Historic Preservation
Washington's Historic District
"Guidelines for Property Owners"
Part 4: Certificate of Appropriateness
Exterior improvements, new construction,
or changes to property in the Historic
District require review by the City to ensure that changes will
comply with Historic District
Guidelines. The City must issue a Certificate
of Appropriateness (COA) before a property owner can erect,
alter, restore, demolish, or move any of the following: any exterior
portion of the building; property features such as stone walls,
fences, light fixtures, steps and pavement; above-ground utility
structures; or outdoor advertising signs.
Projects that will not alter the
appearance and character of the property and/or will recreate the
property's original appearance are considered minor works. City
staff can issue a Minor
Works COA for certain improvements. More substantial projects
require review by the Historic
Preservation Commission before receiving a COA.
The Commission also reviews requests that have been denied by the
City staff.
A COA
is never required for improvements in the interior of a building.
Before proceeding with improvements
to the exterior of a building or property in the Historic District,
the property owner should contact the City's
Planning and Development Department at (252) 975-9384 about
obtaining a Certificate
of Appropriateness. Property owners will need to complete a
form to describe the work to be performed and pay a fee. For some
projects, property owners also may need to secure other
permits from the City's Inspection
Division. Copies of the Historic
District Guidelines and Historic District Maps are available
from the City's Department of Planning
and Development.
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