Appendix 1702. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this article shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:

Alterations, (may also be referred to as remodeling.) A change in the external architectural features of any historic structure or in the interior of such structure if the interior feature is specifically included in the historic designation; a change in the landscape features of any historic site or place; or work having an adverse effect upon designated archaeological resources.

Archaeological resources. Any material remains of past human life, activities or habitation that are of historic or prehistoric significance. Such materials include, but are not limited to pottery, basketry, bottles, weapons, weapon projectiles, tools, structures, or portion of structures, pit houses, rock paintings, rock carvings, graves, skeletal remains, personal items and clothing, household or business refuse, printed matter, manufactured items or any piece of any of the foregoing items.

Area. Two (2) or more parcels of land, sites, houses, buildings or structures that may include streets and alleys.

Certificate of appropriateness. The document issued by the board of architectural review, following a prescribed review procedure, certifying that the proposed actions by an applicant are found to be acceptable in terms of design criteria relating to the individual property or the historic district.

Certificate of no effect. An official form issued by the county Planning Department stating that the proposed work on historic property will have no detrimental effect on the historic character of the property, and therefore, may proceed as specified in the certificate without obtaining further authorization under these regulations. The issuance of this form authorizes the applicant to proceed with applications for any permits required by Horry County's Code Enforcement and Zoning Departments for said work.

Construction. The addition to an existing structure or the erection of a new principal or accessory structure on a lot or property.

Contributing property. Any property located within a historic that is not a historic or designated property.

Demolition. Any act or process that destroys in part or in whole a historic structure or property (real or personal).

Demolition by neglect. Any act or process that destroys in part or in whole a historic structure or property (real or personal) because of neglect in maintaining, repairing, recycling, or securing a resource or the loss of structural integrity of the resource.

Design guidelines. A standard of appropriate activity that will preserve the historic and architectural character of a structure or area and by which the Board of Architectural Review makes it decisions.

Economic hardship. Economic hardship exists when a preponderance of evidence establishes that the property in question cannot obtain a reasonable economic return or be put to any economically beneficial use.

Exterior architectural appearance. The architectural character and general composition of the exterior of a structure, including but not limited to the kind, height, size, shape, mass, proportion, details, color, and texture of the building materials and the type, design, and character of all windows, doors, light fixtures, signs and appurtenant elements.

Historic preservation. (Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties Definition.) Preservation means the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of an historic property. Work, including preliminary measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction. New exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project.

Historic preservation district. An area designated by the Horry County Council, upon the recommendation of the board of architectural review and pursuant to the provisions of this Article. A District is considered an area or group of areas, urban or rural, not necessarily having contiguous boundaries, containing one (1) or more resource related by history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture. All historic preservation districts shall be denoted with a special boundary and the text "HP" on the official zoning maps for Horry County and shall be classified as an overlay for zoning and mapping purposes. The historic preservation district will not replace the zoning district of record but will coincide with that district.

Historic site, landmark, structure, resource or property. One (1) or more parcels of land, sites, houses, buildings, structures, features, open space/areas, objects, or areas worthy of preservation because it is significant in the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or culture of the County. Hereinafter, a historic site, landmark, structure, resource or property will be referred to as a "historic property" or a "designated property".

Horry County Historic Property Register. The list of historic properties designated historic in Horry County as compiled and kept by the Horry County Planning Department.

The list shall be composed of the lots of non-designated properties within any historic preservation district as well as those historic properties that have received National Register, state or local status.

Minor work. Any change modifying, restoring, rehabilitating, renovating, surfacing, or resurfacing of the features of a historic property which does not materially change the historic characteristics of the property.

Move/removal. Any relocation of a structure on its site or to another site.

Open space. Undeveloped land, a naturally landscaped area, or a formal or man-made landscaped area that provides a connective link or a buffer between other resources.

Ordinary maintenance. Keeping a resource unimpaired and through ongoing minor intervention, undertaken from time to time, its exterior condition. Ordinary maintenance does not change the external appearance of the resources except through the elimination of the usual and expected effects of weathering, specifically, painting as an act of ordinary maintenance. Ordinary maintenance does not constitute work for the purposes of this chapter.

Ordinary landscaping. Keeping a resource unimpaired and in sustained condition through ongoing, periodic minor intervention. Ordinary landscaping does not change the appearance of the resource, except through the changes to shrubbery, flowerbeds, rock gardens, etc.

Owner of record. (may also be called the record owner.) The person, corporation or other legal entity listed as owner(s) in the records of the Horry County Tax Assessor's office.

Property. Real property, land.

Reconstruction. The act of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving historic property for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time and in its historic location.

Rehabilitation. The act or process of making possible an efficient compatible use for a historic property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features that convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.

Repair. To restore a decayed or damaged resource to good or sound conditions by any process. A repair that changes the external appearance of a resource constitutes work for the purposes of this article.

Restoration. The act of process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by means of the removal of features from other periods in its history and reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration period.

Substantial hardship. Hardship, caused by unusual and compelling circumstances, based on one (1) or more of the following:

(1)

The property cannot reasonably be maintained in the manner dictated by this article;

(2)

There are no other reasonable means of saving the property from deterioration, or collapse; or,

(3)

The property is owned by a non-profit organization and it is not feasible financially or physically to achieve the charitable purposes of the organization while maintaining the property appropriately.

(Ord. No. 04-04, § 2, 4-6-04)