Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17D City-wide Standards

Chapter 17D.100 Historic Preservation

1. In the case of individual properties, in order for the preliminary designation to become final and the property to be designated as an historic landmark, the owner(s) must enter into appropriate management standards as recommended by the commission for the property under consideration. If the owner does not enter into a management agreement, the preliminary designation does not become final and the property is not listed on the Spokane historic register.

2. In the case of a historic district, the proposed design standards and guidelines shall only be effective if a majority of the owners of properties located within the boundaries of the proposed historic district sign a petition, on a form prescribed by the HPO, seeking the formation of the proposed historic district, under the management standards applicable to the district as a whole, within the sixty (60) day consideration period. Following the expiration of the sixty (60) day consideration period, the HPO shall report to the commission concerning the number of properties within the proposed district and the number of signatures contained on the petition. If the HPO determines that the petition contains the requisite number of signatures, the commission shall set the property management and design standards for the district. For purposes of this requirement, “owners of property” includes owners of units within a condominium association.

3. If the commission finds that both the requisite number of signatures are present on the petition and that the design standards and guidelines should be set for the district, the historic district shall be designated as such on the official City zoning map by the use of an historic district overlay zone. The Commission shall, pursuant to SMC 17D.100.050, forward its findings to the City Council for adoption of the appropriate legislation to adopt the historic district overlay zone as part of the official zoning map. Non-contributing resources within the overlay zone are subject to administrative or commission review for significant alterations and demolition, including the resulting replacement structures, consistent with the requirements of the design standards and guidelines. No less than every five (5) years, the commission shall review and consider amendments to the design standards and guidelines for each district established under this section and forward its findings and recommendations to the City Council for adoption.

4. The property management agreement for individual properties and the design standards and guidelines for historic districts are not applicable to the public right of way.

5. Local historic district design standards and guidelines are intended to provide guidance for decision making by both the property owner when undertaking work within a local historic district and the historic preservation officer and commission when issuing certificates of appropriateness in the district.  Local historic district design standards and guidelines are not development regulations but are instead used to assist the HPO and commission making decisions in accordance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. Final decisions of the HPO or the commission are based on the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation (Department of Interior regulations, 36 CFR 67). The Standards for Rehabilitation pertain to historic buildings of all materials, construction types, sizes, and occupancy and encompass the exterior, related landscape features and the building's site and environment as well as attached, adjacent, or related new construction. The Standards for Rehabilitation are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.

Date Passed: Monday, September 16, 2019

Effective Date: Friday, November 1, 2019

ORD C35807 Section 4