Members -
Melvin Dudley, Vice Chair, first from left
Bob Sellers, second from left
Dianne Davis, center
Russ Dunton, Chair, second from right
Jan Neville, first from right

The local Historic District is an overlay in the Town's Zoning Ordinance. Click here to view the overlay. When reviewing applications, the Historic District Review Board refers to the Historic District Guidelines. In addition to providing review criteria, the guidelines are intended to assist property owners who are renovating structures or planning new construction.

The minutes from Historic District Review Board meetings are available online. The Board's bylaws are also available.

Historic District Review Board Application Procedures

The local Historic District is an overlay zone which regulates exterior modifications to existing buildings, construction of new buildings, and demolition of buildings. The Historic District Review Board reviews new construction and those actions which are considered substantial alterations to existing buildings, as defined by Zoning Ordinance Section 8.18. Property owners are encouraged to consult with the Planning and Zoning Department to determine if a project will require approval from the Historic District Review Board.

If the Zoning Administrator determines a project requires review by the Historic District Review Board, an application must be submitted. The application materials vary based on the type of project. An application may require any of the following items:

• Application form (always required)
• Application fee of $50.00 (always required except in some cases when modifications to a previously reviewed application are being presented)
• Description of materials to be used (always required, can be included on the application, on elevations, or in letter form as appropriate)
• Elevations (must show proposed modifications or new construction from each side, generally required unless changes can be shown through photographs)
• Site plan or plot plan (only required for modification to a building footprint)
• Photographs (provided by Town staff to show current state of property)
• Written statement (only necessary if proposal cannot be clearly understood through the above application materials)

After receiving a complete application, the Zoning Administrator visits the property and photographs its current condition. Following the site visit, the Zoning Administrator prepares a staff report summarizing the nature of the request. The staff report and all application materials are then sent to the Historic District Review Board.

The Historic District Review Board holds its meetings on the third Tuesday of each month at 4:30pm in the Council Chambers. The application deadline for each meeting is the second Tuesday of the month at 5:00pm. This provides a minimum of one week for the Zoning Administrator to process the application and for the Board to review the request prior to the meeting.

When reviewing applications, the Historic District Review Board refers to the Historic District Design Guidelines. The design guidelines provide criteria for reviewing applications and also provide guidance to property owners who are undertaking a project.

The Board must render a decision within sixty days after the filing of a complete application. Failure to render a decision within sixty days has the same effect as approval of an application. After receiving approval, a property owner must still obtain the necessary zoning clearances and building permits before commencing a project. Denial of an application prevents a property owner from being able to obtain the applicable zoning clearances and building permits. Decisions of the Historic District Review Board may be appealed to the Town Council.

Please contact the Planning Department for further information concerning the Historic District