TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Kelly Strickland - Assistant City Manager
Dr. Gerald Newton, AICP - Development Services Director
FROM: Will Deaton, AICP, CFM, CZO - Planning & Zoning Manager
Heather Eckhardt, CZO - Planner II
DATE: January 13, 2025
RE:
Title
Historic District Design Standards update and Text Amendments to comply with Chapter 160D of the North Carolina General Statutes
end
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
All
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal 2: The City of Fayetteville will have a Responsive City Government supporting a diverse and viable economy.
• Objective 2.2: To invest in community places to ensure revitalization and increase quality of life.
Executive Summary:
City Council is asked to receive a report on proposed changes to the Design Guidelines for Fayetteville’s Historic Districts and Local Landmarks and the associated proposed text amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO).
The prosed changes would provide conformity to updates to North Carolina General Statute 160D, and require amendments to six sections of the UDO.
Background:
The City of Fayetteville, home to two local historic districts and nearly 50 local landmarks, currently uses the "Design Guidelines for Fayetteville’s Historic Districts and Local Landmarks" to review work within these areas.
To comply with the updated North Carolina General Statute 160D, effective January 2021, these guidelines must transition to Design Standards.
The City of Fayetteville utilized a Historic Preservation Fund Grant from the State Historic Preservation Office to fund contracts with the Walker Collaborative and Common Ground Urban Design + Planning. The proposed changes are the result of their work and recommendations.
While prompted by the adoption of NCGS 160D, this effort also allowed the city to modernize the guidelines, originally adopted in 2000, which had not been updated to reflect advancements in technology or evolving community trends.
The current guidelines require applicants and staff to consult multiple sections for regulations on a single exterior feature, such as awning replacement. In contrast, the draft Design Standards consolidate information into dedicated sections for each feature, providing clear standards for preservation, repair, or replacement.
The new Design Standards ensure compliance with NCGS 160D, address the needs of Fayetteville's growing community, and offer a more streamlined, user-friendly format.
Issues/Analysis:
The revision of terminology from the use of the term “guidelines” to “standards” is to assure consistency with NCGS §160D-947.
Revisions to the Design Guideline’s organization is to streamline the review process and provide clarification that assists both applicants and reviewers of a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) through the application review process.
Standards have been reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission, representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office, Development Services Staff, as well as by property owners and residents of the two local historic districts. The Historic Resources Commission has voted to recommend approval of the standards attached to this report.
Budget Impact:
None
Options:
1. Move to have the draft version of the Historic District Design Standards and Text Amendments brought to the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
2. Remand the draft version of the Historic District Design Standards and Text Amendments as submitted back to Staff for further review and modification.
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends that Council move to have the draft version of the Historic District Design Standards and Text Amendments brought to the next regularly scheduled City Council meeting.
Attachments:
1. Historic District Design Standards
2. Design Standards Spreadsheet
3. Power Point Presentation
4. Proposed Text Amendments