Historic District Commissions Compared
When creating a new historic district, either by proposing district boundaries or writing the ordinance, a question local preservationists must resolve philosophically is how inclusive to be. Should a new district's boundaries reach out to include most of the community's historic buildings, even if such boundaries include many non-historic buildings, or should the boundaries be more limited in scope? Should ordinance provisions make many things subject to commission review to cover as many contingencies as possible? If so, how can the ordinance be written to accommodate the many building types with varying levels of historic significance typically found in a larger district?
