3.4 - 4.4A Fresh Look at Historic Districts

Developing Standards for Heritage Conservation Districts

Myrick Howard,Preservation North Carolina

Peter Sandbeck,NC State Office of Historic Preservation

Elizabeth Sappenfield,Preservation NC and National Trust for Historic Preservation

Trends in Districting

• 97 local historic districts• 103 commissions• 496 National Register districts

Data in this and following slides provided by the NC State Historic Preservation Office.

Number of Districts and Commissions by County

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

AlamanceAnsonAshe

AveryBeaufort

BertieBrunsw ickBuncombe

BurkeCabarrusCaldw ellCarteretCasw ell

Cataw baChatham

CherokeeChow an

ClevelandCraven

CumberlanCurrituck

DareDavidson

DavieDuplin

DurhamEdgecombe

ForsythFranklinGaston

GranvilleGreeneGuilfordHalifaxHarnett

Hayw oodHenderson

HertfordHokeHydeIredell

JacksonJohnston

JonesLee

LenoirLincoln

NRHD

LHOD

Commission

Number of Districts and Commissions by County

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

MaconMadison

MartinMcDow ell

MecklenburgMitchell

MontgomeryMooreNashNew

NorthamptonOnslowOrange

PasquotankPender

PerquimansPerson

PittPolk

RandolphRichmondRobeson

RockinghamRow an

RutherfordSampsonScotland

StanlyStokesSurry

Sw ainTransylvani

TyrrellUnion

VanceWake

WarrenWashington

WataugaWayneWilkesWilson

Yancey

NRHD

LHOD

Commission

LHOD by designation date

Partial list – not all data available.

Neighborhoods without Local Districts

What we’re seeing in Raleigh

• Early 20th c. Eclectic• Prosperous early suburbs• High property (land) value• Subject to teardowns• National Register• In need of protection

Vanguard Park

Michael Zirkle Photography, courtesy of RHDC

Glenwood-Brooklyn

Infill in National Register districts2002-2007

Why aren’t they using LHOD

• Property rights objectionDon’t tell me what to do.

• Strictness of regulationPaint color?!?

• Negative public perceptionHysterical society

• Lack of municipal supportWe don’t have the staff right now.

Michael Zirkle Photography, courtesy of RHDC

Cameron Park

Hayes Barton

Michael Zirkle Photography, courtesy of RHDC

What do these neighborhoods need?

• Respite from teardowns• Relief from skyrocketing

land values • Better match between

zoning and built form• Protection for scale and

context

The HOD2 Concept

• Based on existing local historic overlay district

• Regulate only most significant elements – not the fine grain details

• Focuses on scale, rhythm, coverage, proportion

• Regulate only what’s visible from the street –not the back yard

Administration

• Use the existing HOD structure – edit the major/minor work matrix

• Remove detail elements from the review list

• Use staff to handle most approvals

Major / Minor Work

Current Matrix Example of Proposed

Architectural Detail

Minor Work – Staff review

If not visible from Right Of Way, no review. If visible, Minor Work

Decks – max height < 42”

Minor Work – Staff review

If not visible from ROW, no review. If visible, Minor Work.

Decks – max height > 42”

Major Work If not visible from ROW, no review. If visible, Major Work.

Paint – previously painted element

Minor Work No review

Paint – previously unpainted element

Major Work Minor Work

Form-Based Code

Form-based codes foster predictable built results and a high-quality public realm by using physical form (rather than separation of uses) as the organizing principle for the code.

Denver, CO

Form-Based Code Institutewww.formbasedcodes.org

Advantages of Form-Based Code

• Prescriptive rather than proscriptive• Encourages public participation• Regulates at the building lot scale• Generates diverse built results• Codifies existing built environment, generating compatible

infill• Accessible for public, user-friendly• Eliminates need for subjective guidelines• More clarity leads to better enforcement

Questions?

Case Study

Raleigh LHOD Guidelines• Regulates elements that “contribute to the overall

historic character of the building or site.”• When elements are being repaired or replaced,

they must “match the original in design, dimension, detail, texture, pattern, material and color.”

Case study pdf available online.

Design Elements

Site Elements• Building spacing, setbacks• Building orientation• Lot coverage• Utility structures• Parking areas • Walls, fences• Steps, pavement• Landscaping, trees• Lighting

Building Elements• Architectural style• Building height• Exterior arrangement, proportion• Size, scale of building• Roof, shape and material• Building material• Color• Fenestration, openings

Case Study Neighborhood

Case Study Neighborhood