Under the provisions of the Clark County Historic Preservation Ordinance the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission (CCHPC) is directed to initiate and maintain a Clark County Heritage Register (or other Register by interlocal agreement) and to review nominations to the Register (Clark County Historic Preservation Ordinance 18.328.050 and any amendments thereto).
A. Any building, structure, site, object or district may be placed on the a Clark County Register if:
1. The CCHPC determines that it meets Clark County Heritage Register criteria.
2. There is owner consent for placement and listing. There is no provision for historic districts in unincorporated Clark County. If reviewing an historic district for a jurisdiction other than Clark County, the applicable critieria shall be that which the jurisdiction has adopted.
3. It is approved by the Clark County Historic Preservation Commission and/or other quasi-judicial body as identified in an interlocal agreement and adopted ordinance (such as a City Council).
B. Any person may nominate a building, structure, site, or object for inclusion on the Register with owner consent. A nomination form signed by the property owner(s) must be included in an application for designation
Procedures for conducting designation review meetings
A. PRE-MEETING
1. The Applicant or Designated Agent:
a. Meets with CCHPC Staff concerning the application form and the necessary documentation.
b. Submits the completed application to Staff at least 30 days before the regularly scheduled meeting at which the application is to be considered.
2. Staff:
a. Meets with the applicant concerning the application form and the necessary documentation. Staff may require the applicant to provide additional information or research.
b. Obtain the owner's written permission for nomination of the property to the Register.
c. Reviews the application for completeness and includes the case on the agenda based on determination that the application is technically complete in accordance with the section entitled "Application Standards" in these Rules and Procedures. Staff review may include meetings with owners and adjacent property owners, interviews, historic research and examination of the property.
d. Prepares a report for the Commission based on the review.
e. Arranges with the property owners for an on-site inspection by the CCHPC or designated committee.
f. Notifies, in writing, the applicant, the owner (if different), and persons, neighborhood organizations or surrounding legal property owners as specificed in CCC 18.600.085 at least 15 days prior to the meeting at which the application is to be considered. The date and time of the meeting will be specified in the announcement. In addition, notice shall be published in the local newspaper and posted on site.
3. Clark County Historic Preservation Commission
a. Reviews the nomination and staff report.
b. Visits the property.
B. MEETINGS
1. Designation review will occur at regularly scheduled meetings as detailed in the rules for conducting Clark County Historic Preservation Commission meetings.
2. The regular order of business for consideration of applications to the Clark County Heritage Register shall be as follows:
a. The Chairperson or Chairperson-designatee shall offer a preliminary statement concerning the application.
b. The staff report is presented.
c. The applicant or the designated agent of the applicant presents statements in favor of the application including relevant pictures, models, etc.
d. Statements in opposition to the application.
e. Comments by Clark County Planning Department, interested persons, organization, or legal entities.
f. Rebuttal by all concerned parties.
g. Summary of above by Chairperson or designated person.
h. Deliberation by Commission.
i. Vote
During the course of the meeting, the above procedure may be temporarily modified by the concurrence of all parties and the CCHPC.
3. Commission members apply the designation criteria, as outlined in the Ordinance, to the property or district to evaluate the nomination. The members should consider information related to the designation criteria as presented above during the designation meeting and from the site visit. The Commission:
a. Determines the category of historic property.
b. Establishes the context for evaluating the property.
c. Identifies the level of significance (National, State, Local).
d. Evaluates the integrity of the property.
e. Determines if there are special conditions that might make the property eligible.
f. Determines if property meets the criteria
g. Votes on the decision.
4. If a CCHR nomination is heard in conjunction with a concurrent Type III land use case, the Hearing Examiner may conduct a joint hearing on the applicant's request. If a joint hearing is requested, at least two (2) members of the CCHPC shall also be present to hear the nomination. At least one member shall be the chair or vice-chair of the Commission. The CCHPC members shall make findings of fact and determination of eligibility to be forwarded to the Hearing Examiner. The Hearing Examiner shall incorporate the findings and determination of the CCHPC in his/her determination of the concurrent land use case. All required signatiures on designation forms may be signed by the Hearing Examiner, in lieu of the CCHPC Chairperson's signature, if consent is given by the CCHPC members at the public hearing.
C. POST MEETING
1. Staff
After the meeting staff or the Hearing Examiner will:
a. Prepare the Commission's report as a findings of fact, clearly stating the relevant designation criteria and how the property meets or fails to meet the criteria within 14 calendar days after the date the record closes.
b. Notify owner and applicant in writing of the CCHPC's determination within 7 calendar days of the receipt of the decision of the meeting.
c. Notify applicant of the decision and appeals process. Appeals are to the Board of County Commissioners and must be filed within 14 calendar days from the date the decision was mailed. Appeals procedures are in accordance with those in CCC 18.600.100.
d. Transmits proposed historic property description and forms to the CCHPC for review and final signoff by the Chairperson or Hearing Examiner.
e. Notifies the Building and Planning Departments and newpaper of general circulation if the property is listed on the Register. Final listing forms shall also be transmitted to the County Auditor for recording, with the appropriate fees paid by the applicant/owner.
f. Notifies applicant(s) and/or owners of the County Historic Preservation Commission's final decision. Notification shall be by registered mail and include a copy of the Historic Preservation Ordinance and a letter and certificate to be signed and returned by the owner indicating they accept listing and acknowledging receipt of, and need to comply with, the ordinance.
g. Staff has the certificate signed by the chair of the Commission and records it with the Auditor's Office. The original certificate is then returned to the owner(s).
2. Clark County Board of County Commissioners
Once the case is appealed with the County Board of Commissioners, they can concur with or reject the Commission's determination, or send the case back to the Historic Preservation Commission for further study, in accordance with the appeal procedures for a Type III decisions in CCC 18.600.100.
3. Clark County Historic Preservation Commission
If the appeal is rejected by the Board of County Commissioners, at the next regularly scheduled meeting, the CCHPC:
a. If a positive determination was rejected, decides whether any other protection for the property is necessary or possible, including initiation of the National or Washington State Heritage Register process.
b. If a negative determination is rejected, votes on whether to continue the case by providing more documentation, or to concur with the Board of County Commissioners decision and list the property on the Clark County Heritage Register.
D. Resubmission
1. A negative determination or a non-acceptance of an application by the CCHPC is not irrevocable. If new information becomes available and if the applicant wishes, the application may be resubmitted. In such a case, the entire procedure must be followed.
E. HISTORIC DISTRICTS [RESERVED section in County Code] This section may apply to review of historic districts of jurisdictions with which there is a valid interlocal agreement and adopted historic preservation ordinance that includes criteria for districts.
1. Prior to nomination review for historic districts owner consent must be submitted to the CCHPC.
2. The CCHPC makes recommendations on district boundaries in a staff report to the appropriate decision-making body.
3. The decision-making body schedules a public hearing on designation of historic districts and makes the final determination on the designation and boundaries. They may also determine design guidelines for the specifc district at the hearing.
4. District boundaries are incorporated into the official zoning maps.
F. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Once a property has been approved by the CCHPC or Board of County Commissioners for placement on the Clark County Historic Register, the certificate of appropriateness review process (design review) becomes effective.
2. If the case involves an historic district, the boundaries of that district are set with the decision-making body's approval. Any boundary change involves proceeding through the entire district review process.
3. In the event that any property is no longer deemed appropriate for designation to the Clark County Historic Register, the CCHPC may initiate removal by following the same procedure as provided for listing except that owner consent is not required for removal. A property owner may submit a request for review to remove a property from the Register to the CCHPC. The request shall included a letter of request and a narrative and other supporting documentation of the reasons the property should no longer be listed on the Clark County Heritage Register.
Clark County Heritage Register - Application Standards
An acceptable Clark County Heritage Register application is a nomination form completed according to uniform guidelines as presented in "National Register of Historic Places, Washington State Heritage Register: A Nomination Guide", from the Washington State Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Generally, the application consists of nomination form, survey inventory form, and documentation.
The Clark County Heritage Register/Survey - Inventory Form, available from the Planning Department, must be typed and completely filled in. Blanks that are not applicable to the property should be filled with "N/A".
Properties should be described in detail. All interior and exterior features and outbuildings which contribute to the designation should be mentioned and described. Non-contributing features should also be mentioned and described.
District designations (not applicable to unincorporated Clark County)should include a description of proposed district boundaries, the characteristics of the district which justifies its designation, and a list of all properties including features, structures, sites, objects and open spaces which contribute to the designation of the district.
The original complete form, signed by the legal property owner(s), should be presented along with the following documentation:
1. A U.S.G.S. map with the UTM reference points identified. "UTM" means "Arial, Tahoma, Arial Rounded MT Bold, Verdanaal Transverse Mercator" or the grid zone in metric measurement providing for an exact point of numerical reference.
2. An Assessor's Tax Parcel Map of Clark County should be included, with the property prominently identified. Color highlighting of the map is not acceptable.
3. A legal description which includes the tax lot(s), section(s), township(s) and range(s).
4. A sketch or scaled map showing significant property elements and property boundaries for nominations involving more than a single structure or site.
5. Photographs detailing the historic nature of the property. Photo documentation should be 4"x6" or 5"x7" minimum format in either black and white or color with negatives and must be clearly labeled to identify case, location, subjects and the direction the photograph was taken. The Clark County Historic Preservation Commission staff should be consulted regarding exact photo requirements for specific nominations.
Incomplete forms or those with insufficient documentation will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant.
Clark County Heritage Register - Criteria
The following are criteria for determining designation of properties in the Clark County Heritage Register as stated in the Clark County Historic Preservation Ordinance, Section 18.328.050 .
Any building, structure, site, or object, may be designated for inclusion in the Clark County Heritage Register if it is significantly associated with the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or cultural heritage of the community; if it has integrity; is at least 50 years old, or is of lesser age and has exceptional importance; and if it falls in at least one of the following categories.
1. Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of national, state, or local history.
2. Embodies the distinctive architectural characteristics of a type, period, style, or method of design or construction, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction.
3. Is an outstanding work of a designer, builder, or architect who has made a substantial contribution to their field.
4. Exemplifies or reflects special elements of the county's history.
5. Is associated with the lives of persons significant in national, state, or local history.
6. Has yielded or may be likely to yield important archaeological information related to history or prehistory.
7. Is an historic building or cultural resource removed from its original location but which is significant for architectural value, or association with an historic person or event, or prehistory.
8. Is a birthplace or grave of a prehistoric or historical figure of outstanding importance and is the only surviving structure or site associated with that person.
9. Is a cemetery or burial site which derives its primary significance from age, from distinctive design features, or from association with historic events, or cultural patterns.
10. Is a reconstructed building that has been executed in an historically accurate manner on the original site.
11. Is a creative and unique example of folk architecture and design created by persons not formally trained in the architectural or design professions, and which does not fit into formal architectural or historical categories.
