Guiding
Principals for a Local Historical District
Every LHD is intended to conform to
the values and desires of the neighborhood it applies to. If we had
an LHD, what should it look like?
Based in part on the work done by the
Pemberton Heights Neighborhood Association,
WANG has defined the following set of Guiding Principals for what we
think our neighbors would want - and would
not want - in an LHD. Is this what you want? Please
review and let us know.
Outreach/Process
“Our goal is to
maintain the uniqueness of West Austin,
the quality of life that comes from that uniqueness, and the value of
owning a home in this neighborhood.
The City has written the LHD ordinance to create incentives for
preservation of historic areas of Austin. Each historic district creates its own
unique Preservation Plan. By
forming an LHD and developing a Preservation Plan, neighbors are agreeing
to restrict their own building options in exchange for having similar
restrictions applicable to all other building projects in the
neighborhood.
“The Board will
guide the development of the Preservation Plan in a way that encourages
input from all affected property owners from the proposed LHD, with the
goal of developing a Preservation Plan that reflects the broad consensus
values of the affected property owners from the proposed LHD.”
Property
Values
“The intent of the
LHD is to enhance property values for homeowner-residents by creating and
maintaining a neighborhood sought by potential residents not only for its
convenient location but also for its unique community of authentic
historic homes and sympathetic newer construction.
“Recognizing that
historic preservation requires a shared commitment and vision by those
affected, the LHD is intended to favor investment in the neighborhood by
owner-residents over the financial interests of development speculators.”
Predictability
“The Preservation
Plan will provide clarity and predictability regarding new construction,
remodeling, and preservation in the neighborhood, and should reduce the
need for neighbor to confront neighbor over development proposals. The plan should not be burdensome or
time-consuming to those who comply with it.”
Landscape and
Amenities
“We will look for
ways to maintain the tree cover and the open public and private
landscaping that currently exist in West Austin. We will seek opportunities to keep
traffic noise levels down and provide historically sensitive public
amenities as part of the Preservation Plan.”
Lot
Size
“The Preservation
Plan will maintain the traditional arrangement and rhythm of houses along
streets in West Austin. Except for undeveloped tracts, lot
splits, combining lots, or creating lots that do not front on a street
will be strongly discouraged.”
Neighborhood
“Feel”
“A primary goal of
the guidelines on lot size, scale of house to yard, architectural style,
and open landscaping is to preserve the neighborhood’s unique character,
which is created by the narrow streets, mature trees, uniform set-backs,
and diversity of historic architectural styles.”
Scale: House
and Yard
“The design guidelines
will identify and quantify the setbacks, heights, and building mass
relative to lot size generally used by contributing homes in the
neighborhood, and provide standards for new construction so that the
traditional proportions of landscape to improvements in the neighborhood
are respected. It will encourage
the traditional orientation of homes on lots, the open front yards
customary in the neighborhood, and the preservation of mature trees.”
Architectural
Design
In order to protect the
historic integrity and feel of the West Austin
neighborhood, we foresee new design guidelines defining set-backs,
materials, landscaping, fencing, and the overall design of new
structures. Our goals in the
development of these architectural design guidelines are:
1. That they encourage new construction
that is respectful of and sympathetic to the traditional residential
design in the neighborhood, while allowing for contemporary
interpretations and style.
2. That all new design guidelines be
objective and measurable, so that it is obvious when a structure is in
compliance and when it isn’t. We
are opposed to subjective guidelines that add uncertainty to the design
and construction process.
3. That the guidelines be simple and focus
on big issues. They should not be
‘fussy’ or too detailed.
WANG residents click here
to send comments to the board.
Also,
make sure you take the OPINION SURVEY.
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