Historic Preservation Commission

Purpose

The purpose of this committee is to promote the protection, enhancement, perpetuation, and use of improvements of special character or historical interest or value in the interest of the health, prosperity, safety, and welfare of the people of the city of Aledo by:

A) Providing a mechanism to identify and preserve the historic and architectural characteristics of Aledo which represent elements of the city’s cultural, social, economic, political, and architectural history;

B) Promoting civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past as represented in Aledo’s landmarks and historic districts;

C) Stabilizing and improving the economic vitality and value of Aledo’s landmarks and historic areas;

D) Protecting and enhancing the attractiveness of the city to have buyers, visitors, and shoppers and thereby supporting business, commerce, industry, and providing economic benefit to the city; and

E) Fostering and encouraging preservation, restoration of structures, areas, and neighborhoods and thereby preventing future urban blight.

Powers and duties

A) To adopt its own procedural regulations;

B) To conduct an ongoing survey to identify historically and architecturally significant properties, structures, and areas;

C) To investigate and recommend to the city council to adopt procedures to protect properties or structures having special historic, community, or architectural value;

D) To determine an appropriate system of markers and make recommendations for the design and implementation of specific markings of properties or structures which have special historic community, or architectural value;

E) To advise property owners on physical and financial aspects of preservation, renovation, rehabilitation, and reuse, and on procedures for inclusion on the state or national register of historic places;

F) To inform and educate the citizens of Aledo concerning the historic and architectural heritage of the city by publishing appropriate maps, newsletters, brochures, and pamphlets, and by holding programs and seminars;

G) To accept and administer on behalf of the city of Aledo, upon designation by the city council, such gifts, grants, and money as may be appropriate for the purpose of this chapter;

H) To call upon available city staff members as well as other experts for technical advice;

I) To testify before all boards and commissions, including the city plan commission and the zoning board of appeals, on any matter affecting historically and architecturally significant properties; and

J) To periodically review the Aledo zoning ordinance and to recommend to the city plan commission and the city council any amendments appropriate for the protecting and continued use of historically or architecturally significant properties.

Surveys and Research

The historic preservation commission shall undertake an ongoing survey and research effort in the city of Aledo to identify neighborhoods, areas, sites, structures, and objects that have historic, community, architectural, or aesthetic importance, interest, or value. As part of the survey, the historic preservation commission shall review and evaluate any prior surveys and studies by any unit of government or private organization and compile appropriate descriptions, facts, and photographs. The historic preservation commission shall identify significant structures based on the following criteria:

A) Architecturally or historically significant properties in one identifiable neighborhood or district geographical area of the city of Aledo;

B) Association with a particular person, event, or historical period;

C) Representation of particular architectural style or school, or of a particular architect, engineer, builder, designer or craftsman; and

D) Such other criteria as may be adopted by the preservation commission to assure systematic survey of all significant properties within the city of Aledo.