Yesterday’s Landmarks Commission meeting (and this morning’s story in the ARN) revealed that some info is needed about what Historic Overlay really means. Here’s a plain-English version to try to address some misconceptions that may exist about what Historic Overlay might mean to the former Abilene High – Lincoln campus.

Historic Overlay… What it is:

• Makes it more difficult to demolish a building, but demolition is still possible.
• Provides an educational process for owners, with staff support and advice
• Provides a way for a property to be contributing to the look and feel of its surrounding neighborhood
• Requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before major changes are made to the exterior and provides a procedure for obtaining the Certificate of Appropriateness
• For individuals and for-profit companies, provides ad valorem tax savings from the city portion of their tax bill
• Eligibility for a plaque, “Abilene Historic Landmark”
• Improves the case for state (Texas Recorded State Landmark) and national (National Register for Historic Places) designations
• Is usually desired and requested by the owner
• Need for a Certificate of Appropriateness (C.A.) is triggered by a building permit application, or a demolition permit application.

Historic Overlay… What it is not:

• Is not analogous to “frozen in time”
• Does not affect what the owner can do with the interior
• No certificate is required for regular maintenance, including painting, unless there is a significant change in the color
• Does not prohibit changes like window replacement
• Selective demolition, removal of accessory buildings for redevelopment, can be allowed with a C.A.
• Modern additions can be allowed with a C.A.

The Land Development Code, Section 2.3.4.4, provides the following criteria:

• Historical, archaeological or cultural significance or value to the development, heritage or cultural, characteristics of the city, state or county
• Association with events or persons of significance
• The building style distinctive of a type, period or method of construction or architecture
• Yielding or may yield historical information
• Unique location contributing to a familiar visual feature of a neighborhood
• Represents the work of a master, designer, architect, builder or craftsman