The publication, including the guidelines, should be written on a level that is easy for a layperson to understand and interpret. If the guidelines are for properties in a historic district or districts, there should be a map of the area or areas which are subject to the guidelines. If a historic preservation commission or design review board in your community must review proposed alterations to historic properties and grant a permit for the work to proceed, your publication should explain why there is a commission, what the commission does, how to submit an application for a certificate of appropriateness, and walk through the review process. It should explain what happens when an application is approved and what happens when an application is rejected, and there should be a sample application form.
Guidelines are essentially specifications for work to be done to properties.
They should not dictate a single solution, but allow for various possibilities within clearly defined parameters. Still, to be truly helpful and useful, they should be specific enough to give clear direction to the property owner who is contemplating work and to the commission which is charged with reviewing and approving it. Well-written guidelines can ease the process for both the property owner and the commission. They give the commission a set of specifications against which to compare any proposed work and make a decision about it without appearing arbitrary. Sometimes guidelines describe what not to do but offer little guidance about what to do.