Historic preservation is a continuum of choices affecting the landscape and buildings. This continuum includes maintenance of features that are historicially, architecturally, and culturally significant. Contemporary use can be achieved while retaining distinctive features.When we develop land and build structures, preservation adds economic value. Preservation requires the establishment and adherence to a set of standards. The cost of adhering to a set of standards is reasonable considering that good design elements add economic value to the larger community.Minimum standards established by the community in conjunction with the City, relating to aesthetics, appropriateness, and architectural compatibility, would be enforced in conditional zoning or zoning overlay of local historic district. In a historic district, changes in structures would be permitted to occur only when such changes are consistent with the preservation goals of the neighborhood that has established an historic district, unless health or safety concerns require an exception.
Friday, September 21, 2007
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From the Design Supplement to the Decatur Historic Resource Manual.
"Consideration of the Neighborhing Houses"
"An addition to a house affects not only the house to which it was added, but also the surrounding neighborhood. Successful additions within a neighborhood can increase property values, whil a succession of awkward or unattractive ones can depress them. An addition which changes the character of the house in such a way that the house no longer appears to belong to the neighborhood (a two story modern addition on the front of a one-story bungalow, for example) may accomodate an individual homeowner's space requirement while hurting his neighbors.
At a smller, more local scale, an addition can block a neighbor's scenic views, and can restrict the amount of light and air flow reaching a nearby neighbor's house. It is important to be mindful of the impact than an addition can have on neighbors, both near and far, when planning to expand a residence."
Well said.
This is well said and I doubt that many would disagree. But it has nothing to do with historic preservation and everything to do with zoning.
When historic resources are being demolished and when the houses that are demolished are replaced with structures that detract from the character of the historic houses around it, the historic street, the historic neighborhood and the historic city that it's in it has everything to do with historic preservation.
It may be confusing because with a local historic district, historic preservation is addressed with a zoning overlay.
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