Historic District Commission

A. Establishment. Subject to the Rhode Island General Acts and Procedures prescribed hereunder, there is hereby created an Historic District Commission, hereafter called the "Commission," to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
B. Appointment. The Commission shall consist of seven members, residents of the City of Pawtucket, to be appointed by the Mayor of Pawtucket and confirmed by the City Council of Pawtucket. Members shall be appointed for a term of three years, except that the initial appointment of two members shall be for one year, two members for two years and three members for three years. Members may be eligible for reappointment. No more than two members of the Commission shall reside in or own property in the same National Register Historic District.
[Amended 10-23-1997 by Ch. No. 2470]
C. Auxiliary member. The Mayor of the City of Pawtucket, subject to the approval of the City Council, shall have the right to name an additional or eighth member of the Historic District Commission of the City to sit as an active member upon the request of the Chairperson of the Commission, when and if a member of the Commission is unable to serve at any meetings or hearings.
D. Qualifications. Members of the Commission shall have a demonstrated interest in either historic preservation, architectural history, planning, archaeology, historic construction, neighborhood improvement, architecture or local history, with no fewer than three members having expertise in one of these areas. Duly organized and existing preservation and neighborhood organizations may present to the appointing authority a list of qualified citizens from which list the appointing authority may select members.
E. Organization. The Commission shall organize annually and by election shall select from its membership a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Secretary and shall adopt rules of procedure deemed necessary in discharging its duties. The Commission shall meet no fewer than four times a year.
F. Transaction of business. The meetings of the Commission shall be open to the public. Any person or his or her duly constituted representative shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any matter before the Commission reaches a decision.
G. Keeping of records. The Commission shall appoint a Secretary who shall record the minutes of the meeting. The records of the Commission shall be available for public inspection in accordance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations at the offices of the Department of Planning and Redevelopment and at the City Clerk's office. Technical assistance to the Commission shall be provided, as requested, from the City Department of Planning and Redevelopment.