Historic District Virginia
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Abingdon Historic District Virginia Town of Abingdon, Virginia Historic District Historic Preservation Review Board Design Review Guidelines For the Old and Historic District THE GUIDELINES FOR buildings and structures within the Old and Historic DESIGN REVIEW District will have no permanent effect on the character of the District, and will, by written waivers, In general, under the terms of Article 8-4 of exempt the minor actions from review by the HPRB. Abingdon’s Zoning Ordinance (“LOCAL HISTORIC Each application for waiver shall be on the form PRESERVATION ORDINANCE”), no building or provided by the office of the Zoning Administrator structure within the Old and Historic District (OH) [attached; please see p.25] and documented by may be moved, nor may any architectural feature appropriate drawings or other depiction of the minor subject to view from a public street or right-of-way be action proposed, together with samples of the altered, without the prior approval of the Historic materials and colors to be used. Preservation Review Board (“HPRB”) and its issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness. Similarly, no For purposes of these Guidelines the terminology building or structure within the District may be out of public view or words of like import mean not constructed, reconstructed, restored or demolished visible from any public street, right-of-way or place. without the same prior approval and issuance of a Similarly, the terminology buildings (whether one or Certificate of Appropriateness. more) includes structures, dwellings and their settings as well. In addition, some of the Guidelines The application for such Certificate of Appropriateness require that a current project conform to or be shall be accompanied by drawings and specifications of the consistent with design, material or construction detail parts of the building, structure or other alteration which found in adjacent or nearby buildings or structures. are or will be subject to public view from a public street, The HPRB may elect to broaden the scope of inquiry public way or public place. Such drawings and if it deems such is necessary under the prevailing specifications shall show the proposed exterior architectural circumstances. features of such building, structure or alteration and shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the general The Historic Preservation Review Board will design, arrangement, textures, materials, and color follow the Town of Abingdon, Virginia Design proposed to be used in the location, construction, Review Guidelines and the United States Secretary of reconstruction, alteration or repair of the building, the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. In structure or improvement and the types of windows, addition, the Historic Preservation Review Board may exterior doors, lights, landscaping, parking, signs and other rely upon Preservation Briefs as promulgated by the exterior fixtures and appurtenances which will be subject to National Park Service, U.S. Department of the public view from a public way or other public place. In Interior, and such other similar resources. The some instances the Historic Preservation Review Historic Preservation Review Board may engage such Board may require that the application include architects, architectural historians, engineers, drawings prepared by a licensed architect, craftsman and other expert consultants as it deems architectural historian, engineer or other similar appropriate to its decision making process. expert. In the case of an application for demolition, the application shall be accompanied by drawings and The Historic Preservation Review Board may specifications of the remaining and/or adjacent structure(s) differentiate its requirements on the basis of and, if none, then the lot or remaining alterations on the contributing versus noncontributing structures, site. Such drawings shall address the view from a public visibility from public streets, ways or places and the way or public place of such lot or remaining structure(s). nature of surrounding properties. Upon the filing of such application, the Zoning Administrator shall transmit it, with such drawings and specifications, to the Board. (A library of prior submissions is on file in the Town of Abingdon Planning Department and is available as a resource to applicants.) Routine Maintenance and Repair of Buildings and Other Minor Actions. Section 8-4-1b of the Preservation Ordinance constitutes an important exception to the general rule stated above. It provides that the Zoning Administrator of the Town may determine that certain minor actions involving 1 1. Architectural Details and Features (For example: gingerbread, verge-boards, eaves, e. Awnings should be attached with care to brackets, dentils, terra cotta, cornices, moldings, prevent unnecessary damage to original trimwork, shingles, columns, pilasters, balusters, details and materials. clapboard, shingle and stucco surfaces and any other decorative or character-defining feature 3. Chimneys found on the building or structure) a. If original to the building, chimneys a. Original architectural details should not be should not be removed, altered or removed or altered if original to the covered with materials such as stucco. building. These features should be repaired rather than replaced and should b. Chimneys should be first cleaned and not be covered or concealed with vinyl, then repaired and re-pointed in aluminum or other artificial material. accordance with HPRB Guideline #25, Masonry: Brick and Limestone to match b. Architectural features may be added if the original chimney in materials, colors, there is physical, pictorial or historical shape and brick pattern. If prior re- evidence that the additions to be added pointing has resulted in mismatched were original to the building. Any such colors and textures, the chimney may be addition must match the original in terms painted in brick colors such as dark red of materials, scale, location, proportions, or brown. form and detailing. c. When rebuilding, in whole or in part, is 2. Awnings the only option, it should be done to match the original chimney design. a. Traditional shed awnings with free- hanging valances are appropriate for d. Caps should be constructed of clay, slate, most historic window, door, porch and stone or metal as appropriate to the storefront installations. architectural style. b. Awnings should replicate original e. When added to an existing structure, to materials or be of canvas or similar an addition to an existing structure or to woven material. Quarter-round awnings, new construction, chimneys should be modern mansard awnings, and other appropriate to the architectural style and contemporary commercial designs with design of the main structure. distended fixed valances and staple-in systems with exceptionally taut and 4. Cornices wrinkle free appearance are inappropriate. a. Original cornices should not be removed, concealed or covered but c. Awnings should be placed so that they should be preserved and maintained in do not cover or conceal significant their original configuration. Any repairs architectural details, such as decorative should adhere to original design features window molding, and should be of and use original materials whenever colors that complement the associated possible. building. b. When cornices are missing, they should d. Awnings should fit the openings to be replaced on the basis of physical or which they are applied. Rectangular pictorial evidence. If no such evidence window and door openings should have exists, wood, fiberglass or sheet metal straight-across shed type awnings, and cornices in keeping with those found on awnings over arched windows should other buildings of the same or similar have curved or rounded awnings. style and period may be used. 2 5. Decks the original design is unknown and cannot readily be determined, a a. Wood construction is preferable for traditional design as described in sub- decks, which should be located at the paragraph c. of this Guideline will rear of buildings or in other areas not apply. substantially in the public view. b. Storefronts and facades within historic b. Decks should be stained or painted. buildings that have been altered since Stains should be opaque, and paints 1945 should be reconstructed to should blend with the colors of the original condition, based on pictorial or associated building. However, in some physical evidence of original location, cases unstained and unpainted wood design, size, configuration and may be acceptable. materials. If the original design is unknown and cannot readily be c. Deck design should be kept simple with determined, a traditional design as traditional-styled wood balustrades that described in subparagraph c. of this complement the design of the building Guideline will apply. to which the deck is attached. Balusters should only be attached to the top and c. Storefronts and facades that are bottom rails and not to the floor or face associated with totally new buildings of the deck. should employ a traditional design which is compatible with the 6. Demolition of or Moving architectural style of the particular Buildings/Structures out of the Old and building, using appropriate materials Historic District such as wood or brick. d. Bulkheads and display windows that a. The Historic Preservation Review Board are original should not be replaced but will review any application for demolition or repaired as needed, adhering to moving structures out of the Old and Historic