For those who hold Raleigh's architectural history close to their hearts, there's some news on the horizon. The City is planning to update the historic preservation rules that govern the aesthetic and structural changes property owners can make to buildings regarded as historically significant. In less than two weeks, the public will have the chance to chime in on these changes to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) during two meetings. The first one, scheduled for August 13 at 7 p.m. at the Five Points Center for Active Adults, offers an in-person opportunity to engage. As if navigating through bureaucratic changes, a virtual session will also be held the following day, August 14, at 10 a.m.
It seems the catalyst for these revisions is a mix of state law adjustments and the all-too-common bureaucratic desire to rid the code of confusing or contradictory language. According to the City of Raleigh's announcement, enhancements will focus on processes and procedures within sections of the UDO that handle everything from general historic district guidelines to the specifics of historic landmark designation.
Updates will fall in line with North Carolina's Chapter 160D laws and are intended to smooth out the kinks in how historic preservation rules apply. Specifics include integrating a Minor Works Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) list directly into the ordinance, revising public notice rules for Historic Landmark designation, and assigning COA review responsibilities to the RHDC COA Committee. While the aim is to increase predictability and improve process timelines, community input could sway the trajectory of these updates.
Significant changes dictated by state law aside, there are a handful of improvements slated to simplify the life of property owners and builders in historic districts. A two-hearing process is proposed for Historic Landmark designations, hopefully making it less of a headache for all stakeholders involved. The changes aim to make diagrams and lists, such as the Streetside Historic Overlay District diagram, more user-friendly. In an effort to broaden the scope of permissible changes without a full-blown COA review, the Minor Works list is also being expanded to include more types of projects.
The City of Raleigh will accept public comments starting August 13 through the Text Change Engagement Portal, where the draft ordinance will be available to review. Although the meetings will not be recorded, materials such as slides and a Q&A document will be posted online for those unable to attend. These sessions will give residents an opportunity to provide input on the proposed updates to Raleigh's historic preservation ordinances.
