UNIVERSITY ARCHITECTURAL

CONSERVATION DISTRICT

DESIGN GUIDELINES

N.B.: Some terms used in this document have definitions specific to the world of design and architecture. These terms are italicized throughout and their definitions many be found in Section XI at the end of the document.  The references to the City’s Code of Ordinances are those sections in effect as of the date these Guidelines were adopted.  Property owners should determine if any subsequent changes have been made to these ordinances that would apply to the University Architectural Conservation District (UACD).

SECTION I        PURPOSE

Design Guidelines are criteria and standards that the Design and Development Review Commission (DDRC) must consider in determining the appropriateness of proposed work within a historical district. Appropriateness of work must be determined in order to accomplish the goals of historical zoning, which are:

·        Protect the beauty of the City and improve the quality of its environment through identification, recognition, conservation, maintenance and enhancement of areas, sites, and structures that constitute or reflect distinctive features of the economic, social, cultural, or architectural history of the city and its distinctive physical features;

·        Foster appropriate use and wider public knowledge and appreciation of such features, areas, sites, and structures;

·        Resist and restrain environmental influences adverse to these goals;

·        Encourage private efforts in support of these goals; and

·        Promote the public welfare, strengthen the cultural and educational life of the city, and make the city a more attractive and desirable place to live and work by furthering these goals.

SECTION II       DISTRICT PRINCIPLES AND GOALS

The University Architectural Conservation District (UACD) was designated in 1964. The homes in the district generally date from 1895 to 1940 and include at least two structures that date from the 1860s. This neighborhood is the living record of how life in Columbia was lived in a residential neighborhood that borders not only the state capitol but also the state’s flagship university. The population mix of politicians, businesspersons and university faculty gives the neighborhood the same character today as it had at the turn of the twentieth century.

Apart from the historical continuity of the population of the neighborhood, the beauty of the homes and the upkeep of its properties make it a pleasing area for all citizens of the city to walk or drive through on their ways either to downtown or to Five Points.  The aesthetic pleasure derives in part from the consistency of design and scale in the individual structures of the area, as well as their relationship to the street and one another.

These guidelines are intended to support the desire of the neighborhood to preserve and protect the essential character and design of structures and natural features in this exceptionally historical district in order to maintain an environment that has been aesthetically pleasing and environmentally attractive for well over a century. The predominantly residential character of the neighborhood is fundamental to its identity. Each family’s home is a unique expression within the styles and designs of the neighborhood and probably that family’s greatest financial investment. The structures of this area form a significant part of the living history of Columbia. History is nevertheless a process and in order for any neighborhood to remain vital, it must grow and renew itself. As the neighborhood develops in the twenty-first century, some old structures may be lost and new ones will arise. In this part of the historical process, there must be no loss of appreciation for the neighborhood’s background, character, and function in relation to the City as a whole. The neighborhood has recently seen creatively designed new constructionsthat also maintain the neighborhood’s scale, character, massing and established setbacks.  Developments in design such as sustainable architecture should be allowed to follow their course, consistent with the principles of this unique community. The present guidelines encourage such creative enhancements to this unique community.

For the above reasons, most of the University Hill area is designated by the City of Columbia as an Architectural Conservation District (see map following Section XI). The following design guidelines are established to apply design control to those selected characteristics that are necessary to maintain the health and continued vitality of this important residential neighborhood and discourage those elements that may threaten these goals or the goals set forth in Section I:

·        Preserve the historically and architecturally significant structures in the area.

·        Maintain and enhance landmark aspects of the area, such as the Senate Street median and historical homes.

·        Encourage the rehabilitation rather than demolition of disused structures

·        Encourage those who restore, rehabilitate, orreconstruct existing structures or build new ones to follow the characteristics of design outlined below that give the area its special character of grace and elegance.

·        Encourage the preservation of the neighborhood’s natural features, including landscaping in the public right-of-way and the district’s existing site contours.

SECTION III     HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE, BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION & DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS

A. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

(Excerpted from 2004 NRHP Nomination Proposal)

The UACD is an historically significant residential community that assumed its present appearance between ca. 1885 and ca. 1950, both by being one of the oldest residential communities in the city and by containing a range of architectural styles, often exhibiting the work of regionally and locally prominent architects.

The UACD along with South Carolina College was part of the original plan for Columbia, dating from its first survey in 1787. In the original grid for Columbia’s streets, the two primary boulevards were intended to be Senate and Assembly Streets, but the development of the city did not follow this plan.  As Gervais Street became the principal commercial street, Senate Street developed as a major residential street in the district. The completion of Trinity Episcopal Church in 1812 attracted many residents of the area as did the Wesley Methodist Church at 1725 Gervais Street in 1869. Many streets and lots in the UACD were not laid out until after 1850 and in 1860 city directories listed only six residences in the UACD.

The improvement and expansion of the city’s infrastructure that accompanied this growth drew more residents to the neighborhood, and many professionals decided to make it home.  By 1899, improvement and expansion of the city’s drainage, electricity, and municipal water supply helped create a neighborhood of over sixty residences, most now occupied by members of the white middle class, as mill owners, bank presidents, and county officials moved to the primary streets in the neighborhood. Prominent local architects like J. Carroll Johnson, George E. Lafaye, Frank C. Walter, Charles Coker Wilson, James B. Urquhart, and W.B. Smith-Whaley designed houses for the many of the professionals and businessmen settling in the district. Electricity became widely available after 1900 and the streets began to be paved in 1908. In 1910 the southern portion of the neighborhood along Greene Street was mostly inhabited by African-American laborers, although in 1913 seven newly designed houses for the upper-middle-class were built on Greene Street.  During World War I, apartment buildings opened around the neighborhood to accommodate the growing population of the city.  As the University of South Carolina grew ever larger, several primary and secondary schools developed to serve the area’s children.  By the mid-1920s, University Hill had developed into a middle-class neighborhood, home to librarians, pharmacists, lawyers, real estate developers, faculty at the University, and, at the eastern boundary, employees of the Southern Railroad.

In the period between the wars, the UACD was home to some non-residential structures, including a grocery store and several private schools, but by 1940 it had established the essentially residential character it enjoys today. Large two-story homes lined the streets, many with architectural detailing and decoration, landscaped front yards and gardens surrounded many of the houses, giving the neighborhood an almost suburban ambiance.  Trees lined the streets and provided shade and privacy for many residences.  Apartment buildings and duplexes dotted the neighborhood.  The neighborhood was a mix of architectural styles with single-family and multi-resident structures.

Some residents fled to the suburbs in the post World-War-II era, but the demographics of the neighborhood have seen only modest changes since that time. The growth of the University as a result of the G.I. Bill in the late 1940s and the “baby boomers” of the 1960s and 1970s saw some single-family residences converted to rental properties and fraternity houses. University development projections in 1961 and 1965 called for eastward expansion across Pickens to College Street and into the residential area of the University Hill Neighborhood. To combat overcrowding on campus, the university began purchasing apartment buildings and hotels, but also renovated newly acquired houses in the residential area east of campus to suit the needs of students.  Often the lifestyles of older neighborhood residents and college students conflicted and landlords were frequently absentee. Dilapidation had begun when the influx of new owner-occupants in the latter part of the 1970s, along with the designation of the neighborhood as an “architectural conservation district” in 1964 began a rejuvenation of the area.

The eastern expansion of the University meant the demolition of more than 120 houses and the clearing or taking over of seven and one-half blocks of the University Hill neighborhood. The new eastern boundary of the University was established with the construction of Capstone House in 1967, in the heart of the UACD, followed in quick succession by the Humanities Complex (21 residential lots), Gambrell Hall (requiring the closing of parts of Henderson and College Streets), the Close-Hipp (Business Administration) Building, the Williams Brice School of Nursing, Columbia Hall and more than a dozen parking areas.

Despite the neighborhood’s designation by the City of Columbia as an “Architectural Conservation District,” the residents had little power against the physical and architectural encroachments of the University. The creation of the Landmarks Commission in 1974 was the beginning of protection for the neighborhood from the intrusion of high-density residential and commercial structures inappropriate for the character of a neighborhood that was primarily zoned as a low-density general residential district. Nevertheless, concern over the few higher-density exceptions to the zoning rules, along with the number of properties that were in violation of existing zoning ordinances led to the creation of the University Neighborhood Association (subsequently named the University Hill Neighborhood Association) which in 1999 approached the Columbia City Council about the problems. As a result, the neighborhood was rezoned as a “Two-Family Residential District,”  protecting the neighborhood from increasing high-density residential patterns, eliminating the ease with which special exceptions incompatible with the neighborhood’s character could be made, bringing the zoning and architectural conservation guidelines into mutual compatibility, and encouraging home ownership.

The Association subsequently concluded a written agreement with the University in 2003 regarding demolition of the University’s neighborhood properties, restoration to residential use of as many of its formerly residential holdings as practicable, and prohibition of future expansion into the UACD. The Association also worked with Bell South (now AT&T) to redesign the original plan for its switching facility on Senate Street to harmonize with the surrounding architecture.

B. BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION

The UACD is generally bounded on the north by Senate Street, on the east by the Norfolk and Southern Railroad, on the south by Blossom and Devine Streets and on the west by Henderson Street.  It includes properties on these east-west-running streets: the north and south sides of Senate Street, the north and south sides of Pendleton Street, the north and south sides of College Street, the north and south sides of Gibbes Court, the north and south sides of Greene Street, and the north side of Devine Street.  It includes properties on these north-south-running streets: the east and west sides of Laurens Street, the east and west sides of Gregg Street, the east and west sides of Barnwell Street, and the east side of Henderson Street (for detail, see map following Section XI).

C. DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS

The UACD is an urban residential area, which is significant because it has maintained the character evident from the original city grid of Columbia, which plotted four-acre residential blocks with 100-foot-wide streets.  Expansive scale and leisurely surroundings were planned for Senate Street, with its 160-foot right-of-way and a forty-foot median. Despite a location in the center of an active state capital, the houses throughout the neighborhood were set back from the streets, with considerable open land around their buildings for gardens and trees.

The majority of the 160 buildings in this district are single-family residences, with at least thirteen of Columbia’s earliest apartment complexes and fourteen duplexes. The extant buildings in the UACD were constructed primarily in the period from 1895 to 1940; however, there is at least one pre-Civil-War property that was moved into the district’s boundaries and altered around 1910, as well as several mid-1880s and early 1890s houses, one 1942 apartment building, and one residence built in 1950.  Most of today’s buildings were constructed by 1919, with later development occurring in the southern portion of the neighborhood along Greene Street and the eastern boundary along Laurens Street. These buildings represent a wide variety of early twentieth-century architectural styles and influences, including Queen Anne, Tudor, Colonial Revival, Italian Renaissance Revival, and Craftsman.  In addition, there are at least thirty buildings within the current boundaries of the proposed district designed by locally and regionally prominent architects mentioned in Section I.A. Most of the properties consist of two-story wood-framed buildings with brick veneer, clapboard siding, or wood shingles. Porches are common in this neighborhood and include entry, full-width, wrap-around, and inset forms. To cope with the steep slope of the area south of Senate Street, many buildings feature basements built to one side or in the rear as a means of support along the steep hills.

SECTION IV      ADMINISTRATION

A. ACTIONS THAT REQUIRE DESIGN REVIEW

B. ACTIONS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE REVIEW

1.  General maintenance and repairs that do not alter the exterior appearance
2.  Painting and Color
3.  Work not visible from the public right-of-way
4. Interior work

 See Columbia Code of Ordinances Section 17-655 for more detailed information.

SECTION V       SITE AND SETTING

A. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Apart from the handsome structures of the UACD, much of the leisurely elegance and charm for which the neighborhood is known derives from its wide tree-lined streets, generous tree-zones, naturally hilly terrain, and setbacks. Public right-of-way featuresshould be planned to enhance the overall character of the neighborhood and to sustain important features which have historically been a part of the neighborhood.

1.      STREETSCAPES

a. Guidelines

1.       Maintain the established historical pattern of street trees in a block.

2.       New plantings in the public right-of-way, must complement the pattern established in the immediate area.

3.       Damaged or diseased street trees must be replaced with a species similar in character or form to those used historically.

4.       The existence and vitality of the tree zones must be maintained and their use for private parking discouraged.

5.       Existing site contours and slopes, as well as the existing relationship of finished floor building elevations to street level, must be respected and thoughtfully integrated into new construction plans.

2. FENCES AND WALLS

a.      Principles

Fences and walls serve to demarcate property lines and serve to distinguish between a yard, a sidewalk, and the street. New fences and walls should respect the use of traditional materials that are consistent with the materials of the house, the block, and the neighborhood in general.  They should complement the building and not obscure significant features.

             b.   Guidelines

 1.       Fences or walls should be compatible with the associated structure in design and materials.

2.       Specific ordinances apply to heights and setbacks. See Columbia Code of Ordinances, Section 17-277. Always check with the DDRC staff before construction.

3.       The following materials are not permitted for fences or walls visible from the public right-of-way: concrete (unless stuccoed or veneered in brick); artificial siding material (e.g., T1-11 plywood, corrugated metal, vinyl), chain link or wire fencing, and unfinished wood.

3. DRIVEWAYS AND PARKING AREAS

a.      Principles

Given that most of the homes in the neighborhood date from the horse-and-buggy era, garages are rare. Many homes do not have proper driveways; many residents park on the street. 

b.   Guidelines

1.       Consistent with the historical character of the homes, driveways in historical districts must be no more than 10’ wide and shall be compatible with the existing building and the site and setting of the historical district.

2.       Appropriate materials for driveways include concrete, brick, or brick pavers; other paving materials which allow for greater permeability may be allowed, dependent upon their visual consistency with historical paving materials. 

3.       Parking areas built in the tree zone are disfavored, as destructive of the tree zone.

4.       Designated vehicular parking shall be placed so as to minimize its visual impact on the primary structure. As such, paving front yards is vigorously discouraged, with absolute limitations imposed by ordinance. See Columbia Code of Ordinances, Section 17-674 (f).

SECTION VI      NEW CONSTRUCTION

A. PRINCIPLES

SECTION VII    ADDITIONS

A. PRINCIPLES

It is often necessary to increase the space of a building in order for it to continue to adapt to the owner’s needs. Over time, a family’s space needs change and, in order to accommodate these needs, a building may need to be enlarged. While these additions are permitted, they should serve to reinforce and not detract from the existing architectural form and design of the building.

Additions should not significantly alter original distinguishing qualities of buildings such as the basic form, materials, fenestration, and stylistic elements. Additions visible from the street should be constructed so that the essential form and integrity of the original building will be readily comprehended. Preferably, additions should be attached to the rear or least conspicuous side of the building. They should be compatible with yet distinct from the original portions of building and should result in minimal aesthetic damage to it. Character defining features of the existing building should not be radically changed, obscured, damaged, or destroyed in the process of adding new construction. Additions should be attached to the rear or least conspicuous side of the structure. They should be constructed so that if visible from the street, the essential form and integrity of the building will be unimpaired.

B. GUIDELINES

 1. Site additions shall be designed so that they do not detract from or obstruct important architectural features of the existing building or others around it, especially the principal façade.

 2. Additions should be compatible with the original structure in materials, style and detailing.

3. The size and scale of the new addition should be in proportion to the existing portion of the building and clearly subordinate to it, so that the integrity of the original structure is not compromised.

4. Additions are also subject to the guidelines for new construction

5. Site grading shall reflect the existing rhythm of finished floor elevatios along a street.

SECTION VIII  MAINTENANCE & REHABILITATION

A. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Rehabilitation is a practical approach to historic preservation. It is the process of repairing or altering a historical building while retaining its historical features. It represents a compromise between remodeling, which offers no sensitivity to the historical features of a building, and restoration, which is a more accurate but costly approach to repair, replacement, and maintenance.

Original materials should be preserved, not only for their historical value, but also because they are usually of better quality and last longer than materials obtainable today.

Rehabilitation guidelines are limited to the review of exterior elements visible from the public right-of-way. The priority of the guidelines is to ensure the preservation of a building’s character-defining features while accommodating an efficient modern use.

1.       DOORS

a.      Principles

Significant features such as doors and entrances should be preserved wherever possible. Changes to door size and configuration should be avoided. Replacement doors should either match the original or substitute new materials and designs sympathetic to the original.

Sometimes new entrances are required for practical reasons or to satisfy code requirements. Placement of new entrances on principal façades should be avoided. New entrances can result in loss of historical fabric and detailing and change the rhythm of bays. New entrances should be compatible with the building and be located on side or rear walls that are not readily visible from the public right-of-way. If a historical entrance cannot be incorporated into a contemporary use for the building, the opening and any significant detailing should, nevertheless, be retained.

b.     Guidelines

 1. New openings shouldbe installed so that they carry on the same rhythm of existing openings and are compatible in size, materials and design.

2. Historical door openings, doors, screen doors, trim, and details such as transom, sidelights, pediments, and hoods should be retained and repaired, where they contribute to the architectural character of the building.

 3. Missing or deteriorated doors should be replaced with doors that closely match the original, or that are of compatible design.

4. New entrances on secondary elevations should be placed away from the main elevation. Non-functional entrances that are architecturally significant should be preserved.

5. Simple or compatibly designed wooden screen doors may be added when necessary.

 2. WINDOWS

a. Principles

Repair

Windows are a significant character-defining feature of any structure. Original windows were constructed so that individual components could be repaired instead of requiring wholesale replacement if one piece breaks or rots. This often means that an existing historical window will be cheaper to repair than to replace. Additionally, materials in historical windows tend to be of better quality than anything available today. The following qualities of the original window must be carefully considered and rigorously applied when repairing windows in order to maintain visual consistency between new and existing window comonents:

·              trim detail;

·              pane size, shape of frame, sash;

·              location of meeting rail;

·              reveal or set-back of window from wall plane;

·              materials, reflective qualities of glass;

·              glazing

·              muntin, mullion profiles, configuration.

Replacement of a Window

If, after careful evaluation, 50% or more of a window is deteriorated or missing, it should be replaced rather than repaired.  Small differences between replacement and historical windows can make big differences in appearance and insulation. The qualities of the original window listed above should also be taken into consideration when replacing a window.

Replacement of Multiple Windows

If more than 50% of the fenestration visible from the street is rotted or beyond repair, then replacement of all existing windows is permitted. While residents of the UACD are encouraged to replicate the appearance of historical windows, it is not always necessary. In the UACD, it is appropriate to substitute for the original window a window that is configured commonly in the architectural style of the house.

However, to ensure visual consistency, it is suggested that if replacing more than 50% of existing windows, replacement, replacement widows and windows contiguous to them should reflect the same pattern, design, detailing, etc.

b. Guidelines

1. When technically and economically feasible, repair of deteriorated or damaged windows shall be preferred over replacement.

2. If replacement of a small number of units is deemed necessary after evaluating the sill, frame, sash, paint and wood surface, hardware, weather-stripping, stops, trim, operability, and glazing, replace with units that match the original in detailing, size, reflective quality, and materials.

3. If wholesale replacement is found to be necessary, either match the original unit or substitute a unit appropriate to the house’s period of significance, maintaining the use of historical materials. Vinyl is not permitted as a substitute material. 

4. Improve the thermal performance of existing windows and doors through adding or replacing weather stripping and adding storm windows which are compatible with the character of the building and which do not damage window frames.

3. SHUTTERS

a.   Principles

Unless there is physical or documentary evidence of their existence, shutters should not be mounted. If shutters are found to be appropriate, they should be operable or appear to be operable and measure the full height and one-half the width of the window frame. They should be attached to the window casing rather than to the exterior finish material. Wooden shutters with horizontal louvers are the preferred type.

b.  Guidelines

1. Installing shutters, screens, blinds, and security grilles, and awnings which are historically inappropriate and which detract from the character of a building is not permitted.

2. Shutters shouldbe installed only when there is enough space for them. They should appear operable, they should be placed on the window casing, and the louvers should be situated so that they would shed water when closed.

4.  AWNINGS

a.   Principles

New awnings should be of a design compatible with their corresponding structure. Porch and window awnings that obscure significant detailing are inappropriate and therefore not permitted.

            b. Guidelines

Angled, rectangular canvas awnings are most appropriate for flat-headed windows and they should be installed so that they fit the window opening. Porch and window awnings should be made from appropriate material.   All awnings should be appropriate to the style and period of the structure.

5. ROOF PITCH/MATERIAL

a. Principles

Roofs are highly visibly components of historical buildings. They are an integral part of a building’s overall design and often help define its architectural style. The most common residential roof types are gable, hip, or a combination. The original shape and pitch of the roof should be retained.

Where existing roofing material is non-original, the existing roof may be retained, replaced in a manner known to be accurate based on documentation or physical evidence, or treated in a contemporary style.

Rooftopadditions are another common change to historical buildings. The additionshould be designed to be distinguished from the historical portion of the building; be set back from the wall plane; and be placed so it is inconspicuous when viewed from the street.

              b. Guidelines

1. The original roof form should be preserved in the course of rehabilitation.

2. Historical roofing materials should be preserved when technically and economically feasible.

3. Deteriorated roof surfacing should be replaced with new material, such as composition shingles or tabbed asphalt shingles that match or are consistent with the existing materials in composition, size, shape, color, and texture.

4. The following should  be retained or replaced when necessary: dormer windows, cupolas, cornices, brackets, chimneys, cresting, and other distinctive architectural or stylistic features that give a roof its essential character.

6. EXTERIOR SIDING

a.    Principles • Masonry

Many structures in the UADC contain masonry features such as brick cornices or terra cotta detailing. Surface treatments, modeling, tooling, bonding patterns, joint size and color are important to the historical character of a building and must not only be kept in good repair, but retained as close as possible to the original in any restoration or rehabilitation.

While masonry is the most durable historical building material, it is also the most susceptible to damage by improper maintenance or repair techniques or abrasive cleaning methods. Sandblasting and other abrasive cleaning methods are specifically prohibited. Sandblasting not only changes the visual qualities of brick, it damages or destroys the exterior glazing, increasing the likelihood of rapid deterioration of the brick and water damage to the interior of the building.

Painting historical masonry is an important concern and not to be undertaken without due consideration for the historical appearance of the neighborhood. The color of masonry, particularly brick, is often an important part of the character of a building. In addition to color, the bonding pattern, treatment of mortar joints, and texture are significant parts of brick buildings. Where brick and other masonry finishes were unpainted, they should generally remain so. Painting obscures detailing and alters the distinguishing original qualities of a building. Under some circumstances, particularly where the brick quality is poor or abrasive cleaning methods have been used, painting brick may be appropriate as a protective measure.

b.  Principles • Wood 

Where original wood siding exists on a structure, it should be retained. If it becomes necessary to replace deteriorated boards, match the replacements to the characteristics of the original. Important characteristics of wood siding that should be considered in its repair or replacement are board size, width of exposure, length, and trim detail such as corner boards.

 One of the greatest threats to wood siding is the application of non-historical surface coverings such as aluminum and vinyl siding, or stucco. Application of non-historical exterior finishes results in either the removal or covering of historical materials and details. Decorative trim around doors, windows, and under rooflines is frequently removed. Detailing of the wood itself, such as beveling or beading, is also lost. Board width, length, and exposure are generally changed, thus altering the scale and appearance of the building. Artificial siding also frequently damages the fabric underneath. It can trap moisture and encourage decay and insect infestation.

In cases where artificial siding is already in place, its removal is not necessary under the guidelines. An owner may retain the material or remove it, but it need not be replaced if only minor repairs are necessary. If, however, more than a third of the material needs to be repaired or removed, it must be replaced with historically appropriate materials.

In the case of original asbestos or masonite siding, if its removal is required, masonry, wood, or cement fiberboard siding is an appropriate replacement.

 c. Guidelines

1. Masonry features that are important to defining the overall historical character of the building such as walls, brackets, railings, cornices, door pediments, steps, and columns, as well as joint and unit size, tooling, and bonding patterns, coatings, and color should be identified, retained and preserved.

2. Masonry surfaces should be cleaned by the gentlest method possible, such as water and detergents and natural bristle brushes. Sandblasting is prohibited.

3. Wooden materials and features to be retained include siding, cornices, brackets, soffits, fascia, window architrave, and doorway pediments. These are essential components of a building’s appearance and architectural style which should not me obscured or otherwise covered.

4. Repair or replacement of deteriorated material must duplicate the original in size, shape, and texture as closely as possible. Original characteristics such as board width, length, exposure, and trim detailing when selecting a replacement material should be considered.

5. Artificial replacement siding over wood or brick is not permitted.

6. Where a structure has asbestos or masonite as original siding, it may be replaced with wood, brick, or cement fiberboard.

7. PORCHES

a. Principles

Porches serve as a covered entrance to buildings and a transitional space between the interior and exterior and are an important design feature. They are often the principal location for ornamentation and detailing, such as brackets, posts and columns, and balustrades. Size, style, ornateness or simplicity, sense of openness, and detailing are important attributes of porches. Such features should be preserved during the course ofrehabilitating a building.

Because they are open to the elements, porches also require frequent maintenance and repair. Deteriorated porch features should be repaired rather than replaced. If replacement proves necessary, replacement features and materials should approximate the originals as closely as possible. If wholesale replacement is required, the new porch should be rebuilt based on historical research and physical evidence. If a porch or individual features of it are missing and no documentation or physical evidence is available, a new porch design that is compatible with the scale, design, and materials of the remainder of the building is appropriate. In the UACD, missing or deteriorated features must be replaced with compatible ones found on similar structures in the district.

Owners are often tempted to enclose porches for additional year-round living space. Although porch enclosures are generally not recommended, they can be done in an appropriate manner. Transparent materials, such as clear glass enclosures or screens that are set behind balustrade and structural systems and maintain the visual openness of a porch are permitted.

b. Guidelines

1. Porches and steps that are appropriate to a building should be retained.

2. If replacing deteriorated or missing features, it is appropriate to use other homes of the same style and period for the design of the new feature, as long as it is compatible with the structure.

3. If enclosures are undertaken, maintain the openness of porches through the use of transparent materials such as glass or screens. Place enclosures behind significant detailing, so that the detailing is not obscured. Designs for nt porch enclosures which alter the visual massing and volume of the building are prohibited. 

SECTION IX      RELOCATION

A. PRINCIPLES

Much of a building’s value is in its context: the street on which it sits, the buildings that surround it, and the landscape. Together, these aspects create the fabric of a community ad establish the integrity of the district. Therefore, a building should normally remain in its context.

B. GUIDELINES

 1. Moving a building into the UACD is permitted if the building will be compatible with the historical buildings surrounding the new location in terms of height, scale, setback, rhythm of spacing, materials, texture, details, roof shape, orientation, and proportion and rhythm of openings.

 2. Moving a building out of the district is permitted when:

 ·        The building does not contribute to the district’s historical or architectural significance, or has irretrievably lost its architectural and historical integrity;

   The criteria for demolition in Section X have been addressed satisfactorily and it is found that preservation on-site is not feasible;

                       As part of the review of a relocation, the following documents must be provided and reviewed:

o   Report that the structure is safe to be moved;

o   Documentation that the site to which the structure will be relocated is suitable;

o   Site plan of the lot showing location of structure and setbacks from adjoining property lines;

o   Rehabilitation plans once the building is relocated

SECTION X  DEMOLITION

A. PRINCIPLES

The demolition of an historical building should be an action of last resort. When a structure is demolished, the community loses an irreplaceable part of its history. When a house is removed and not replaced, the fabric of the neighborhood is undermined. Accordingly, such requests are reviewed very deliberately and require detailed information. Additionally, the removal of a structure is permitted in only the most extreme of circumstances and when all other options have been exhausted. Demolition or relocation should normally be considered only for non-contributing structures, though demolition may be deemed necessary (for instance by the Inspections Department), given certain conditions and careful review. 

B. CRITERIA 

Criteria for demolition fall under the Code of Ordinances for the City of Columbia as well as the Rules and Regulations of the Design/Development Review Commission. They must be consulted and observed before any demolition can take place.

SECTION XI      DEFINITIONS

Please also see the Land Development ordinance for additional definitions.

Addition: 1. Construction that increases the living or working space of an existing structure, and is capable of being mechanically heated or cooled. (ex. porch enclosures, room additions, etc.) 2. An alteration that changes the exterior height of any portion of an existing building. 3. Any extension of the footprint of the structure, including porches and decks.

Appropriate, (appropriateness):  preservation and urban design as set forth in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and these guidelines.

Architectural feature/element: Any of the component parts that comprise the exterior of a building, structure or object that convey the style of a building. (ex. Victorian, Bungalow, etc....)

Character-defining feature: a detail or part of a structure that imparts style or design and distinguishes it from other structures (ex. porch railings, decorative windows)

Compatible: to conform or be in harmony with the components of the style of a building or the character of a district.

Contemporary: Dating from the period at which the house was built or the style in which it was originally designed; “contemporary” in this document does not necessarily mean “modern” or refer to a particular style of modern architecture.

Contributing (building/structure/site): A building, structure or site that reinforces the visual integrity or interpretability of a historical district. Acontributing building is not necessarily “historical” (50 years old or older). A contributing building may lack individual distinction but add to the historical district’s status as a significant and distinguishable entity.

Demolition: Active deconstruction in whole or in part of a building, object, or site.

Elevation: 1. Height in terms of distance from grade; 2. an exterior wall of a building, usually used in referring to portions other than the façade.

Enclosure: To close off a previously exterior open space, through the installation of walls or other devices.

Exterior Change: An action that would alter the appearance of a structure. Examples include: change in roof pitch or form, or replacing or covering exterior siding with substitute material, reducing, enlarging, closing or relocating window or door openings

Façade: An exterior side of a building; usually the front elevation of the building.

General maintenance and repair: Work meant to remedy damage due to deterioration of a structure or its appurtenances or general wear and tear, which will involve no change in materials, dimensions, design, configuration, color, texture or visual appearance.

Major: Substantive; substantial; as in considerable amount of

Muntin/Mullion: The strips of the window that divides the glass into panes or lights. Muntins are horizontal, mullions are vertical.

New construction: The construction of any freestanding structure on a lot that ordinarily requires a permit. This may apply to a variety of activities such as storage buildings, carports & garages, secondary dwellings, etc.

Non-contributing (building/ structure/site): A building, structure or site which no longer reinforces the visual integrity of the district either because it is a vacant parcel, it is a structure that was built outside of the period of significance of the district or it is an historical structure that has lost its integrity through inappropriate additions or the loss of three or more of its original character defining features i.e. porch, windows, siding.

Period of significance: a. For an individual structure: the date of construction plus or minus ten years; b. for a district, the span of time from the date of the oldest building within the boundaries to the date by which significant development ended.

Reconstruct:To rebuild a structure after it has been destroyed or demolished.

Rehabilitate:To repair or alter an historical building while retaining its historical features.

Restore:To return a structure to its orginal condition.

Secondary front yard: The non-primary side of a building on a corner lot.

Shall: What must happen.

Should: What must happen unless evidence is presented to illustrate why an alternative is more suitable.

Street trees: Those trees panted or located in the public right-of-way.