25. If the zoning ordinance designates and regulates historic sites or districts pursuant to subsection i. of section 52 of P.L.1975, c.291 (C. 40:55D-65), the governing body shall by ordinance provide for referral of applications for issuance of permits pertaining to historic sites or property in historic districts to the historic preservation commission for a written report on the application of the zoning ordinance provisions concerning historic preservation to any of those aspects of the change proposed, which aspects were not determined by approval of an application for development by a municipal agency pursuant to the “Municipal Land Use Law,” P.L.1975, c.291 (C. 40:55D-1 et seq.). The historic preservation commission shall submit its report either to the administrative officer or the planning board, as specified by ordinance. If the ordinance specifies the submission of the historic preservation commission’s report to the planning board, the planning board shall report to the administrative officer.

In the case of a referral by the administrative officer of a minor application for the issuance of a permit pertaining to historic sites or property in historic districts, as defined in the zoning ordinance, the chairman of the historic preservation commission may act in the place of the full commission for purposes of this section; and, if the ordinance specifies the submission to the planning board of a commission report on a minor application, the ordinance may authorize the chairman or a subcommittee of the planning board to act in place of the full board.

The historic preservation commission or the planning board, as the case may be, shall report to the administrative officer within 45 days of his referral of the application to the historic preservation commission. If within the 45-day period the historic preservation commission or the planning board, as the case may be, recommends to the administrative officer against the issuance of a permit or recommends conditions to the permit to be issued, the administrative officer shall deny issuance of the permit or include the conditions in the permit, as the case may be. Failure to report within the 45-day period shall be deemed to constitute a report in favor of issuance of the permit and without the recommendation of conditions to the permit.

L.1985,c.516,s.25; amended 1991,c.199,s.9.