Source: http://oakhursthistoricdistrict.blogspot.com/2007/06/
Timestamp: 2017-07-23 12:35:09
Document Index: 474117057

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48', '§ 48']

Oakhurst Historic District: June 2007
The intent and purpose of the laws of this state [Georgia] are to have all property and subjects of taxation returned at the value which would be realized from the cash sale, but not the forced sale, of the property and subjects as such property and subjects are usually sold except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-1)In Georgia property is required to be assessed at 40% of the fair market value unless otherwise specified by law. (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7) Property is assessed at the county level by the Board of Tax Assessors. The State Revenue Commissioner is responsible for examining the digests of counties in Georgia in order to determine that property is assessed uniformly and equally between and within the counties. (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-340)The tax bills received by property owners from the counties will include both the fair market value and the assessed value of the property. Fair market value means "the amount a knowledgeable buyer would pay for the property and a willing seller would accept for the property at an arm's length, bona fide sale." (O.C.G.A. § 48-5-2)The purpose of the digest review procedure is to equalize county property tax digests between and within the counties. This procedure is designed to require the county boards of tax assessors to make adjustments in the valuation of property to ensure uniformity and equity. The Revenue Commissioner can use any reasonable measure in order to accomplish uniformity. O.C.G.A. § 48-5-340A county’s digest is approved in their digest review year if the digest meets the following criteria:* The average assessment ratio for each class of property shall be reasonably close to the assessments provided for in O.C.G.A. § 48-5-7 which is a 40% assessment for most real and personal property.* The average assessment variance for each class of property shall not be excessive.* The assessment ratios of the properties shall not reveal any significant assessment bias.Every property sold on your street and surrounding neighborhood (new construction or rehabilitated) impact how the county and city must assess your property values. A study conducted by Rutgers University on several Texas cities addresses the impact of historic districts to improved property values, (which by law in Georgia would mean increased taxes), improved property tax collection, and displacement of elderly and poor (gentrification). The interesting part is the ability to justify adjustments of real estate taxes on the elderly and poor in historic districts. http://geography.rutgers.edu/people/faculty/leichenko/leichenko_coulson_listokin2001.pdf"Our findings also have implications for the granting of special property tax incentives for the rehabilitation of designated properties. The policy of granting exemptions or abatements is quite common (Beaumont,1996; Listokin et al., 1982). Our finding that designation enhances property values (in part due to the encouragement of rehabilitation) partially supports such a policy. The rise in property values ultimately means higher property taxes and, given that, landmark owners might hesitate to engage in rehabilitation in the absence of exemptions/abatements. Yet, there is a counter-interpretation. Given property appreciation, must the public sector give tax-breaks to landmark owners? Or, if this incentive is extended, perhaps it should be means-tested—that is, limited to the less affluent. Such a policy would dampen displacement pressures and it would also target assistance to where it is needed."Please refer back to the previously mentioned study on Philadelphia posted June 25, 2007. That study found that local historic districts retain the cultural and racial mix representative of the city. That is really positive evidence that the proposed local historic district could help us retain the diversity of our community.
Should you have confidence in your city leaders? When it comes to city management and development, the City of Decatur is one of the most revered and premier cities in the state. Here are a few recent articles...2006 City of Excellencehttp://www.georgiatrend.com/state-of-the-economy/decatur.shtmlDecatur Commissioner Earns National Honorhttp://www.gmanet.com/event_detail/default.asp?eventid=44967&menuid=GeorgiaCitiesNewspaperIDPublic Involvement Begins With CommunicationsDecatur Mayor Bill Floydhttp://www.gmanet.com/event_detail/default.asp?eventid=44959&menuid=ViewpointsID
Here are two quotes from Donovan Rykema, noted historic preservation economist, regarding historic preservation and smart growth.“Around the country historic preservation is the one form of economic development that is simultaneously community development.”“The diversity of housing sites, qualities, styles and characteristics of historic neighborhoods stands in sharp contrast to the monolithic character of current subdivisions. The diversity of housing opinions means a diversity of human beings who can live in historic neighborhoods.”
Regarding Economic Benefits of Historic Districts in Georgia
A commenter left the following comment regarding the 6/23/2007 post:"Are the LHD neighborhoods in the referenced study comparable to the Oakhurst district? In most of these studies the homes are either in a state of blight and historic designation is an incentive to rehab them as an investment. They are also usually lovely old Victorian mansions or the like build by the wealthy of their time. In most cases like ours, the houses decrease in value until all have been refurbished. At that point the value begins to rise and so do the taxes. Decatur taxes are about the highest in the state so increases are a serious issue to many of our neighbors - particularly for our older citizens on fixed income. "The answer to your initial question is YES. I am not certain what in the study suggested the communities studied were in a state of blight. Most of the economic data came from Athens, Rome, and Tifton, which are all communities with solid economic histories. While the study can be confusing, it is not true that the neighborhoods in Athens, Rome, and Tifton are from the Victorian period. Actually the age of many of the historic neighborhoods are exactly those of Decatur and Oakhurst. Here is a photograph of one of the protected Athens neighborhoods: Some of the protected neighborhoods in Athens are similar to Cabbage Town - old mill town homes consisting of 4 rooms. There are local historic districts in Athens that have some older grand homes as well, but it makes up the minority of the protected homes. This is the case in both Rome and Tifton as well. I am unable to locate any data supporting the claim that homes decrease in value until they are refurbished. I do know that some homes that have not been renovated can actually be more valuable because they retain some of the original woodwork and heart pine flooring. I will continue researching this aspect and publish my findings. You are correct that tax increases are a real issue for Decatur residents, especially for the elderly that may be on a fixed income. Because local historic districts provide for a wide range of housing values it can actually help cities such as Decatur do what they can to protect the elderly while still complying with state laws regarding taxation of real estate. We will return to this issue in a later post.
Going back to the Valparaiso Historic Preservation Commission
Here is a link to a very interesting article entitled “The Economic Power of Restoration” http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/hp/smartgrowth/economic_power_of_restoration.pdf. A good bit of the article does not apply to the subject of local historic district. Pages 5,6 & 7 are the most useful. I follow with a few quotes from the article.“The overwhelming majority of what we call “historic properties” have no international, in most cases not even national importance. But they have a local importance to the people who live there. Both economic development and historic preservation are essentially local in the United States…”“Related to the issue of neighborhood stability is neighborhood diversity. America is a diverse country, ethnically, racially, economically. From a political perspective there’s not much unanimity in the U.S. regarding overall urban policy. But I think there is rather widespread agreement on one issue – our cities would be healthier if we had diverse urban districts – that no one particularly benefits from neighborhoods that are all rich or all poor; all white or all black. And while for over thirty years we have had laws prohibiting discrimination based on race or religion, while anyone with the money to buy can live wherever they choose, our neighborhoods as a whole are not diverse.” “Let me give you an example. Philadelphia, one of America’s oldest cities, has a population of one and a half million people. It’s about 53% white, 40% black and the balance Asian and Other. But when the census is taken Block Groups are identified. A block group is small – in Philadelphia only eight or nine hundred people in each one. There are about 1,750 Block Groups in Philadelphia. While the city as a whole is certainly diverse, the Block Groups are not. In a recent analysis we said that to meet the test of a diverse neighborhood, the Block Group had to be less than 80% white and less than 80% black, that is no extreme concentration of any race.Barely one Block Group in five met that test. 79% Philadelphia small neighborhood clusters were effectively all white or all black. Not so in the National Register Historic Districts, however. In the 106 Block Groups within historic districts nearly half met the diversity test – people of all races living together because of the appeal of the historic neighborhood. These were not all high-income areas, by the way. The income distribution in Philadelphia’s historic districts mirrors the income of the city as a whole. There is housing available in historic neighborhoods to accommodate a wide range of income levels.”
Here is an interesting piece from another local historic district referring to a study done on local historic districts in Indiana and the eleven lessons learned - http://www.ci.valparaiso.in.us/HPC/Districts/Banta/Guidelines/7-About%20the%20Historic%20Preservation%20Commission.pdf* Buyers in historic districts have broader choices in building style, size, and features and get more house, dollar for dollar for their money* Local historic districts contain racially and economically diverse populations that mirror their community’s mix of people* Historic districts do not push out old and poor residents. In fact, local historic districts typically provide affordable housing at many price points for both homeowners and renters.* People who purchase homes in historic districts aren’t just passing through, but tend to remain for an extended period, adding stability to the area. Local districts promote increased levels of homeownership
While market values is not the only benefit of historic preservation it is one that is important to all homeowners. Here is a few items mentioned in the study conducted by the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada on the economic impact of historic preservation in Georgia. http://www.uga.edu/gapc/images/Economic%20Benefits.pdf"In Athens, a study of seven neighborhoods found that over the period 1976 to 1996, the average assessed value for a sample of properties in two districts with both national and local historic designations grew by nearly 48 percent. This average rate surpasses the growth rates for properties in three non-designated neighborhoods, which increased by nearly 34%.""Preservation activities are not the only factor that enhance economic viability, and historically-designated properties do not always increase in value faster than similar properties without such designation. On the whole, however, these studies do provide evidence that historic designation is an important factor in creating value for property owners. Property values have generally kept pace with, and in some cases, exceeded those of comparable non-designated properties."
A great article to read about Economic impact of historic districts in Georgia
http://www.uga.edu/gapc/images/Economic%20Benefits.pdfThis is a link to an article about the economic impact of historic districts in Georgia. It is written by Joni Leithe & Patricia Tigue of the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. & Canada. It is 26 pages long, but really interesting. Here is a quote from the study...."It is time to create a new vision. A vision of community, shared experiences and shared heritage. A vision of a sustainable society, not a throwaway one. A vision that blends what we treasure from our past accomplishments and experiences with what we create from new ideas."
Interesting thought from the Michigan Historic Preservation Commission
I quote this from the State of Michigan Historic Preservation Commission. "The primary reason for establishing local historic districts is to manage how change occurs in a designated area to ensure that as much of the original character as possible remains intact. After all, changes that occur to one property can impact the property next door, the block, and ultimately the neighborhood overall.""Michigan's Local Historic Districts Act declares historic preservation a public purpose to safeguard a community's heritage, strengthen local economies, stabilize and improve property values, foster civic beauty and promote history."
Here is a link to a website by the National Park Service. It has a lot of information. There is an index (a,b,c,d,e) so make sure you read all pages.http://www.nps.gov/history/hps/workingonthepast/
Have you shared your records with staff of HPC, its members, City Commissioners or any other City employee or agent?
Have you shared your records with staff of HPC, its members, City Commissioners or any other City employee or agent? If so, was the information shared verbally or in writing? If 51% or more of the property owners in the proposed Oakhurst LHD are opposed to it & sign a petition indicating such, will you withdraw your nomination? If not, why?This posting it taken from a comment from the most previous posting. I did not post all of the comments because it went into great detail about Arizona State Law. Please feel free to read the entire comment so you can make your own judgement and decision. Georgia State Law allows for the creation of LHD governed by municipalities. Our personal opinion is that we are pleased that the State of Georgia allows citizens to locally determine ways to protect their historic resources.We have not shared our records with the staff of HPC, its members, City Commissioners or any other City employee or agent. We have referred to our efforts to educate and communicate with the residents of the proposed LHD and community at large. That notification can be found on the blog, on the Oakhurst listserv and in meeting minutes with the HPC. I do not know if we can withdraw our nomination or not. A nomination for lhd does not require a petition or laborous procedure to ask the City to look into protecting historic resources. The time for input into your views of lhd is outlined in the schedule presented by Amanda Thompson in various media. Again, please request a copy at preserveoakhurst@gmail.com.I appreciate your question regarding 51% participation in a petition regarding this subject. I ask the question back to you. If I presented a petition showing 51% of the residents approve of the lhd would you support the lhd? Or would you question its validity as you have questioned the validity of other information presented on this blog? If so, why?
How many property owners did the nominators actually talk to prior to nominating Oakhurst as LHD?How many of those individuals signed a petition in support?Will you please post all your records pertaining who you spoke to prior to nomination and whether those individuals were in support, opposition or undecided?Thank you for your inquiry. First, we will not be posting our records. We have received many requests to keep the personal information collected, during both the every early conversations with residents and more recent conversations with residents, confidential. We made this promise to our neighbors. The input we collected prior to making the application will not be used in the decision making process of the HPC or City Commission. To be fair, there is too much that happens during the process to hold any initial input as support or lack of support for the final application.We were not working in an official capacity for the City of Decatur and did not collect a petition. Our conversations with residents were about more than support or lack of support of a local historic district. Although, had we received strong opposition from residents regarding the start of the process of consideration for local historic district we would not have approached the HPC. As for the number of residents, that is difficult to answer. There were 2 meetings with the community that included a large number of residents. We had 5-6 residents that went door-to-door within the proposed district on several occasions. There were several "dinner parties" hosted by residents (with several invited neighbors) to discuss the local historic district. When we sat down with our notes we estimated that we spoke to about 70-75% of the residents within the proposed district. The percentage of the community as a whole was smaller. This is our best estimate. Since, the process has begun we feel pretty confident that the vast majority of the community is aware of the application. Many have provided input.
The tree ordinance can be found at the following website. http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?pid=12110&sid=10It is under section 86 articles 76 through 86 or so. Hugh Saxon is the contact listed on the City of Decatur website regarding the tree ordinance.
I agree - I am concerned with the importance being placed on grass lawns. Grass is a water hog and environmentally far less friendly than cottage styl
I agree - I am concerned with the importance being placed on grass lawns. Grass is a water hog and environmentally far less friendly than cottage style gardens and paths, especially when they are done with native species. Thank you for your input. It has been forwarded to the HPC. The community provided a template for design guidelines that did not put a lot of emphasis on grass lawns. There are some southern and coastal grasses that require nearly zero water to remain alive and green. Therefore, lawns where not necessarily discouraged either. Thanks.
Why not include in the landscaping section so there is no question that they are allowed? Are front yard fences allowed in LHD?
The original post has an answer to this question under June 5th posts. We can include the xericulture alternatives and other landscape suggestions in the intent/guidelines. This input has been provided to the HPC.Front yard fences are seen within the proposed local historic district, but are not prevalent. The HPC will make a determination as to whether or not front yard fences or lack of front yard fences is part of the historic character of the proposed district. The decision regarding this matter will be addessed in the ordinance and guidelines available in the fall. You did not provide your input as to whether you think they should or should not be allowed in the guidelines. You input is valuable and I encourage you to provide this to the HPC.
Is not denial of use of skylights and solar panels anywhere on property a violation of GA law providing solar easements? Global climate change is prob
Is not denial of use of skylights and solar panels anywhere on property a violation of GA law providing solar easements? Global climate change is problem we all will need to address and the sooner the better. Denial of use of skylights and solar panels on any portion of a property, including parts which may be seen from public right of way, is working in direct opposition to evironmental stewarship and prevents citizens of Oakhurst the opportunity to obtain tax credits that they otherwise could. Why not allow solar panels and skylights on all portions of house and expressly permit it in the Guidelines? What means more to nominators protection of block face or protection of environment? Protection of the environment does NOT occur under the proposed guidelines. Too many restrictions to simply preserve the block face of structures which are not truly historical in sense of National Historical Register requirements.This question has been posed to the City of Decatur and their answer will be posted as soon as it is available.My understanding is that solar panels are not denied, but that they must be reviewed. I am unable to find in the HPC meeting notes where this issue has been presented from one of the other local historic districts. There was a time when storm windows and energy efficient windows where not allowed in many of Georgia's historic districts. Technology used in such has improved and the use of storm windows, energy efficient windows, hardi-plank siding, skylights, etc. have been approved in many historic districts.As far as the easement for solar systems in Georgia - here is the wording "Accordingly, under Georgia's Solar Easements Act of 1978, easements may be established to allow owners of solar-energy systems to negotiate for assurance of continued access to sunlight". I do not see how the proposed local historic district is in conflict with this act.It is true that there may be some solar panels for use on some roof lines that could be determined to alter the historic character of the home and denied. I have a great deal of confidence in the low-cost, thin-film technology available today. There are panels that look like roofing material that conduct more energy from the sun that the bulky materials of the past. Given the past decisions of the HPC and the desire of the City of Decatur to promote environmentally friendly habits, I do not see this issue to be one that will hurt the residents within the proposed local historic district. I believe there are alternatives within the solar energy productions market that would be acceptable for use in the proposed district.
Is not denial of painting a surface on your home or being permitted to repaint a surface (any color) a violation of GA law? Is not that restriction a
Is not denial of painting a surface on your home or being permitted to repaint a surface (any color) a violation of GA law? Is not that restriction a selection of a color (whatever color of the brick or foundation may be)?How will all the lawsuits be funded by the City that will occur if Oakhurst becomes LHD based on the vagueness of the guidelines leading to arbitrary decision making and taking of property rights? Do you want your tax dollars spent fighting numerous lawsuits related to LHD designation or instead to support education and help the elderly and lower income residents of the community?This question has been posed to the City of Decatur. The following answer is not their response. As soon as their response is received it will be posted.It is true that it is illegal in the State of Georgia to regulate the color of a painted surface on residential buildings. However, it is my understanding that the preservation of a historic surface - such as original brick or stone - has legal precedent throughout the State of Georgia. Madison, Tifton, and Athens all have a much more restrictive historic preservation ordinance regarding such. The discussion of lawsuits regarding historic districts of all types is difficult because commissioners, citizen boards, and city managers will not provide such detail. In my discussions with members of various members of various preservation commissions, all I can get is that there have been "few" lawsuits. It is my understanding that there have only been two lawsuits regarding the local historic districts in the City of Decatur. I do not know the nature of the suits or the cost to the tax payers. I am not aware of any program for education, elderly or lower income residents within the community that has not been funded by the City of Decatur because of the high cost of defending lawsuits or managing local historic districts. There is a cost to managing and defending any zoning law and there will be a cost to the proposed local historic district. Whether that cost justifies the preservation of the historic character of the community is a decision the residents of the community and the community leaders will address.
My partner and I put exterior storm windows over the original
My partner and I put exterior storm windows over the originalwindows in our 1925 home. They were the least expensive option and theywork great, reducing our heating and cooling costs tremendously. They look awful. Please comment on how the LHD would have responded to theirinstallation on both 1) a contributing structure and 2) anon-contributing structure.For a contributing structure, as long as the original windows were not harmed or the opening size changed storm windows are fine. Same for a non-contributing structure.http://www.invisiblestorms.com/proj_photos/projphotos.htmlThis is an example of a manufacturer who makes storm windows for historic homes.
Maybe I missed it, but surely the design guidelines have somethingto say about sports equipment and other recreational features, including basketball hoops and kiddie pools?The commission would only look at a material change that would have an impact on the historic property, like removing part of the house to put up a basketball hoop or to put in a pool.
Snap in dividers do not look the same as simulated or true divided light windows. If you are trying to preserve the look and design of a historic window, then you would use simulated or true divided light windows.
"Retaining Walls" - "The use of paint or stucco to cover a
"Retaining Walls" - "The use of paint or stucco to cover ahistoric wall surface is not appropriate." Why the heck do such detailsneed to be in the historic guidelines anyway?This is so the historic material is preserved and maintained. Once brick is painted, it is very destructive to have it removed. These details are required to be in design guidelines to give the preservation commission and homeowners guidance on how to preserve the historic features of their property.
You know, another explicit design feature that should be excluded
You know, another explicit design feature that should be excludedfrom regulation is solar panels (photovoltaic collectionsystems)--anywhere, in any quantity. Yet another example of howemulating the past may seriously endanger even having a future. Please incorporate explicit permission for street-visible solar panels andrainwater collection barrels into the design guidelines, or comment onhow the LHD wouldn't apply to either.Solar panels are required to be reviewed because they have the same visual impact as installing a new window. As technology improves, they have less visual impact. Rain barrels are not required to be reviewed.
Please explicitly include xericulture alternatives and non-lawn combinations of raised beds and mulch paths in the design guidelines.
You could include this in the goals/intent section of the guidelines.
I hope that the following statement is just an artifact from the template and not something y'all added (from "Trees and Lawns"): "Grasslawns in the front yards are of importance" This was taken from a description of the Old Decatur historic district, specifically Sycamore Street, where front lawns are prominent and does not necessarily apply to the proposed district.In the current historic districts, guidelines address removal of trees greater than 12 inches in diameter and do not address other landscaping issues. Trees do not have to be addressed.
In order to educate myself about the LHD nomination in Oakhurst, I have been reading the HPC minutes. Therein, I discovered that Mr. Levine and Ms. Pr
In order to educate myself about the LHD nomination in Oakhurst, I have been reading the HPC minutes. Therein, I discovered that Mr. Levine and Ms. Provost stated during a March 13, 2007, HPC meeting that they "had contacted every property owner of a contributing property in the dristrict to inform them of the nomination." Additionally, I discovered that Mr. Levine stated during the April 10, 2007, HPC meeting that he had "personally talked to 75% of the neighborhood about putting in a nomination for a district." I live in a house that the HPC has designated as contributing in Exhibit A to its Resolution to implement a 90 day COA for demolitions within the proposed LHD and I was NEVER consulted or informed of the nomination prior to the time periods stated above and have discovered from conversations with numerous neighbors that they were also in the dark. Were the HPC minutes reported incorrectly or were incorrect statements made at the HPC meetings? Without your address I can not review our notes related directly to you from the door-to-door effort made to inform residents of the LHD. The original district included the streets; Mead, Feld, Cambridge, Leyden, Hood, Third and part of East Lake. We embarked on a door-to-door effort for several months. We also provided a paper notice regarding the same. While we knocked on every door we were not successful in talking to every resident. My records indicate that someone spoke to the majority of the residents, although it was not necessarily Ms. Provost or Mr. Levine who spoke to them. The effort was a human effort and I will admit it had flaws. I regret that you were not consulted. There have been numerous attempts to continue the education of residents and gathering of input from residents for nearly two months and the efforts will continue thorough much of the summer. Please feel free to provide questions or input on this blog or to Amanda Thompson with the City of Decatur.Also, Winter Avenue, Johnston and Park Place were both added to the proposed local historic district at a later time at the request of the HPC. We made a door-to-door effort to contact those residents as well, but we only attempted contact one time. If you live on one of these streets you had less of an opportunity to be contacted directly.I encourage you to provide your input regarding the local historic district. There will be public meetings regarding the design guidelines on Tuesday, June 5th 7pm; Saturday, June 9th, 10am; Saturday, June 23rd, 10am; and Tuesday & Wednesday June 26-27 at 10am. All meetings will be held at City Hall.Public input on the HPC application for the proposed local historic district will be held; Tuesday, August 21, 7pm; Saturday, August 25, 10am, Wednesday, September 12, 10am and 7pm; and Saturday, September 15, 10am.If you are unable to attend meetings you may contact Amanda Thompson at 678-553-6513 or athompson@decaturga.com.