Local Historic District
The City of Austin's application for a Local Historic District designation and a listing as a National Register Historic District requires extensive research, necessitating the help of a professional architectural historian. We have hired Terri Myers of Preservation Central.
Local Historic Districts in Austin by Steve Sadowsky, City of Austin
Austin's historic buildings and neighborhoods create the unique character and heritage of our city. In December 2004 the Austin City Council adopted an ordinance authorizing the establishment of local historic districts to recognize and protect those areas with particular significance to maintaining austin's rich heritage.
This spring, the city approved our first Local Historic District, the Harthan Street Historic District, a street with 10 houses, off West Sixth Street.
Local historic districts accomplish many things:
From other cities, we've heard about the many economic and social benefits a historic district adds to a community.
Benefits of Local Historic Districts
Public awareness and education. Nominations contain a full study of the history and architecture of the district, fostering greater public awareness of the character of the district.
District design standards. New construction within the district will be required to meet standards to ensure that new buildngs and additions are compatible with the historic character of the district and its architecture.
Protection of historically significant buildings. A property owner will be required to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Landmark Commission before demolishing or relocating a contributing building.
In areas which are not local historic districts, there must be a determination that a building subject to a determination that a building subject to a demolition or relocation permit application rises to the level of a designated city historic landmark. A contributing building in a local historic district does not have to have the same level of significance to protect it from demolition or removal.