Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines Update
Purpose of this Update:
We are updating the Design Guidelines for our Historic Districts – help connect our past to our future!
In April 2019 the Georgetown City Council adopted changes to the Certificate of Appropriateness review requirements, which you can read in Ordinance 2019-21. Certificates of Appropriateness are required for projects in the Historic Overlay Districts . Changes include the review of new residential construction, the review of requests for demolition or relocation of historic structures and the use of materials. This update will incorporate Council’s changes, as well other updates and improvements for document usability.
Changes to the Historic District Design Guidelines are here!
[youtube url=”https://youtu.be/9wtbbGd9eYw” width=”600″ height=”400″ responsive=”yes” autoplay=”no” mute=”no”]If you have questions about the update please call the Downtown & Historic Planner at (512) 930-3581, email historic@georgetown.org or visit the Planning Department at 809 Martin Luther King Jr. Street, across from City Hall.
City Council voted to approve the changes to the Historic District Design Guidelines in their meeting on July 27, 2021. The changes will go into effect on September 1, 2021. All new applications will use the new Historic District Design Guidelines below.
- Design Guidelines-Table of Contents
- Design Guidelines-Preface
- Design Guidelines-Introduction
- Design Guidelines-Downtown Map
- Design Guidelines-Old Town Map
- Design Guidelines-Historic Districts Map
Design Guidelines for Downtown Area 1-Chapter 1 Part 1 - Design Guidelines for Downtown Area 1-Chapter 1 Part 2
- Design Guidelines for Downtown Area 2-Chapter 2 Part 1
- Design Guidelines for Downtown Area 2-Chapter 2 Part 2
- Design Guidelines for Old Town-Chapter 3 Part 1
- Design Guidelines for Old Town-Chapter 3 Part 2
- Design Guidelines for Demolitions & Relocation-Chapter 4
- Design Guidelines for Signs-Chapter 5
- Design Guidelines-Appendices
Project Timeline:
We are approaching the project in three phases:
- Here’s what we have – understanding the character and structures that makes our historic districts so special!
- Here’s what we love: The things we want to still be here in 75-100 years!
- Here’s how we protect that in the future: A draft version of the updated Guidelines for review and comment before it is presented to the City Council for adoption!
Who to Contact if you have Questions:
- Call the Planning Department (512) 930-3575
- Call the Historic Planner (512) 930-3581
- Email the Historic Planner historic@georgetown.org
- Visit the Planning Department Office at 809 Martin Luther King Jr. Street
What Has Happened So Far:
- Post Oak Preservation Solutions hired as the project consultant
- Design Guidelines Update presented to the Historic & Architectural Review Commission (HARC) on October 22
- Design Guidelines Update presented in the Tuesday Talks webinar on November 3.
- Design Guidelines Update presented to the Main Street Advisory Board on November 13.
- Design Guidelines Update presented in the December 8 City Council Workshop.
- Design Guidelines Update Open House on December 16 watch the Open House Video on YouTube.
- Design Guidelines Update Survey conducted December 16-December 30.
- Design Guidelines Update Survey results presented in the February 11 HARC Meeting. The survey results presentation was posted with the HARC meeting agenda on agendas.georgetown.org.
- Downtown and Old Town Design Guidelines Update Public Engagement Report
- Virtual Open House to present the proposed changes on April 28 Watch the Open House Video on YouTube.
- Project stakeholder and public feedback on the proposed changes from April 28-May 14.
- Historic & Architectural Review Commission feedback on the proposed changes to the Design Guidelines May 13 – see the posted meeting agenda at https://georgetowntx.novusagenda.com/AgendaPublic/MeetingsResponsive.aspx or view the recorded meeting at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPifHKqn818.
- Main Street Advisory Board feedback on the proposed changes to the Design Guidelines in their regular meeting on May 14.
- June 3, 2021 Main Street Breakfast Bites presentation.
- June 15, 2021 Final Draft of updated Design Guidelines posted for review and comment.
- June 22, 2021 the City Council held a workshop on the proposed changes to the Design Guidelines. You can view the video of the workshop here: https://georgetowntx.new.swagit.com/videos/123262.
- The Historic & Architectural Review Commission held a public hearing and recommended approval of the Design Guidelines with four amendments in their regular meeting on June 24 at 6:00pm. You can view the video here: https://planning.georgetown.org/planning-overview/planning-meeting-recordings/.
- The City Council held a public hearing and first reading of the ordinance amending the Downtown & Old Town Design Guidelines on July 13, 2021. The Council voted to approve the first reading of the changes with the 4 amendments recommended by HARC, changing the 15′ length limit for breezeways to a 20′ length limit. You can view the video of the item, Item AA, here: https://georgetowntx.new.swagit.com/videos/128936.
- The City Council approved the second reading of the ordinance amending the Design Guidelines on July 27, 2021. You can view item AA here: https://georgetowntx.new.swagit.com/videos/129640. The new Guidelines are effective September 1, 2021.
FAQ:
- How do I know if I live in a historic district?
- You can use the interactive web map, click here and enter your address in the bar at the top left of the screen.
- What are the Design Guidelines?
- Guidance for exterior changes to structures within the designated Downtown and Old Town historic overlay districts. You can read them by clicking here.
- What parts of the Design Guidelines are being updated?
- how to treat or replace historic materials
- how new construction can be compatible with the historic districts
- what kind of building modifications will help keep the historic character of Downtown and Old Town
- what kind of commercial signage will be a good fit for our historic districts
- graphics and images used in the document
- How will this affect my property?
- Changes to properties in the historic overlay districts are regulated by the Design Guidelines through the Certificate of Appropriateness process. The Design Guidelines apply to new projects and changes to existing properties.
- Will this project give HARC more or less authority?
- The authority of the Historic and Architectural Review Commission (HARC) is granted by the City Council through the bylaws of the Commission. This Update is not intended to change that authority.