RECENT COMMENTS
next Union Hill Historic District Study Group meeting set
Mark your calendar for Tuesday September 18, 2007 at 7pm! The next meeting of the Union Hill Historic District Study Group will take place at 2108 E. Leigh Street.
From Elaine Odelle:
THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT MEETING as we begin the community awareness phase of our work in earnest. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL.
At this meeting, we will
1. divide up the street grid for our canvassing of the neighborhood. Come pick your block(s)!
2. hand out our “talking points” along with other useful documents to help/leave behind in your canvassing.
3. discuss how we will talk to our neighbors, and collect their responses to our discussion of O&H districts.
If you’re not on our current Study Group email list and would like to attend the meeting and get involved please send an email to either Bill Conkle at junkifunki@aol.com or Elaine Odell at elaine@churchhillphoto.com. We need all the neighborhood participation we can get! Join us in our efforts to see Union Hill become the next City Old & Historic District.
TAGGED: Union Hill
what is this study group doing? have you already decided that a city historic district for union hill is your goal? is that is the case, there is no real study! i own property in the union hill state/fed historic district and i have no objection to that. it is one of the reasons i bought property. i am opposed to any kind of city historic district. so if your study is to determine yes or no historic district i would like to participate. but if your goal is yes i guess i need to make my own study group to try and stop you.
bill laffoon
I was curious about the differences between federal, state and city historic districts. So I looked it up. Thought others would want to know, too.
From the Virginia Department of Historic Resources:
Federal and state designations don’t prevent you from tearing down your house, putting up plastic siding or painting it pink. “Only locally designated historic districts are subject to local zoning ordinances and procedures. Sometimes, a property or district may be listed at the national, state, and local levels but it is only the local designation that places restrictions on private owners.”
But homeowners in a federal or state historic district can voluntarilly enter into an agreement to limit alterations. “Property owners who donate historic preservation easements, participate in the federal or state tax credit programs, or accept a federal or state rehabilitation grant must abide by certain restrictions on alterations or demolitions associated with those programs.”
the primary distinction is that state/fed hd are beneficial to a property owned able to use tax credits
the city hd is punative (sp) the city will tell you what you have to do. city hd will create gated neighborhoods, ruled by those in the neighborhood deemed to have good taste.
The study group has not made a decision about pursuing City Old and Historic District status for Union Hill. Right now, the group is getting organized to begin canvassing the neighborhood and property owners outside the neighborhood to find out what the majority of people want for Union Hill. The study group wants to hear from everyone–those in favor of the idea of a Union Hill Old and Historic District, and those opposed. If you’re interested in participating in the group, please do contact Elaine Odell and/or Bill Conkle.
Here are some facts about City Old and Historic Districts that might be of interest to many folks:
1. There are now 15 City Old and Historic Districts in Richmond and none are “gated communities.” Jackson Ward is a City Old and Historic District. There are no gates there. The Boulevard from Broad to I195 is a City Old & Historic District. No gates there. Both offer affordable housing and are welcoming neighborhoods. As are Chimborazo, Spring Hill, and Church Hill North to name a few.
2.The Commission of Architectural Review (CAR) and the City’s Historic Preservation Division of Community Development review building plans and proposed changes to exteriors. Neighbors do not. The CAR bases it’s decisions on the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and New Construction. Guidelines apply equally to all City O&H Districts. Get all the facts at http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/forms/docs/comdev/Old_Historic_Dist.pdf
Also, the CAR is appointed by City Council…details on who these folk are can be found at http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/departments/communitydev/car.aspx.
3. Everything that now stands in a neighborhood that is considered a candidate for City Old & Historic status is “grandfathered”. For example, if you have vinyl siding, you can keep it and maintain it as long as you like. Even when you sell the house, the new owners can do the same.
4. If you have a building under renovation or in the midst of construction, as long as your building permit is approved prior to the City Old & Historic District ordinance being passed, you too, are “grandfathered” for what your building permit allows.
Hopefully this information helps answers some concerns folks might have.
I believe bill was not being literal when he said “gated.” He was just saying howing this would be no different than living in a gated community with a home owners association that won’t let you paint your house anything but beige and tries to control every little thing you do.
The requirements of the architectural review commission appear to be overstated in a few of the con posts above. The commission can’t and doesn’t control every little thing you do. Check out the links – I think you’ll find there is a lot more leeway than is generally supposed.
Regarding Fed & State Historic Tax Credit guidelines vs. City Old & Historic District guidelines:
1.For developers/property owners/real estate investors, when it comes to exterior changes and restorations, the City O&H/CAR and the Fed/State Tax Credits Program/Va Dept of Historic Resources play by the same book: The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards of Rehabilitation.
If you are seeking Fed & State Tax Credits, your guidelines for exterior restorations are the same as those for a City Old and Historic District. Simply put, if the Va Dept of Historic Resources ok’s your exterior, the City will too. Yes, you’ll have to file for a Certificate of Appropriateness if you’re in a City Old and Historic District, but you simply submit duplicate info (the same info as you do for the Va Dept of Historic Resources.)
In short, when it comes to exteriors, City Old and Historic Districts go hand-in-hand with developers/property owners who are applying for Fed/State Tax credits.
2. It can be argued that the Fed & State programs place a substantially higher burden on the developer/property owner seeking tax credits for a restoration. Why, because not only are exteriors evaluated in the Fed/State process, but interiors are too. City O&H District status doesn’t factor in any way to what you do on the inside of your house.
The VA Dept of Historic Resources (which administers the State & Fed Tax Credit Programs) wants you to keep the interior as true to the original as possible. Among other things, this means the original floor plan, ceiling heights, wall materials (save the plaster!), etc., are to be restored and kept intact.
For example, you can be disqualified if you tear down an interior wall because you want an breezy open floor plan e.g., a big living room that looks into the dining area and kitchen (this is a modern change many of our Union/Church Hill homes now enjoy post-renovtation/restoration). The City doesn’t give a jot if you open a floor plan, as long as it meets building code requirements (and that’s regardless of City O&H status.)
Of course, the Va. Dept of Historic Resources has a reasonable staff of professionals who will work with property owners seeking tax credits to find good solutions to restoration issues and our modern lifestyles. Their reasonable, intelegent, hard-working folks who do a splendid job of managing the Fed/State Tax Credit Programs.
Bottom line: the City O&H leaves changes to the inside of your house entirely up to you. While the State & Fed Tax Credit programs require substantial documentation and justification to any changes & restorations you make to an interior.
Of course, the Fed & State Tax Credits are voluntary while the City Old & Historic District applies equally to every property owner.
Please see previous post for more key facts about a City O&H Districts.
the style story today about fulton might give some insight on the city’s role in historic preservation. dont forget that jackson ward was recently listed in the top 10 endangered historic sites in the us by nthp, mostly due to city/rrha demolition and improvement programs. the leigh st armory is a fine example of city historic preservation policy.
now some are asking the city to work the historic preservation magic in union hill. ever wonder why someone would question this ?
The union hill effort appears to be citizen-driven, not city-driven.
Reminder: there is meeting of the Study Group tonight (Tuesday, September 18th) 7pm at 2108 East Leigh Street- everyone is welcome! Wine and Cheese will be available. Stop by for a minute, ask questions and get involved. -Bill