What Local Historic District DOES NOT do: · Does not regulate paint colors · Does not require repairs or renovations to be made · Does not increase taxes beyond normal increases for the City or County · Does not prevent additions · Does not prevent non-contributing homes from being demolished · Does not require use of historic materials or historic building methods · Does not require that you open you home to the public · Does not restrict routine maintenance of properties
What Local Historic District DOES do:
· Recognizes that Oakhurst has a distinctive historic character important to the overall character of the City of Decatur
· Encourages creative and compatible development with historic areas
· Requires that a Certificate of Appropriateness be obtained for exterior changes to contributing properties, demolition of buildings, and new construction.
· Applies only to major renovations to the exterior of your home. Interior renovations are not restricted.
You know, another explicit design feature that should be excludedfrom regulation is solar panels (photovoltaic collectionsystems)--anywhere, in any quantity. Yet another example of howemulating the past may seriously endanger even having a future. Please incorporate explicit permission for street-visible solar panels andrainwater collection barrels into the design guidelines, or comment onhow the LHD wouldn't apply to either.
Solar panels are required to be reviewed because they have the same visual impact as installing a new window. As technology improves, they have less visual impact. Rain barrels are not required to be reviewed.
1 comments:
Is not denial of use of skylights and solar panels anywhere on property a violation of GA law providing solar easements? Global climate change is problem we all will need to address and the sooner the better. Denial of use of skylights and solar panels on any portion of a property, including parts which may be seen from public right of way, is working in direct opposition to evironmental stewarship and prevents citizens of Oakhurst the opportunity to obtain tax credits that they otherwise could. Why not allow solar panels and skylights on all portions of house and expressly permit it in the Guidelines? What means more to nominators protection of block face or protection of environment? Protection of the environment does NOT occur under the proposed guidelines. Too many restrictions to simply preserve the block face of structures which are not truly historical in sense of National Historical Register requirements.
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