Relevant recommendations from draft Equity-Based Preservation Plan — original pdf

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Equity-Based Preservation Plan Relevant Recommendations from Draft Plan, July 2024 Note: Recommenda(cid:415)on numbers may change in final plan. Historic sign guidelines 13. Develop an addendum for landscape management to the City of Aus(cid:415)n Historic Design Standards. 34. Improve historic designation and historic review processes to be more clear, streamlined, and transparent. Work with community members, including people with a range of experience levels navigating local historic processes, to improve processes for and communication around historic designation and historic review. Leverage resources and expertise from the Equity Office and Office of Innovation. 35. Develop accessible materials about historic preservation, community heritage, incentives, archaeology, and City historic designation and review processes. Ensure that the Historic Preservation Office website, applications, and outreach materials are clear and accessible to people without formal preservation training. Provide resources in multiple languages and publicize the City’s commitment to offer interpretation at community meetings. 90. Stop requiring review of changes to privately owned properties in National Register districts. Follow state and national best practices and strategically use limited staff time by treating National Register district properties like other 45+ year-old buildings in terms of code-required review for landmark eligibility. Encourage property owners in National Register districts to consult with staff and neighborhood associations on project compatibility and to create locally designated historic districts. Establish a staff-level advisory review process for City- owned properties listed in the National Register. Demoli(cid:415)on by neglect 98. Improve enforcement processes to be clearer and more accessible. Work with community members, contractors, other building professionals, and City departments and commissions to improve and clarify enforcement processes. Proactively provide clear, easily accessible information about how demolition by neglect and permit violations are enforced and remedied. 102. Augment penalty fees with non-financial penalties that more effectively deter violations. Clearly communicate potential penalties to property owners and contractors. Consider substantial penalties such as prohibiting building permits for 3-5 years where unpermitted demolition of a historic building has occurred. Focus on building partnerships with property owners and contractors rather than exacting penalties. 103. Increase penalties for repeat violators. Increase penalties for informed, intentional violators. In cases where property owners do not have resources to maintain their buildings, leverage the economic hardship provision and provide financial and technical resources to help avoid repeat violations. 104. Better enforce violations. Work with Development Services Department, Austin Code, and Law Department staff to ensure that enforcement processes are followed in a timely way. Simultaneously develop a non-punitive solutions process to build capacity and skills that will help avoid future violations. Demoli(cid:415)on/reloca(cid:415)on 29. Make it easier to relocate buildings within Austin. Following a Council resolution in fall 2023, work with other City departments and stakeholders to explore how to facilitate local relocation when preserving a building in place is not feasible. 30. Encourage property owners to retain older buildings by allowing approved demolition permits to be converted to relocation permits. Support retention of older buildings and encourage sustainability by streamlining the process to change approved demolition permits to relocation permits. Allow previously paid demolition permit application fees and approved processes to be applied to remodel or relocation permit applications for owners who decide to retain an older building.