Planning & Development

Historic Preservation Commission Duties

 

Duties, Qualifications and Responsibilities

The High Point Historic Preservation Commission is a nine-member body appointed by the City Council. High Point has three local historic districts; Johnson Street, Sherrod Park and West High Avenue.  Not more than one member may be appointed from each of the three districts. The remaining members are appointed from throughout the City. A full term appointment is three years in length. Local Historic Districts are established in order to help maintain and preserve areas of the City that have significant historic or architectural value. Regulations are applied through the use of an overlay zoning district, which sets forth rules that require review of all building activity affecting the exterior of structures.

Duties

 

1. To hear and decide requests for Certificates of Appropriateness within local historic districts, submitted by owners of properties in those districts, on matters that exceed the authority of the Planning staff.
2. To review and recommend to the Planning and Zoning Commission the modification of boundaries for the existing local historic districts, or the addition of new districts.
3. To review and revise the Design Guidelines which are used as a basis for evaluating the cases that come to the Commission for Certificates of Appropriateness.
4. To undertake fostering of historic preservation in the form of resolutions, endorsements of private and public preservation efforts, the keeping of a local inventory, the hosting of informational meetings, and the initiation of publications related to the local historic resources in the High Point. The Commission may also initiate projects such as changes to the ordinance, promotion and review of public works affecting a district, or initiation of rotating loan funds for physical renovations.

Qualifications

1. You must have a demonstrated interest in historic preservation and reside within the corporate limits of the City of High Point, or within its extraterritorial jurisdiction. The State Historic Preservation Office expects the City to make a good faith effort to locate people with training in architecture, history, historic preservation, or archaeology. If you are filling one of the seats reserved for a member of an established local historic district, you must reside within that district.
2. You should be able to make impartial decisions that are based on the interpretation of facts that are established during the public hearing.
3. Deliberation takes place during the meeting and in front of the applicant. You should not be easily intimidated, and should be a willing participant in the discussion of each case.
4. You should be inquisitive, and not afraid to ask questions until you are satisfied that all relevant information has been reported, and the facts of the case are clear to you.
5. You must have some familiarity with basic architectural design concepts (such as being able to read building elevations and site plans), visualize spatial relationships, and understand technical problems.

Responsibilities

1. Members are expected to attend all regularly scheduled meetings. This is important because a quorum of members is required for consideration of a citizen's request for a Certificate of Appropriateness. This Certificate is required for issuance of a building permit for a project within a local historic district. Meetings are scheduled monthly, and generally last about one hour, but may occasionally be longer due to the number or complexity of cases.
2. You will be expected to become familiar with the City's Design Review Guidelines for Historic Districts. In addition to procedural information, the manual contains regulations and guidelines for both existing and new construction in the historic districts.
3. It is your responsibility to disclose any financial interests, close business ties, close family ties, or any other relationship with an applicant that affects, or would appear to affect, your ability to make an unbiased decision.
4. A good faith effort is expected of you to attend at least one workshop, conference or training session pertaining to historic preservation or related fields each year.  Besides the educational benefit, attendance helps the City retain its status as a "Certified Local Government" with the State Historic Preservation Office.

For Further Information:

For further information about the High Point Historic Preservation Commission, or how to place your name in consideration for appointment to the Commission when a vacancy occurs, contact the High Point Planning and Development Department at 883-3328 (TDD 883-8517).