A. The purpose of this section is to promote the educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of Middletown Township by:
(1) Identifying and preserving the distinctive historic, architectural, archaeological and geological characteristics of Middletown Township which represent elements of the Township's cultural, social, economic, political and architectural history.
(2) Fostering civic pride in the beauty and noble accomplishments of the past as represented in Middletown Township's landmarks and historic sites.
(3) Conserving and improving the value of property designated as landmarks or historic sites or designated as significant archaeological or geological sites.
(4) Protecting and enhancing the attractiveness of the Township to home buyers, tourists and visitors and thereby supporting and promoting business, commerce, industry and providing economic benefit to the Township.
(5) Fostering and encouraging preservation, restoration and rehabilitation of structures, areas, sites and neighborhoods.
B. Criteria. The Board of Supervisors shall rely upon the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Commission to make a determination as to whether a building, structure or site should be preserved, based upon whether or not the building, structure or site meets one of the following criteria:
(1) Its character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the community, county, state or country.
(2) Its location as a site of a significant local, county, state or national event.
(3) Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the community, county, state or country.
(4) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable of the study of a period, type, method of construction or use of indigenous material.
(5) Its identification as the work of a master builder, designer architect or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the community, county, state or country.
(6) Its embodiment of elements of design, detailing, materials or craftsmanship that render it architecturally significant.
(7) Its embodiment of design elements that made it structurally or architecturally innovative.
(8) Its unique location or singular physical characteristics that make it an established or familiar visual effect.
(9) Its suitability for preservation or restoration.
(10) Its inclusion in the list of structures identified as historic resources in the Middletown Township Comprehensive Plan.
C. Identification of buildings, structures and sites. Any application and the accompanying plans submitted to the Township for review for whatever reason shall specifically identify any building, structure or site which meets any of the criteria set forth above, in Subsection B(1) through Subsections B(10), inclusive.
D. Standards for review. The Township Board of Supervisors shall be guided by the following general standards in the event that the Historic Preservation Commission determines that a building, structure or site meets any of the criteria herein:
(1) Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property that requires minimal alteration of the building, structure or site and its environment or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.
(2) The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural, archaeological or geological features shall be avoided when possible.
(3) All buildings, structures and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and that seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.
(4) Changes that may have taken place in the course of time or evidence of the history and development of a building, structure or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.
(5) Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship that characterize a building's structure or site shall be treated with sensitivity.
(6) Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new materials should match the materials being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of features substantiated by historic, physical or pictorial evidence, rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.
(7) The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sand blasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.
(8) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by or adjacent to any project.
(9) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve the site of a significant local, county, state or national event.
(10) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve a site which has historical significance, heritage or cultural characteristics embodied within the community, county, state or country.
(11) Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve significant geological sites affected by or adjacent to any project.
