Many very well designed contemporary buildings are located in Raleigh Historic Districts. The review by the RHDC and its staff is intended to be of assistance to the property owner to find ways to be creative and to give life to the district, while still ensuring that the scale and character of the neighborhood is reinforced and enhanced by the new construction. This is done by means of issuance of Certificates of Appropriateness for work before it begins. Before applying for building permits, or before applying for commercial or residential site plan approval if your project requires it, a Certificate of Appropriateness application form must be filled out and returned to the RHDC staff. If you are applying for a Minor Work, you may submit your application at any time.
Major Works are subject to a public hearing.
This is a quasi-judicial hearing where no contact with the Commissioners is allowed ahead of time. Only factual evidence in favor or opposed to the request may be presented at the hearing, and the Commissioners must make their decision based solely on the evidence provided at the hearing. You may present evidence yourself or have a representative speak for you. See the entirety of City Code Section 10-2052 for details on the process of approval of projects in Historic Districts. Contact the RHDC staff for more information.