Design guidelines help regulate development activity in historic districts in order to protect them for all citizens. They also prevent inappropriate alterations and additions which can compromise the full monetary value of these properties. Design guidelines assist local Historic Preservation Commissions in the decision-making process for reviewing proposed alterations to historic properties, and aids property owners who are considering rehabilitation or new construction projects.
The guidelines should be developed with a clear understanding of a community's architecture, unique sense of place, and the needs of the citizens. For communities just beginning a design review process, the guidelines may be less restrictive and more informative, so that they truly "guide" the design process. For historic districts facing intense development pressure, however, more specific guidelines which are clearly understood by both the applicant and the Historic Preservation Commission may be in order.
Three Gables has not only developed design guidelines for several communties, but principal Deon Wolfenbarger has adminstered guidelines when serving as staff to preservation commissions in Liberty and Kansas City, Missouri, and Boulder, Colorado. This experience in reviewing several hundred applications for alterations to historic buildings provides first-hand knowledge of what works, and does not work, in typical guidelines for historic resources.
Design Guidelines
