Historic District Design Guidelines
- A. General
- B. About the Guidelines
- C. Purpose and Role
- D. Organization
- A. Brief History of Suffolk’s Development and Preservation Efforts
- A. Introduction
- B. Early History
- C. 1837 Fire
- D. Post-Civil War
- E. Architectural Styles
- F. Preservation Efforts to Date
Chapter
1, Suffolk's Historic Districts 
- A. The Local Historic District
- B. History of the Local Historic District
- C. Purpose of the Local Historic District
- D. Special Areas within the Local Historic District
- E. Categories of Significance within the Historic Conservation Overlay District
- F. Goals with the Historic Conservation Overlay District
- G. The National Register and Virginia Landmarks District
Chapter
2, The Historic Landmarks Commission and the Review Process
- A. Introduction
- B. The Historic Landmarks Commission
- C. Meetings of the Historic Landmarks Commission
- D. Responsibilities of the Historic Landmarks Commission
- E. Certificate of Appropriateness
- F. When is a Certificate of Appropriateness Needed?
- G. Certificate of Appropriateness Application
- H. Incomplete Applications
- I. Major Actions
- J. General Certificate of Appropriateness
- K. Exemptions
- L. Minor Actions
- M. Non-Contributing Buildings
- N. Appeals
- O. Maintenance and Repair Required
Chapter
3, Planning a Project in the Historic District
- A. General
- B. Is the Property Within the National Register District?
- C. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
- D. Check the Underlying Zoning District Requirements
- E. Is the Building Residential or Commercial?
- F. What Style is Your Building?
- G. What is the Context of the Surrounding Area?
- H. Consult with the City Staff
- I. Preparing an Application Submittal
- A. General
- B. Policy Statement on Use of Substitute Exterior Materials
- B.1 Background
- B.2 Synthetic Trim Materials
- B.3 Statement of Conditions
- C. Window Openings
- C.1 Background
- C.2 Typical Window Types
- C.3 Guidelines for Window Preservation
- C.4 Awnings
- D. Doors
- D.1 Background
- D.2 Guidelines for Doors
- E. Decorative Features
- E.1 Cornices
- E.2 Columns/Pilasters
- E.3 Window and Door Trim
- F. Materials
- F.1 Masonry
- F.2 Wood Materials
- G. Architectural Metals
- G.1 Background
- G.2 Guidelines for Architectural Metals
- H. Synthetic Siding
- H.1 Background
- H.2 Guidelines for Synthetic Siding
- I. Painting
- I.1 Background
- I.2 Guidelines for Painting
Chapter
5, Residential Building Design Considerations
- A. General
- B. Residential Siting Considerations
- C. Setbacks
- C.l Front Yard Setbacks
- C.2 Side Yard Setbacks
- D. Off-Street Parking and Driveways
- E. Fences and Low Screen Walls
- E.1 General
- E.2 Decorative Fences
- E.3 Decorative Low Screen Walls
- E.4 Tall Screen Fencing
- E.5 Living Fences
- F. Other Site Features
- F.1 Landscaping
- F.2 Technological Advances
- F.3 Light Fixtures
- F.4 Miscellaneous Exterior Items
- G. Design of the Building Mass – Additions
- G.1 Building Form
- G.2 Form of Additions
- G.3 Directional Expression
- G.4 Height and Width of Additions
- H. Foundation Design
- H.1 Maintenance Guidelines
- H.2 Rehabilitation Guidelines
- H.3 Addition Guidelines
- I. Roofs
- I.1 Design
- I.2 Preserve Historic Roof Elements
- I.3 Maintain Historic Roof
- I.4 Preserve Historic Roof Materials
- I.5 Hide Appurtenances from View of Public Way
- I.6 Design of Roof Additions
- I.7 Roofing Materials for Replacement Roofs
- I.8 Policy Statement on Roof Replacement
- I.9 Condition Statement
- J. Residential Porches and Entrances
- J.1 Typical Entrances and Porches
- J.2 Guidelines for Residential Porches
- K. Outbuildings
- K.1 Guidelines for New Outbuildings
Chapter
6, Commercial Building Design Considerations
- A. Background
- A.1 Historic Urban Core
- A.2 Historic Entry Corridors
- B. Rehabilitation of Historic Building Facades
- C. Mercantile Buildings in the Commercial Area
- C.1 General
- C.2 Guidelines for Mercantile Buildings
- D. Residential Buildings in the Commercial Area
- D.1 General
- D.2 Guidelines for Residential Buildings
- E. Signage Design
- E.1 Background
- E.2 Guidelines for Signage
- F. ADA Access Ramps and Lifts
- F.1 Background
- F.2 Guidelines for ADA Access
- A. Background
- B. Creativity
- C. Guidance for New Construction
- D. General Application
- E. Residential Guidelines
- F. Mercantile Building Guidelines
- G. Certificate of Appropriateness
Chapter
8, Demolition or Removal of Buildings
- A. Background
- B. Authority
- C. Guidelines for the Consideration of Demolishing or Moving Buildings
- D. Guidelines for Moving or Demolishing Buildings
- D.1 Demolition
- D.2 Moving
- E. Alternative Procedures
Chapter
9, Financial Incentives
- A. Introduction
- B. Federal and State Tax Credits for Rehabilitation
- C. City Programs
- D. Enterprise Zone Program
- E. Historic District Discount Paint Program
- Appendix A – Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
- Appendix B – Application/Review Requirements
- Appendix C – Glossary
- Appendix D – Bibliography
- Appendix E – Resources/Contacts
- Appendix F—Picture and Graphic Sources