ARTICLE 15
Historic District Commission
15.1 There is established under the Historic Districts Act, Chapter 40C of the General Laws, a Belmont Historic District Commission consisting of seven members to be appointed by the Selectmen, including one member, where possible, from two nominees submitted by the Belmont Historical Society; one member, where possible, from two nominees, one of whom shall be submitted by the Chapter of American Institute of Architects covering Belmont and one of whom shall be submitted by the Boston Society of Landscape Architects; and one member, where possible, from two nominees of the Board of Realtors covering Belmont. One or more of the foregoing shall be a resident of an historic district established in Belmont pursuant to the Historic Districts Act. The Selectmen shall also appoint three alternate members of the Commission.
Section 15.1 amended at April 22, 1991, Annual Town Meeting. Approved by Attorney General Scott Harshbarger on June 3, 1991.
15.2 There is established under the provisions of the Historic Districts Act, as amended, an historic district to be known as the Wellington Historic District, bounded as shown on a map entitled, "Plan Showing Wellington Historic District, Pleasant Street, Belmont, Mass.," dated December 16, 1971, prepared by the Town Engineer, which shall be a part of this By-Law.
15.13 The Commission established hereunder shall have all of the powers and duties of the Belmont Historical Commission, as provided in Chapter 40, Section 8D, of the General Laws and, upon the establishment of the Commission hereunder, the former Belmont Historical Commission shall cease to exist.
15.4 The Commission shall have all of the powers and duties of an historic district commission and all of the powers and duties of an historical commission (and may in the exercise of any of the powers and duties accept money gifts and expend the same, and, subject to appropriation or receipt of such gifts, employ clerical and technical assistants or consultants) and the aforesaid powers and duties shall include without limitation the following:
(a) To conduct a survey of Belmont buildings for the purpose of determining those of historic significance, architecturally or otherwise, and pertinent facts about them, acting in collaboration with the Planning Board and the Belmont Historical Society to the extent either may from time to time be able to undertake such work, and to maintain and from time to time revise detailed listings of historic sites and buildings in Belmont and data about them appropriately classified with respect to national, state or local significance, to period or field of interest, or otherwise;
(b) To propose from time to time as it deems appropriate the establishment, in accordance with the provisions of the Historic Districts Act, of additional historic districts and changes in historic districts;
(c) To determine an appropriate system of markers for selected historic sites and buildings not already sufficiently marked, to arrange for preparation and installation of such markers and to arrange for care of historic markers;
(d) To arrange for preparation and publication of maps and brochures and descriptive material about Belmont historic sites and buildings, arrange for convenient walks or tours, or otherwise;
(e) To cooperate with and advise the Planning Board, the Highway Department and other town departments in matters involving historic sites and buildings;
(f) To cooperate with and enlist assistance for Belmont from the National Park Services, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, and other agencies, public and private, from time to time concerned with historic sites and buildings; and
(g) To advise owners of historic buildings in Belmont on problems of preservation.
15.5 The Commission may recommend to the Selectmen as needed appointment of advisory committees of historians and persons interested in architecture or other arts or in historic restoration or preservation to assist in a manner comparable to the National Park Service Advisory Board or Consulting Committee.
15.6 The Commission shall adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business not inconsistent with the provisions of the Historic Districts Act, the provisions of Chapter 40, Section 8D, of the General Laws (the Historical Commission Act) or this Article, as the case may be.
15.7 When taking action under the provisions of Section 11 of the Historic Districts Act, the Commission shall make its determination within 45 days after the filing of the application for a certificate of appropriateness or hardship or such further time as the applicant may in writing allow.
15.8 In case any section, paragraph or part of this Article be for any reason declared invalid or unconstitutional by any court, every other section, paragraph or part shall continue in full force and effect.
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