F. Demolition of Historic Resource
(1) Demolition Approval Required
No person, firm, corporation, or other entity shall demolish a landmark or contributing property within a historic district or cause or allow such demolition to be done, nor shall any permit for such demolition be issued, unless the demolition is approved by the Commission and a Certificate of Appropriateness is issued.
(2) Demolition Approval Criteria
a. A landmark or contributing property may be demolished if:
1. The Chief Building Official has determined that an imminent safety hazard exists and that demolition of the structure is the only feasible means to secure the public safety; or
2. The Commission finds, after review, that maintenance, use and/or alteration of the designated property in accordance with the requirements of this article would cause immediate and substantial economic hardship on the property owner(s) because rehabilitation in a manner which preserves the historic integrity of the resource:
i. Is infeasible from a technical, mechanical, or structural standpoint; and/or
ii. Would leave the property with no reasonable economic value because it would require an unreasonable expenditure taking into account such factors as current market value, permitted uses of the property, and the cost of compliance with applicable local, state and federal requirements.
Costs necessitated by the neglect or failure of the current owner(s) to maintain the property need not be considered in making this finding; or
3. The Commission finds that the demolition of a contributing property would not have a substantial adverse impact on the historic significance or integrity of a historic district.
b. The applicant shall bear the burden of proof for all findings required for approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition.
c. Notice of Demolition
If demolition is approved, the property owner(s) may be required to publish notice at least 10 days prior to the scheduled demolition date, in a newspaper of general circulation, of the availability of materials for salvage. Upon request, the Commission may make this information available to persons who may be interested in contacting the owner(s) to arrange for possible salvage of historic building materials.
(3) Architectural Documentation Prior to Demolition of Historic Buildings
Applications for permits for the demolition of buildings that are in part (original structure with later additions) or in their entirety 50 or more years old must include architectural documentation to provide a permanent record of buildings of historical significance before their loss. Demolition applications are available from the Community Development Department.
a. Applicability
These regulations apply to all demolition permit requests involving buildings that are in part or in their entirety 50 or more years old, but are not individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places; and do not meet the eligibility criteria for the National Register of Historic Places or Designation as a Landmark in Sedona. Documentation is not required if the demolition will be limited to an addition that is less than 50 years old, for accessory buildings such as sheds, and mobile or manufactured homes regardless of age.
b. Review Required
The applicant must submit documentation in conjunction with a demolition permit application submittal. The documentation will be reviewed and found complete pursuant to this article prior to issuance of a demolition permit.
c. Application and Review Process
1. Prior to the submittal of a demolition permit application, the applicant may meet with the Director. At that time, the Director will determine whether the application requires documentation.
2. At the time of submittal, the applicant must submit the demolition permit application and all required architectural documentation to the Community Development Department.
3. The Director shall review the submitted architectural documentation and approve the materials for completeness. The Director determines and informs the applicant that the required architectural documentation is complete, or of any additional documentation which is required within five working days of the submittal date.
4. If the Director determines that the required architectural documentation is complete, then a demolition permit application may be processed. The applicant must demonstrate compliance with all provisions of the LDC before a demolition permit will be issued.
d. Documentation Required
1. Current photographs of the front, rear and sides of the building to be completely or partially demolished; and
2. Copies of old photographs of the building to be completely or partially demolished (taken at least 20 years prior to the demolition application), if in the possession of the applicant; and
3. A list of any important historical events or historically significant persons related to the building to be demolished, if known to the applicant.
e. Documentation Optional
1. Floor plans with measured dimensions; and
2. Photographs of all interior rooms; and
3. A “context photograph” illustrating the relationship between the building to be completely or partially demolished and the nearest adjacent buildings; and
4. A general description of construction materials, such as exterior walls, roofing, windows, porches, and carports of the building to be demolished.
f. Documentation Retention
Upon approval of the demolition permit, the Director shall retain the architectural documentation as a record of a lost historic resource.