic district. To be considered eligible for designation as a local historic landmark, the resource must be at least 50 years of age, and must hold significance in either architecture, history, or archaeology.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE AMENDMENTS
Staff evaluated the three guiding documents related to Historic Preservation within the City. This includes the HPC Bylaws, the Brighton Municipal Code (BMC) Article 2-66, and the Land Use & Development Code (LUDC) Section 10.03. Staff wishes to discuss the proposed changes with the City Council.
PROCESSES
The HPC Bylaws outline the adoption of bylaw amendments by the HPC with an affirmative vote of four members of the Commission. Recently, amendments were approved by the HPC on October 19, 2023. The infor...
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