WORKING TOGETHER: GALLIPOLIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW BOARD AND PROPERTY OWNERS

  1. What is an historic preservation ordinance?

An ordinance is a legal document, usually part of a community’s planning and zoning code which establishes procedures for protecting certain historic areas, places, sites, buildings, structures, and objects by affording them a thorough study of alternatives to incompatible alterations or demolitions before such acts are performed

  1. Why is preservation ordinance necessary?

Many communities adopt historic preservation ordinances to protect their historic structures and improve property values.

Some property owners want to protect their investment by ensuring nearby structures are properly treated as well as their own. By protecting historic buildings, many communities have also expressed tourism growth and other forms of economic development.

  1. Is it legal for the City to tell me what to do with my property, other than to maintain safe andhealthy conditions?

The Supreme Court affirmed the basic constitutionality of historic preservation ordinances in 1978, when it applied the concept a city can enact land-use controls which preserve the aesthetic features of a city, including areas which have special historical archaeological or architectural significance.

What this “landmark” decision means for Ohio communities is the local historic preservation ordinance are firmly upheld as long as there are well-thought-out design guidelines, good review procedures and well-documented records

  1. Who will review proposed work on historic buildings?

Proposals will be reviewed by the Gallipolis Historic Preservation Review Board. Theboard consists of five members appointed by the City Commission who have demonstrated special interest, experience or knowledge in history, architecture or related disciplines. Currently, all board members either live, own property or work in Gallipolis.

The board obtained its power to review and regulate design as part of the historic preservation procedures established with the passage of City Ordinance No. 96-60.

  1. What kinds of building projects will the Historic Preservation Board review?

The law empowers the Board to review proposals from property owners for exterior alterations and additions, as well as demolitions of historic buildings in Gallipolis, this basically means projects requiring a building permit.

  1. What else does the Historic Preservation Review Board do?.

Serve as a consultant to the City, regarding any historic site or property.

One of its most important objectives is to educate property owners about historic preservations as well as serving as a resource concerning any problems they might be experiencing with their historic buildings.

  1. What are design guidelines?

Design guidelines are the criteria by which proposals from property owners are evaluated. The guidelines are suggestions on the best way to alter or add to historic buildings. In addition the guidelines help homeowners find solutions to problems with their historic buildings.

  1. Should I restore or rehabilitate?

The most prevalent treatment for historic buildings and the one most often addressed by design guidelines is rehabilitation NOT restoration. Rehabilitation is the process of making possible a continued or compatible use for a property through repair, alterations or additions while preserving those portions or features which convey the building’s historic cultural or architectural values.

Until specific guidelines are tailored to Gallipolis architecture, the historic preservation ordinance has adopted the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The standards are a set of broad, general guidelines for rehabilitation of historic properties designed to encourage work which is considerate of the historic character of the building. The standards are widely accepted as good sound advice for any historic property and will be the basis for any future guidelines adopted by the HPRB. In general, successful design guidelines favor retaining original material whenever possible with replacement by similar materials the next best choice.

  1. How do I know if my building is historic?

There are three evaluation standards to determine which Gallipolis buildings and structures are historic.

  • The property must be at least 50 years old
  • The property should retain its basic integrity, and
  • The property should meet of one of four established criteria

1.)The property has significance for its association with broad patterns of national, state or local history.

2.)The property has association with persons significant in the past

3.)The property has architectural merit, and

4.)The property has the potential to yield information important to history.

  1. Why designate an historic district rather than individual buildings?

From a planning standpoint it is better to consider whole neighborhoods or a defined historic district has to include structures on by one. It would be useless to review one historic hour on a street if neighboring historic structures were not subject to review.

  1. Does the Historic Preservation Review Board has the final word?

No, all decisions made the review board by be appealed to the City Commission, however the historic preservation ordinance emphasizes the negotiation process between the review board the property owner in order that a compromise be reached. Only if a compromise cannot be reached after a good faith effort, can the property owner appeal to the City Commission.

  1. Does the Historic Preservation Review Board want to save all old buildings from demolition?

The review board’s purpose is to provide a thorough study of alternative to incompatible demolitions to historic buildings by engaging in meaningful dialogue with the property owner. There can be foreseeable instances where buildings are too far deteriorated to save and/or present an immediate public safety hazard. Also, the board will take into consideration, upon request of the property owner that stabilizing the structure would be an extreme financial hardship.

Is the building request to be demolished historic as established by the ordinance? This will be determined by the historic review board. There may be instances where the building in question has previously undergone extensive irreversible alterations as to nullify any historic value.

  1. How can I obtain a copy of the historic preservation ordinance?

Ordinances are available at the Gallipolis City Manager’s Office or Gallipolis Code Enforcement Office at 848 Third Avenue.

  1. Who can I contact if I have questions about the ordinance, design review, or about basic historic preservation issues?

Janet Johnson-Chairperson

JoAnne Nibert

Becky Viall

Vera Snedaker

Nancy Childs

Brett Bostic-Code Enforcement Officer, Gallipolis City Building 441-6022