Section 175-82 STATEMENT OF INTENT.
A.
The
intent of this Article is to promote and protect the
health, safety, comfort, recreation, prosperity and general
welfare of
the community through the identification, preservation and enhancement
of
buildings, structures, neighborhoods, landscapes, places and areas
which have
special historical, cultural, artistic, architectural or archaeological
significance as provided by Section 15.1-503.2 of the Code of Virginia,
as
amended.
B.
It
is hereby recognized that the deterioration,
destruction or alteration of said buildings, structures, places and
areas may
cause the permanent loss of unique resources which are of great value
to the
people of Front Royal, Warren County, the State of Virginia and the
nation and
that the special controls and incentives are warranted to ensure that
such
losses are avoided when possible.
C.
The
purposes of establishing historic resource overlay areas
are:
1.
To
preserve and improve the quality of life
for residents of the Town of Front Royal by protecting familiar and
treasured visual elements in the area.
2.
To
promote tourism by protecting historical
and cultural resources attractive to visitors and thereby
supporting local
business and industry.
3.
To
stabilize and
improve property values by providing incentive for the upkeep and
rehabilitation of older structures and by encouraging desirable uses
and forms
of economic development.
4.
To
educate residents on the local cultural
and historic heritage as embodied in the Historic District
Overlay Areas
and to foster a sense of pride in this heritage.
5.
To
promote local
historic preservation efforts and to encourage the identification
and
nomination of qualified historic properties to the National Register of
Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register.
6.
To
prevent the
encroachment of additions or new buildings and structures that are
architecturally incongruous with their environs within areas of
architectural
harmony and historic character.
(Ord. No. Z-5-92 Amended Entire Section 4-13-92-Effective Upon Passage)