(a) In Autauga County, the governing body of the City of Prattville is hereby authorized to adopt ordinances to protect the historic architectural character of the city in the manner hereinafter prescribed.

(b) The governing body of the city may dedicate as an historic district any section of the city having an overall atmosphere of architectural and historic distinction. A single structure may be designated as an historic district.

(c) An historic development commission with the following membership, duties and powers may be created by the city governing body.

(1) The commission shall be composed of no less than 11 members who shall be selected by the city governing body in such a manner as to serve overlapping terms, Except for the first members, their terms shall be four years.

(2) The commission shall operate under a constitution as adopted by the commission and approved by the city governing body.

(3) The commission shall have as its purposes all of the following:

a. The preservation and protection of buildings of historic and architectural value in the historic districts, as defined in subsection (b), and the maintenance of the distinctive character of these districts.

b. The fostering and encouraging of the preservation, restoration, and utilization of buildings of historic and architectural value in the historic districts.

c. The development and promotion of historic districts as major tourist attractions of historic and economic value.

(4) It shall be the duty of the commission to exercise such powers as the commission shall deem necessary and fitting to carry out the above stated purposes.

(d) An architectural review board with the following membership, duties, and powers may be created by the city governing body:

(1) The board shall be composed of seven members. The seven members shall be selected by the city governing body to serve overlapping terms and shall all have voting rights. The initial members shall be appointed for the following terms: Two members shall be appointed for a term of one year; two members shall be appointed for a term of two years; and three members shall be appointed for a term of three years. Except for the first members appointed by the city, their terms shall be four years.

(2) The board shall adopt rules for the transaction of business and shall keep a record of its resolutions, transactions, findings, and determinations, which shall be a public record. Meetings shall be held at regular intervals, but at least monthly. Subject to the approval of the governing body of the city, the board may appoint such employees as it may deem necessary for its work, whose appointment, promotion, demotion, and removal shall be subject to the same provisions of law as govern other civil employees of the city. The board may also contract with architects and other professional and technical consultants for such services as it may require. The expenditures of the board, exclusive of gifts or grants, shall be within the amounts appropriated for the purpose by the city governing body, which shall provide the funds, equipment, and accommodations necessary for the board's work.

(3) It shall be the duty of the board to recommend, approve, or disapprove plans for buildings to be erected or renovated which are located or are to be located within the historic districts.

(e) The city governing body shall prescribe the procedure for the review of building plans for any building to be erected or renovated which is located or is to be located in the designated historic districts, including rules governing decisions of the architectural review board and the procedure for appeal from decisions of the board.

(f) The city governing body may adopt such other regulations as are necessary to effect the purposes of this section.