3.4 - AIA Austin letter of support — original pdf

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December 11, 2020 Honorable Mayor Adler Honorable City Council Members City Manager Spencer Cronk Re: Historic Design Standards Recommendation Dear Mayor and City Council Members, Given that Architects will be some of the primary users of the proposed Historic Design Standards, AIA Austin has been closely following their development and adoption process. With several of our members serving on the Historic Landmark Commission’s Design Standards Working Group, we are pleased to have been a major stakeholder and contributor in this endeavor. As no city adopted design standards exist today, there is little guidance in the current historic preservation process. Therefore, we believe this document is an important tool as it will finally provide a consistent and predictable set of design standards for Historic Landmarks, National Register District properties, and future local Historic Districts in Austin. Further, it will provide for a clearer application process, making historic designations easier to attain and in a more equitable way. While we would like to see a little more guidance for building elements related to adaptive reuse, as found in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, we recognize that this document is meant to serve all building types and believe it is a great step forward for the city. As outlined in the Imagine Austin Comprehensive Plan, the city should strive to maintain and preserve our historic resources. To this end, AIA Austin supports the work done by the Historic Preservation Office, and the Design Standards Working Group, and strongly encourages City Council to adopt the Historic Design Standards. Sincerely, Eric Rauser, AIA AIA Austin President The American Institute of Architects AIA Austin 801 W. 12th Street Austin, TX 78701-1709 512-452-4332 www.aiaaustin.org