Spokane Municipal Code

Title 17D City-wide Standards

Chapter 17D.100 Historic Preservation

Section 17D.100.280 Browne’s Addition Local Historic District Overlay Zone

1. Purpose.

This special overlay zone establishes a local historic district in Browne’s Addition under section 17D.100.020. This overlay zone sets forth standards and guidelines that will maintain the historic character of the district through a design review process.

2. Designation of Districts.

Along with individual properties, contiguous groups of properties can be designated as local historic districts on the Spokane Register of Historic Places.

1. 1. The process for designation of local historic districts is detailed in Chapter 17D.100.

1. 2. Local historic districts are displayed as an overlay zone on the official zoning map and its title and purpose are adopted as an ordinance under Title 17C. See the Browne’s Addition Local Historic District Overlay Zone Map 17D.100.280-M1.

3. Certificate of Appropriateness Review.

The certificate of appropriateness review process for the Browne’s Addition Local Historic District helps insure any alterations to a building do not adversely affect that building’s historic character and appearance, or that of the historic district. The process is conducted by the Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission as detailed in “Browne’s Addition Historic District Design Standards and Guidelines.”

1. 1. The District Design Standards and Guidelines assist property owners through the design review process by providing the following:

1. 1. 1. District-wide design standards and guidelines,

1. 1. 2. Specific design standards and guidelines for single-family contributing structures,

1. 1. 3. Specific design standards and guidelines for multi-family contributing structures,

1. 1. 4. Specific design standards and guidelines for non-contributing structures,

1. 1. 5. Design standards and guidelines for new construction, and

1. 1. 6. Demolition review criteria for properties within the district

1. 2. The Browne’s Addition Design Standards and Guidelines require property owners to apply for and receive a Certificate of Appropriateness for proposed exterior changes to properties within the district as outlined in the Browne’s Addition Historic District Design Standards and Guidelines and under sections 17D.100.200-220.

4. The Browne’s Addition Design Standards and Guidelines are intended to provide guidance for decision making by both the property owner when undertaking work within the Browne’s Addition Local Historic District and the historic preservation officer and commission when issuing certificates of appropriateness in the district.  The Browne’s Addition Design Standards and Guidelines are not development regulations but are instead used to assist the historic preservation officer and commission making decisions in accordance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards 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 following Standards for Rehabilitation are the criteria used to determine if a rehabilitation project qualifies for a certificate of appropriateness. The intent of the Standards is to assist the long-term preservation of a property's significance through the preservation of historic materials and features. The following Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.

1. 1. A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.

1. 2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.

1. 3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.

1. 4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.

1. 5. Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.

1. 6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.

1. 7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.

1. 8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.

1. 9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.

1. 10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

5. The Browne’s Addition Historic District Design Standards and Guidelines, which are incorporated by reference and included as Appendix A are adopted.

Date Passed: Monday, September 23, 2019

Effective Date: Sunday, November 3, 2019

ORD C35810 Section 1