Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17D City-wide Standards

Chapter 17D.100 Historic Preservation

Section 17D.100.210 Certificates of Appropriateness – Procedure

1. Any application for an action which requires a certificate of appropriateness under this chapter or which may be within the scope of agreed management standards under this chapter must meet minimum submittal requirements established by the HPO. Prior to taking action on the application, the official responsible for processing the application shall request review of the action by the commission. For non-contributing resources within a local register historic district, an administrative approval may be considered.

2. The requests for review and issuance of a certificate of appropriateness and any supplemental information shall be transmitted by the HPO to the commission, the property owner or applicant, the neighborhood council where the property is located and interested parties of record at least fourteen (14) days prior to the next scheduled meeting of the commission. The review of requests for certificate of appropriateness which may be approved by the HPO are deemed to be ministerial permits. The HPO shall issue the administrative decision within fourteen (14) days after receipt of the application. The review of requests for certificates of appropriateness which are approved by the landmarks commission are subject to the timeline and procedures contained in this section.

3. At its next scheduled meeting, the commission reviews the request and decides whether to issue a certificate of appropriateness. The commission transmits its findings to the property owner or applicant, the neighborhood council and interested parties of record. If the commission is unable to process the request, the commission may extend the time for its determination.

4. The commission reviews the request for certificates of appropriateness under the following procedure:

1. 1. The applicant for a certificate of appropriateness must provide to the commission drawings of the proposed work, photographs of the existing building or structure and adjacent properties, information about the building materials to be used, and any other information requested by the HPO or commission. 

1. 2. In making a decision on an application, the commission uses the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, historic district design standards and other general guidelines established and adopted by the commission. In adopting and using standards, the commission does not limit new construction to any one architectural style but seeks to preserve the character and integrity of the landmark or the historic district through contemporary compatible designs.

1. 3. The HPO reviews each application, certifies it complete and, within seven (7) days of certification, causes notice of application to be provided to the property owner or applicant, the neighborhood council and interested parties of record. The notice of application shall be provided electronically to the e-mail on record or by mail if there is no e-mail address. After the notice of application has been given, a public comment period is provided until the commission closes the public comment period upon completion of the public hearing. The purpose of the public comment period is to provide the opportunity for public review and comment on the application. Comments on the application will be accepted at or any time prior to the closing of the record of the open-record public hearing.

1. 4. At least fourteen (14) days prior to the public hearing, the officer causes notice of hearing to be provided, which shall consist of notification to the property owner or applicant and interested parties of record of the date and time of the public hearing before the commission.

1. 5. Commission review.

1. 1. 1. The HPO makes a written report regarding the application to the commission, ensures that the application is sent to appropriate other City departments, coordinates their review of the application and assembles their comments and remarks for inclusion in the report to the commission as appropriate. The report of the HPO contains a description of the proposal, a summary of the pertinent Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, findings and conclusions relating to those standards and a recommendation. If the recommendation is for approval with conditions, the report also identifies appropriate conditions of approval. At least ten (10) days prior to the scheduled public hearing, the report is filed with the commission as appropriate and copies are mailed to the applicant and the applicant’s representative. Copies of the report are also made available to any interested person for the cost of reproduction. If a report is not made available as provided in this subsection, commission may reschedule or continue the hearing, or make a decision without regard to any report.

1. 1. 2. The commission makes a decision regarding the application within ten (10) days of the date the record regarding the application is closed. The time for decision may be extended if the applicant agrees. In making the decision, the commission may approve, approve with conditions, or deny the permit application. The decision is in writing.

1. 6. Within seven (7) days of making the decision, the permit authority causes a notice of decision to be provided to the property owner or applicant, the neighborhood council and interested parties of record.

Date Passed: Monday, September 16, 2019

Effective Date: Friday, November 1, 2019

ORD C35807 Section 6