The mission of Historic Savannah Foundation is to preserve and protect Savannah's heritage through advocacy, education and community involvement.

HISTORIC DISTRICT ORDINANCE REVISIONS

The National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions have weighed in on Savannah's Historic District Ordinance Revisions process. To view their statements, click on the .pdf links below:

June 12, 2009

Dear Historic Savannah Foundation Members and Supporters,

As many of you may know, a process to revise the Historic District Ordinance has been underway for some time.  Prompted in part by action from Historic Savannah Foundation, the City of Savannah (City) and the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) convened a committee to make much needed improvements to the ordinance and the review process.  Four key areas were identified: 1) height and lot coverage; 2) large scale development; 3) urban design; and the appeal and variance process for changes. 

HSF's staff and board have studied the ordinance and been involved with the revisions process from the very beginning.  We are pleased with this version of the revised ordinance and believe this is an improvement over the existing ordinance.  The committee's work is largely finished and a near-final draft is open to review.  It is now the public's turn (you!) to get involved and make known your thoughts and concerns about the revisions.  Historic District Ordinance Revision Draft X is available for public comment.  We encourage you to read the document and comment as you see fit.  You can do so by linking to the MPC's blog page at http://www.savannahhdrc.org/default.aspx. As you do, we encourage you to pay particular attention to several important sections.  These are listed below with a very brief summary and an introductory comment from HSF. 

HSF has and will continue to comment on the proposed revisions.  Currently, we are doing so via small working meetings with MPC staff.  We will post comments on the MPC blog, and our comments will evolve as the process goes forward. 

Large Scale Development (defined as 9,000 sq. ft. - 13,500 sq. ft.) The phrase that, to a degree, prompted the call for revisions to the ordinance was the language inserted by City Council 'maximum height limits shall be permitted,' (see p.17).  It appears that the maximum height issue is largely addressed by the addition of the 'large scale development standards' which you can review on ps. 34-38 of Draft X.  We see this as an improvement. 

Height and Lot Coverage for Small Scale Development (less than 9,000 sq. ft) What is not explicitly addressed in the proposed revisions, and we think should be, is what we are calling 'small scale development' or anything that is less than large scale development - per the accepted definition by square footage.  Much attention has been paid to large scale development, but small scale development has been overlooked or, at best, implied.  We think height and mass restrictions - in conjunction with visual compatibility guidelines and standards - should be specifically addressed for buildings less than 9,000 sq. ft..  For example, see p. 17 of the proposed revisions.  The visual compatibility factor 'height' has been relegated to just a set of standards that, while in theory should create 'visual compatibility' to the surrounding historic structures, may in fact hinder the board’s discretion to vary from the standards in situations where they do not create the intended effect.  We have suggested language to the MPC staff to be inserted into subsection (m)(1) that we believe will help alleviate this unintended consequence of the revisions process.  We suggest you closely look at the Development Standards and Height sections of the proposed document and make comments about small scale construction to Historic Savannah Foundation. These sections can be found on p. 17 [(7) Visual Compatibility Factors] and p. 19 [(m) (1) Design Standards - Height].

Height Allowances for New Large Scale Development p.38.  For the most part, HSF has supported the 'height allowance' concept, but it is our opinion that these allowances should be better defined.  Specifically, the definition of  'affordable housing' should be the same as the federal government's (HUD); not the City of Savannah.  As it is, the City of Savannah can define what is or isn't affordable housing without respect to a consistent federal standard - even though much of the funding for affordable housing is federal in origin. 

Also, there is concern that gifting an additional story on a building in exchange for 'active ground floor uses' may inspire developers to insert rows of inoperable doors along a street front - to feign active ground floor use.  This would seem ripe for abuse and the reward seems to far outweigh the effort.  Ground floor uses should be open to the public at all times, not just inactive doors that can and often are covered with interior window treatments and become merely faux entrances that confuse and frustrate people who want actual access.

Appeals Process

p. 42(n) (1).  HSF sees inherent problems with not allowing appeals to the Historic District Board of Review based on the very standards that created an adverse decision to the petitioner or other potentially aggrieved party.  We have recommended that MPC staff study further how the appeals process should be handled.

If you are not familiar with the history of the ordinance revisions process or would like additional clarification on any of the above mentioned sections or other sections that we have not mentioned here today, please contact HSF Preservation Coordinator, Mrs. Cassie Dolecki - Landberg at 233-7787 or email cdolecki@historicsavannahfoundation.org. You can make comments directly to Preservation Officer, Beth Reiter at reiterm@thempc.org or on the blogging website http://www.savannahhdrc.org/default.aspx (preferred).

Thank you for your active participation in this important review process.

Daniel G. Carey

President and CEO