§ 2-216. Creation of City of Slidell Preservation District.

(a)

Commission established. There is hereby created a Commission to be known as the "Olde Towne Preservation District Commission of the City of Slidell" (hereinafter referred to as the "commission").

(b)

Recommendation and appointment of members. The commission shall consist of five members who shall either reside within the City of Slidell, own real property located within the preservation district for at least two years prior to appointment, or own a business located within the preservation district for at least two years prior to the appointment. Two members shall be appointed by the mayor, two members shall be appointed by the city council, and one member shall be appointed by the Chamber of Commerce.

(c)

Term; Vacancies, removal. Each of the members of the commission shall be appointed for a term of four years. Whenever the term of a member of the commission expires, the entity that appointed that commissioner shall appoint their successor. Commissioners currently serving on the Olde Towne Preservation District Advisory Commission will continue on as commissioners on the commission until their current term expires at which time they can be re-appointed. The members may serve consecutive terms. All commission members shall have a demonstrated knowledge of or interest, competence, or expertise in historic preservation. The chairperson and vice chairperson shall be elected annually by the members of the commission.

A commissioner can be removed at the discretion of the city council by a majority vote of the city council. Request to remove a commissioner can be forwarded by the mayor, a council member, or by the preservation commission based on a majority vote of the commission.

(d)

Administration and committees. The director of planning, or their designee, will serve as the city's historic preservation officer (CHPO) and provide staff support to the commission. The commission may seek the advice of other professionals to aid them in making decisions and recommendations. Expenses necessary to carry out the duties of the commission will be budgeted through the aforementioned department. The recording secretary for the commission will be designated by the director and all files, records, and minutes of the commission will be maintained by the department. The city attorney shall be the ex officio attorney for the commission. The commission may designate and appoint, from among its members, various committees with such powers and duties as the commission may have and prescribe.

(e)

Rules, regulations and guidelines; meetings; reports and recommendations. The commission shall make such rules and regulations as it may deem advisable and necessary for the conduct of its affairs not inconsistent with the laws of the city and state. The commission shall meet monthly, but meetings may be held at any time by the commission on the written request of any of the members or on the call of the chairperson of the commission or of the mayor. The commission shall make reports to the mayor and council containing a statement of its activities. Copies of the rules, regulations and guidelines will be retained by the planning department and will be made available upon request.

(f)

Purpose. The purpose of the City of Slidell's Olde Towne Preservation District Commission is to preserve and protect those resources which have architectural and/or historical value and which should be preserved for the benefit of the people of the city and state. The commission shall have for its further purpose the guardianship of those resources which have architectural and/or historical value and which should be preserved for the benefit of the people of the city and state.

The goals of the Olde Towne Preservation District Commission are as follows:

(1)

Protect, enhance and perpetuate historic resources which represent distinctive and significant elements of the city's historical, cultural, social, economic, political, archaeological, and architectural identity;

(2)

Insure the harmonious, orderly, and efficient growth and development of the city consistent with preservation of the city's historic resources;

(3)

Strengthen civic pride and cultural stability through neighborhood conservation;

(4)

Strengthen the economy of the city through the continued use, preservation and revitalization of its historic resources;

(5)

Protect and enhance the city's attraction to tourists, visitors and the citizens of Slidell;

(6)

Provide a review process for the preservation and appropriate development of the city's historic resources.

(g)

Definitions .

Certificate of appropriateness. An authorization, issued by the historic preservation commission permitting the alteration, addition, demolition, or new construction that affects a historic property, provided the changes are consistent with applicable standards and guidelines and the Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings" (Modified from City of Fort Worth, TX Code of Ordinances.)

Certified local government (CLG). A local government that has entered into a certified agreement between the state historical preservation office (SHPO) and the local government that list specific responsibilities of the local government to include enforce appropriate state and local preservation legislation, establish and maintain a qualified historic preservation review commission, provide for adequate public participation in its activities, perform other functions delegated to it by the SHPO under the National Historic Preservation Act, and maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties, consistent with guidelines provided by the SHPO (36 CFR §61.6 and National Register Bulletin No. 24).

Historic structure. A structure that is at least 50 years of age and is significant locally, regionally, or nationally because of its architecture or cultural value

Historic resource. Building, site, district, object, or structure evaluated as historically significant.

Historically significant. Importance of a property to the history, architecture, archeology, engineering, or culture of a community, state, or the Nation. Criteria for importance is based on:

(1)

Association with events, activities, or patterns.

(2)

Association with important persons.

(3)

Distinctive physical characteristics.

(4)

Potential to yield important information.

Preservation district. A geographically definable area, urban or rural, possessing a significant concentration, linkage, or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united by past events or aesthetically by plan or physical development. A district may also comprise individual elements separated geographically but linked by association or history. (36 CFR, § 60.3)

National Register of Historic Places. The official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, it is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect the Nation's historic and archaeological resources. (National Register of Historic Places brochure published by US Department of Interior)

State historic preservation officer (SHPO). SHPO is the person who has been designated by the Governor or chief executive or by State Statute in each state to administer the state historic preservation program, including identifying and nominating eligible properties to the National Register and otherwise administering applications for listing historic properties in the National Register (36 CFR, § 60.3)

State historic preservation program. The program established by each state and approved by the secretary of interior for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and related laws and regulations (36 CFR, § 60.3)

(h)

Preservation district boundary. The following area of the City of Slidell is hereby designated as the "Olde Towne Preservation District":

The city's downtown business district, parts of its waterfront, and surrounding neighborhoods to include parts of the Robert Addition, Cousin Addition, Dittmar Addition, Salmen Addition 1, Brugier, Pine Park Place and Salmen North subdivisions.

The exact boundary is depicted in Attachment A.

(i)

Submission of plans to commission for exterior changes.

(1)

The owner of any property within the Olde Towne Preservation District shall apply for a certificate of appropriateness from the commission before the commencement of any work, to include:

a.

The erection of any new structure, principal or accessory, or other construction; or

b.

The alteration or addition to the exterior of any existing structure; or

c.

The repair of an existing structure, except for repairs that do not alter or detract from an element that contributes to the historic character of the building, as determined by the director of planning and building safety; or

e.

Demolition of any existing structure; or

f.

The relocation of any structure into or out of the district.

(2)

Changes to the exterior paint scheme and paint scheme for new construction. The director of planning and building safety, after consulting commission members, can approve changes to an exterior paint scheme or the proposed paint scheme for new construction as long as the color choices are contained on a historic paint palette approved by the commission. Approval of other exterior paint colors or unusual combinations of colors must be submitted to and approved by the commission.

(3)

The application shall be made to the commission, accompanied by the full plans and specifications, so far as they relate to the proposed appearance, color, texture, materials, and architectural design of the exterior, including the front, sides, rear and roof of such structures, alterations or addition of any structure, party wall, courtyard, sidewalk, driveway, parking area, fence or other dependency thereof.

(j)

Procedures for application of certificate of appropriateness.

(1)

Whenever any application for a certificate of appropriateness is filed with the planning and building safety department, the commissioners shall be notified and provided copies of the application and accompanying documents. If the documents are too large or outsized, such as a mock up, they will be available for review by the commissioners at the planning and building safety office.

(2)

The CHPO will review application packages to determine if they are complete and if information provided is understandable and accurate. Where a package is incomplete or unclear, the CHPO will coordinate with the applicant to provide the missing information and to update the documents to provide clarity. If in the CHPO's determination the package is not complete or clear by at least three working days before the historic preservation commission meets the CHPO will recommend to the commission that the application is incomplete.

(3)

The commission shall have the authority to determine if an application is complete and contains all required information. An application deemed incomplete by the commission shall not be considered to have been filed for the purposes of this ordinance. The commission shall develop standard application forms and its written guidelines shall specify what information an applicant shall attach to each form.

(4)

Members of the commission shall establish a regular schedule for the hearings of the commission. One hearing shall be scheduled for each month, or as needed, unless no application for a certificate of appropriateness or other business, as determined by the commission chairperson, has been submitted or identified. However, the commission must meet at least once every three months, even if no applications for a certificate of appropriateness have been submitted.

(5)

The applicant shall, upon request, have the right to a preliminary conference with the planning and building safety department, or the chairperson or vice chairperson, for the purpose of learning whether changes or adjustments to the application could make it more consistent with the commission's standards.

(6)

Not later than six days before the date set for the said hearing, the planning and building safety department shall notify the applicant and all members of the commission of the date, time, and location of the hearing.

(7)

Notice of the time and place of a scheduled public hearing on an application for a certificate of appropriateness shall be published at least once in the official journal of record for the city before such hearing and by posting such notice on the public notices bulletin board outside of City Hall.

(8)

At the scheduled public hearing, the applicant for a certificate of appropriateness shall have the right to present any relevant information pertaining to the application. Likewise, the city, the commission and its staff, and members of the public shall have the right to present any additional relevant information pertaining to the application. The commission shall issue rules of procedure specifying in detail how a public hearing shall be conducted and when comments and information from different sources shall be heard.

(9)

The commission, at either a preliminary conference or at a public hearing, shall have the right to recommend changes and modifications to enable the applicant to meet the requirements of the commission. If the commission chooses to do this at a preliminary conference, after an application for a certificate of appropriateness has been submitted, then the time during which the commission must render its decision, as set forth below in Paragraphs (10) and (11), shall be extended by 30 days in order to permit the applicant time to prepare any new drawings or other submit other relevant information.

(10)

Not more than 60 days after an application has been filed with the planning and building safety department, the commission shall act upon it by either approving, denying, or deferring action until the next meeting of the commission. Evidence of approval of the application shall be by certificate of appropriateness issued by the commission and, whatever its decision, notice in writing shall be given to the applicant by the planning and building safety department.

(11)

Failure by the commission to reach and render a decision within 60 days of the date of filing of the application with the Planning and building safety department shall be taken to constitute approval of the application by the commission, unless the applicant has requested that the commission delay its decision beyond the 60 day period otherwise required.

(12)

The issuance of a certificate of appropriateness shall not relieve an applicant from applying for a building permit, special use permit, variance, or other authorization from compliance with any other requirement or provision of the laws of the city concerning zoning, construction, repair, or demolition. In all such cases, applicants are encouraged to apply first for a certificate of appropriateness as other city agencies will be advised by the commission in making their subsequent decisions.

(13)

No building permit which affects a historic resource shall be issued by the city prior to the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness by the commission. Even if a building permit is not otherwise required by the city ordinances for construction, alteration, demolition, or relocation of any resource, a certificate of appropriateness from the commission is required.

(k)

Commission recommendation and action thereon. The commission shall, upon due consideration, render its decision concerning the approval or disapproval of the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness, which may include such changes to the exterior appearance, if any, as in its judgment are reasonably necessary to comply with the requirements of this division. The commission will send its decision, in writing, to the applicant and the director of planning and building safety and, if the permit is approved, the director shall issue a permit for such work in conformance with the commission's decision.

(l)

Appeals . Any person or persons aggrieved by any decision, act or proceedings of the commission shall have a right to apply in writing to the city council for reversal or modification thereof. Any such appeal shall be submitted within ten working days from date of the written decision. The city council will consider and make a decision on said appeal within 45 days. The city council may affirm a decision of the commission by majority vote of all its members. The city council can also reverse, change or modify any decision by the commission by a majority vote of all its members.

Any person or persons aggrieved by any decision of the city council shall have the right to file a civil suit within 30 days from date of decision with the 22nd Judicial District Court under the usual rules of procedure governing same, with the right to stay order and injunctive relief provided the situation warrants it.

(m)

Injunctions . Whenever any person has engaged in or is about to engage in any act or practice which constitutes or will constitute a violation of this division, the city may make application to the appropriate court for an order enjoining such act or practice, or requiring such person to refrain from such prospective violation or to remedy such violation by restoring the affected property to its previous condition.

(n)

Penalties . Any owner, agent, lessee or other person acting for or in conjunction with them, who shall violate this division or law or rules, regulations or decisions of the commission, shall be fined pursuant to section 1-12: General penalties, to the City of Slidell Code of Ordinances.

(o)

Stopping work commenced without permit. The director of planning and building safety shall promptly stop any work attempted to be done without or contrary to a permit issued under this division.

(p)

Provisions of ordinance in case of conflict . In the event of conflicting ordinances, non-preservation ordinances prevail except as otherwise approved by the city council.

(q)

New construction. Proposals for new construction in the Olde Towne Preservation District should seek compatibility with existing structures through the appropriate use of site planning, materials, decorative details, architectural elements, and scale. Architectural context is the primary concern, and a proposal does not have to replicate or copy any specific historic style or period. The following factors will be considered.

(1)

Scale: Scale is the relationship of the building and its elements (including doors and windows) to other structures in the district. It is important when considering scale, that a careful study be made of the height, width, and mass of buildings in the immediate neighborhood and district as a whole. This study should serve to confirm or deny the appropriateness of the height, width, and mass of the proposed building. Maximum height of any new structure shall conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring & Reconstructing Historic Buildings. In no case shall a new structure exceed a height allowed in the zoning district in which the building is located.

(2)

Siting: Siting is the positioning of a building on a lot. This process includes determining the setback of a building, the spacing of this building from adjacent buildings, and the location of walls, fences, walks, drives, parking and landscaping if any of these are used in the overall design. New construction should conform to setback, landscape, and parking requirements of the zoning district in which they are located. Modifications to existing structures and sites can retain their historic setbacks and other siting considerations, as long as they do not conflict with life safety requirements in the International building, residential, and fire codes.

(3)

Materials: With the exception of vinyl siding, materials identified in the city's design guidelines for Olde Towne District structures are permitted in the Olde Towne Preservation District. Other materials not specifically mentioned in these design guidelines will be considered on a case by case basis and approved by the commission.

(4)

Decorative details: Decorative details include ornamentation or embellishment. Ornamentation and embellishment include cornices, lintels, arches, balustrades, chimneys, shutters, columns, and other common details. When used, details should create a unifying effect on a building and should be compatible with the context of the neighborhood.

(5)

Architectural elements: Architectural elements includes parts of a building that are integral to its composition. These include balconies, roofs, porches, chimneys, dormers, parapets, and other parts of a building that contribute to its overall shape and silhouette. The choice and arrangement of elements of a proposed building should reflect those of other buildings in the neighborhood. The building should not draw unnecessary attention to itself by failing to relate to neighboring styles. Neither should it copy these styles. The object is to compliment the context of the Olde Towne Preservation District.

(r)

Treatment of a historic resource. The U.S. Secretary of Interior has established standards for the treatment of historic properties. Treatments are divided into four categories of preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction. The commission shall follow the U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the treatment of historic properties guidelines for preserving, rehabilitating, restoring and reconstructing historic buildings in considering all proposals for preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction.

(1)

Standards for preservation.

a.

A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that maximizes the retention of distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships. Where a treatment and use have not been identified, a property will be protected, and if necessary, stabilized until additional work may be undertaken.

b.

The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The replacement of intact or repairable historic materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.

c.

Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate, and conserve existing historic materials and features will be physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close inspection, and properly documented for future research.

d.

Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.

e.

Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.

f.

The existing condition of historic features will be evaluated to determine the appropriate level of intervention needed. Where the severity of deterioration requires repair or limited replacement of a distinctive feature, the new material will match the old in composition, design, color, and texture.

g.

Chemical or physical treatments, when determined appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

8.

Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

(2)

Standards for rehabilitation.

a.

A property shall be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.

b.

The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property shall be avoided.

c.

Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding contextual features or elements from other historic properties, shall not be undertaken.

d.

Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

e.

Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

f.

Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.

g.

Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

h.

Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

i.

New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.

j.

New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

(3)

Standards for restoration.

a.

A property shall be used as it was historically or be given a new use which reflects the property's restoration period.

b.

Materials and features from the restoration period shall be retained and preserved. The removal of materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize the period shall not be undertaken.

c.

Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Work needed to stabilize, consolidate and conserve materials and features from the restoration period shall be physically and visually compatible, identifiable upon close inspection, and properly documented for future research.

d.

Materials, features, spaces, and finishes that characterize other historical periods shall be documented prior to their alteration or removal.

e.

Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize the restoration period shall be preserved.

f.

Deteriorated features from the restoration period shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials.

g.

Replacement of missing features from the restoration period shall be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence. A false sense of history shall not be created by adding contextual features, features from other properties, or by combining features that never existed together historically.

h.

Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

i.

Archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

j.

Designs that were never executed historically shall not be constructed.

(4)

Standards for reconstruction.

a.

Reconstruction shall be used to depict vanished or non-surviving portions of a property when documentary and physical evidence is available to permit accurate reconstruction with minimal conjecture and such reconstruction is essential to the public understanding of the property.

b.

Reconstruction of a landscape, building, structure, or object in its historic location shall be preceded by a thorough archeological investigation to identify and evaluate those features and artifacts which are essential to an accurate reconstruction. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

c.

Reconstruction shall include measures to preserve any remaining historic materials, features, and spatial relationships.

d.

Reconstruction shall be based on the accurate duplication of historic features and elements substantiated by documentary or physical evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different features from other historic properties. A reconstructed property shall recreate the appearance of the non-surviving historic property in materials, design, color, and texture.

e.

A reconstruction shall be clearly identified as a contemporary re-creation.

f.

Designs that were never executed historically shall not be constructed. When a contemporary depiction is required to understand and interpret a property's historic value (including the recreation of missing components in a historic district or site); when no other property with the same associative value has survived; and when sufficient historical documentation exists to ensure an accurate reproduction, reconstruction may be considered as a treatment.

(s)

Fences . Fence design must be in harmony with the nature of the district and in compliance with Appendix A: Zoning, Section 2.22 Supplementary District Regulations to the City of Slidell's Code of Ordinances. The following fencing materials are not acceptable: barbed wire; chain-link, except in the side and rear yard; concrete block unless clad in stucco or another approved material; stockade; plywood; Hardi board; or asbestos board.

(t)

Overhanging balconies, canopies or awnings. No overhanging balconies, canopies or awnings may be removed, modified, or constructed without the approval of the commission. New or additional balconies, canopies, or awnings must conform to the distinctive architecture of the Olde Towne Preservation District. The permit for all such new construction or any renovation shall be subject to the requirements of this division.

(1)

Encroachment into public right-of-way. In the C3: Central Business District, if an existing balcony, canopy, or awning is to be extended or substantially improved or a new balcony, canopy, or awning is to be added that would encroach into the public right-of-way then the owner must first get permission from the city in the form of an encroachment agreement.

(2)

Encroachment into the setback. In any district other than C3: Central Business District, if an existing balcony, canopy, or awning is to be extended or substantially improved or a new balcony added that would encroach into either the front, rear, or side yard setback area a variance would first need to be obtained from the city's board of zoning adjustments.

(u)

Signs .

(1)

Definitions.

a.

Sign shall include any symbol, device, image, poster, flag, banner, billboards, design or way finding sign used for advertising purposes, whether painted upon, attached to, erected on, or otherwise maintained on any premises containing any words, letters, or parts of letters, figures, numerals, phrases, sentences, emblems, devices, trade names or trademarks by which anything is made known, such as are used to designate an individual, a firm, an association, a corporation, a profession, a business or a commodity or product, which is visible from any public street and is used to attract attention.

b.

Display includes erect, paint, repaint, place, replace, hang, re-hang, repair, maintain paint directly upon a building or other structure, inlay, embed in or otherwise exhibit in public view.

(2)

Signs must meet requirements of City of Slidell's Code of Ordinances. All signs must meet requirements of the City of Slidell's Code Ordinances, Appendix A: Zoning, Section 2.23: Sign Regulation

(3)

Signs must also conform to character of the surrounding area. In addition to meeting the requirements of the city's sign ordinance approval of the display of a sign in the Olde Towne Preservation District shall be granted by the commission only when such signs and the plans therefore, so far as they relate to the appearance, color, size, position, method of attachment, texture of materials and design, conform to the distinctive character of the Olde Towne Preservation District or do not injuriously affect it or impair the value to the community of those buildings having architectural or historical worth.

(4)

No signs to be displayed in certain places. No sign shall be displayed above the peak of the roof of any buildings in the Olde Towne Preservation District, unless approved by the commission. No sign shall be displayed or placed in any manner whatsoever so as to disfigure or conceal any significant architectural feature or detail of any building.

(5)

Number of primary signs. In general, one primary sign is allowed to each store, shop, or bona fide place of business, and this sign shall be no larger than the maximum stipulated in this division.

a.

In the case of a business operated on a corner lot that faces two streets, one primary sign on each street facing side is allowed and shall be regulated as if each side were a separate storefront.

b.

In the case of a single sign being inappropriate, multiple primary signs may be used, the total face area of which may not exceed the maximum size stipulated in this article.

(6)

Surface area of signs and height.

a.

See paragraph 520.C.1 of Section 2.23: Sign Regulation to Part 2: Schedule of District Regulations Adopted to Appendix A: Zoning of the City's Code of Ordinances to calculate allowed sign surface area and determine maximum allowed height above grade.

b.

In the case of multiple businesses operating at a single location, the total face area of signage may be increased to 1½ times the maximum stipulated in this article.

(7)

Secondary signs. In addition to the primary sign(s) referred to in subsection (u)(6), small secondary signs may be used to identify the following:

a.

Entrance doors.

b.

Operating hours.

c.

Temporary signs.

(8)

Temporary signs. See paragraph 520.C.1 of Section 2.23: Sign Regulation to Part 2: Schedule of District Regulations Adopted to Appendix A: Zoning of the City's Code of Ordinances

(9)

Illuminated signs. Illuminated signs may be constructed or erected within the Olde Towne Preservation District subject to review and approval by the Historic Preservation Commission for compatibility with surrounding historic context and in keeping with the city's existing sign ordinance. Concealed lighting is recommended. Bulbs may not be exposed. The light should enhance the sign as well as the building on which it is mounted.

(10)

Digital signs. Effective the date of this ordinance, digital signs are not permitted in the Olde Towne Preservation District. Digital signs in use at the time this ordinance is enacted will be considered legal nonconforming and their eventual removal will be dictated by Part 6: Nonconforming Lots; Nonconforming Uses of Land; Nonconforming Structures and Nonconforming Uses of Structures and Premises of Appendix A: Zoning of the City of Slidell's Code of Ordinances.

(v)

Aerials, antennas, solar panels, wind turbines and any other roof projections. The construction of aerials, antennas, satellite dishes, solar panels, or other projection from the roof subject to review and approval by the historic preservation commission for compatibility with surrounding historic context.

(w)

Minimum maintenance requirements. In order to insure the protective maintenance of resources, the exterior features of such properties shall be maintained to meet the requirements of the city's property maintenance code and the city's building code.

(x)

Demolition . In order maintain the historic character of the district demolition of historic structures must be reviewed by the preservation commission before a permit is approved. The purpose of the review is to consider the impact the impact demolition of the structure may have on the city's preservation district's designation, to recommend alternatives to demolition, and to recommend salvage of historic materials for reuse in other preservation projects. Demolition can be either at the request of the property owner or an action by the city to remove a deteriorated structure that poses a threat to health and safety.

(1)

Demolition by request of the owner . When a property owner applies for a permit to demolish an historic structure the application will be referred to the preservation commission for review at the next scheduled meeting of the commission. Before a permit can be issued, the preservation commission must review the application to determine if loss of this structure will adversely impact the city's Certified Local Government or National Register designation. As part of its review the commission will consider alternatives to demolition and opportunities to salvage historic materials for reuse with the owner. The commission make a recommendation to the owner based on their review. If after receiving the commission's recommendation the owner decides to proceed with the demolition the planning department will sign off on the permit, provided all other requirements have been met.

(2)

Demolition by neglect . Before the city council decides to demolish a historic structure it must first be referred to the preservation commission for review and recommendation. The preservation commission will determine if loss of this structure will adversely impact the city's Certified Local Government or National Register designation. As part of its review the commission will consider alternatives to demolition and opportunities to salvage historic materials for reuse. The commission's recommendation will be forwarded to the city council for their consideration when deciding whether or not to proceed with the demolition.

(Ord. No. 3898, 6-12-2018)