MEMORANDUM

January 4, 2008

TO: Charles M. Duggan, Jr., City Manager

VIA: Forrest Cotten, Planning Director

FROM: Carl Morgan, Assistant Planning Director

RE: Summary of Historic Preservation in Auburn

Thank you for the opportunity to gather some information on Historic Preservation in Auburn for
you and the Council as a follow up to the December 18th Council meeting. In order to get right to
the topics in a readable summary format I have used an informal question/answer format.

When was the HPC created?

On March 2, 1999 the Council passed Ordinance 1818 that created the Historic Preservation
Commission with seven members whose backgrounds include training or experience in
history, architecture, community planning archaeology law or who reside in a locally
created district.

What is the mission and purpose of the HPC?

At its creation by the City Council, the HPC was given general responsibilities for historic
preservation as outlined in State law. These responsibilities include promoting the
educational, cultural, economic and general welfare of Alabama municipalities through:
• The preservation and protection of buildings, sites, structures, areas and districts
of historic significance and interest;
• The preservation and enhancement of the national, state and local historic,
architectural, archaeological and aesthetic heritage found in Alabama; and
• The promotion and enhancement of Alabama's historic and aesthetic attraction to
tourists and visitors.

On June 21, 2005 the City Council passed Ordinance 2302 that gave the HPC the task of
recommending designation of historic districts and properties in the city. These
recommendations, of course, go to the Council who then reviews them for final action.

On March 21, 2006 the City Council adopted Design and Review Standards that clarified
procedures for the HPC and Planning Staff to follow when reviewing projects in historic
districts.
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January 4, 2008
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Where did preservation authority come from?

Historic preservation authority is found itself at many different levels from the federal
government down to grass roots level efforts in local communities. On a national scale, the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 formalized a partnership with the Federal
Government and the States. It is the foundation for today’s frame work for preservation
review, technical and funding assistance, and recognition through a National Register of
Historic Places and Districts. It also set up Historic Preservation Officers in each state
government. States, such as Alabama, followed suit by enacting state legislation regarding
preservation and granted further powers to local governments to set up their own
preservation commissions and programs.

Who decides what is historic?

It depends on the type of recognition being given. At the Federal level the National Park
Service maintains the National Register of Historic Places which is the Nation’s official list
of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history,
architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The eleven listings in Auburn include
two historic districts; one on the Auburn University campus and one north of downtown
Auburn called the Old Main and Church Street Historic District.

At the State level, there is an Alabama Register which includes nine more resources in
Auburn.

At the local level, the Auburn City Council created the North College Historic District by
Ordinance 2377 on March 21, 2006. This district encompasses 37 properties primarily
along North College Street. With the creation of the district came the adoption of Design
Review Standards against which development and construction projects in the district
would be reviewed for appropriateness. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for
all projects that are visible from a public right-of-way.

In addition to public sector preservation there are a myriad of private and not-for-profit
preservation groups who provide recognition and assistance including the National Trust
for Historic Preservation, the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Auburn
Heritage Association.

Why historic districts?

A district is more than recognition of individual historic resources (including structures

and sites) in a city or town. Historic districts attempt to preserve or recognize the context
of the individual resources as well. Districts are usually created around significant
groupings of structures and places whose concentration create a larger scale sense of place
and historic value beyond the individual resources themselves.

The City’s only locally designated district is intended to

• Assure that Auburn’s historic resources are maintained in a manner appropriate to
the city’s heritage,
• Provide guidance in the planning and design of projects that are sympathetic to
the special character of the historic district, and
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January 4, 2008
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• Assure that property values and property-owner investments in the district are
maintained and enhanced 1

So is everything in a district historic?

Not usually. Cities are living breathing developments that change over time. Elements of
cities, including their historic resources and sites, have beginnings, periods of growth and
oftentimes, an end. Sometimes these elements are replaced by structures, places or events
that are either not historic or may not be for years.

The district is created to help people understand the context of the history and how events
and resources are interrelated. Also, a district cannot capture every historic place or event
within its boundaries. It is very typical to find historic resources spread throughout a city,
well outside of districts or areas with a concentration of historic places or structures.

So who decides whether or not I am in or out of the district?

In the case of the city’s local district, the boundaries were drawn up after analyzing
groupings of historic resources, their context, interrelations, levels of historical integrity,
preservation or interpretation options, and ultimately community values with regard to
preservation interests. This process involved public input from many sources, meetings in
the community, and public hearings at all levels of City review from the HPC to the
Council. The final boundaries of the district were determined by the Council after
considering all of the input and recommendations.

So what are the implications of being in a district?

It depends on how it is created. Districts come in all shapes and sizes. Some districts are
created simply for honorary recognition, and property owner rights do not differ from any
other property owner in or out of the district. Some districts are created with specific
standards and a review body that must approve projects within a district before they
commence. The standards, authority and procedures of the district vary greatly depending
on the purpose of the district, its location, and the community values or commitment to
preservation that are found in the jurisdiction creating the district.

Auburn’s local district functions similarly to a formal homeowners association where a

commission and support staff review development, construction and landscaping projects
for appropriateness against a set of design review standards. The City of Auburn has
limited the scope of its review authority in this case to projects that are visible from the
public right-of-way. All other permissions, reviews and activities beyond this are similar
to the rights of all property owners in the respective zone where a property is located.

Who reviews what I can and what I cannot do?

With regard to Auburn’s only locally designated historic district, if work is not visible from
the public right-of-way, no one reviews it. If it is visible from the right-of-way it depends
on if it is routine maintenance, major or minor work. The adopted Design Review Standards
for the district outline what category of work is being done and who reviews it. Routine
maintenance is not reviewed at all. Minor work is usually reviewed by staff while major

1
Design Review Standards, Article 1, page 1
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January 4, 2008
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work is usually reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission. If people have

questions, they can always contact staff in the Planning Department or consult the
Standards directly on the City’s website.

Who creates new districts and are any under way?

While any new district is ultimately approved by the City Council, new districts can be
proposed by the Council, Historic Preservation Commission, a historic preservation
organization, a neighborhood association, or any group of property owners.

Regarding new districts in Auburn, the Historic Preservation Commission began

reviewing a proposal for a new historic district primarily along South Payne Street and
East Samford Avenue. However, the project is currently on hold indefinitely.

In March of 2007, the Commission’s work included presenting a map with information
about designation at an open house with invitations being sent to all property owners
involved. While property owners had a chance to voice their support or concerns directly
to HPC members and staff, a survey was also available for property owners to give their
feedback in writing. At the moment, the Commission is focusing its efforts on the existing
North College Street district which work includes
• Coordinating street, sidewalk and infrastructure improvements,
• Drafting changes to the Design Review Standards to make them clearer, and
• Keeping up with the review of projects requiring certificates of appropriateness.

How can a property owner choose to opt out of a district?

The most likely way for a property owner to opt out of a district is to advocate before the
decision making body for a district boundary that does not include his or her property.
This would be more likely if the property is near the periphery of a proposed or existing
historic district.

What about a district where inclusion is optional?

A district typically has a prescribed boundary, so a property is either in or out. While the
Council could consider a district where standards apply on a voluntary basis, it would
likely not be effective in achieving the level of preservation that a district usually attempts
to create.

Typically, when standards are created with a historic district, they are done to “level the
playing field” for all property owners with the intent of enhancing the historic nature or
meaning of the district. Voluntary compliance to standards would generally undermine
the stability and predictability in the district that standards are intended to create.

In situations where a jurisdiction is not ready to create and apply standards across the
board, it is more usual that a district is created that is honorary and simply recognizes
existing and past resources with appropriate documentation. As an alternative, the
decision making body may simply consider a program of designating historic resources on
an individual basis city-wide and not collectively.

Until the North College Historic District was created, a number of resources were already
part of the Old Main and Church Street Historic District that is listed on the National
Memo to City Manager re: Historic Preservation in Auburn
January 4, 2008
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Register of Historic Places. The registration on the national list recognized the historic
nature of the area and its contributing resources, but it did not assure any kind of
preservation until a local district was created by the City Council with standards being
administered by a commission and support staff.

I hope that this information is useful for you and the Council. Please let me know if you need
more detailed information or if I can answer any questions.