Hi00oric
Continued from page 1
detailing. 'Whey contribute to the
character of the neighborhood,"
he said, noting there is a large
concentration of houses with the
gable end usually set facing the
street. These traditional buildings
often take up much of the lot and
are set close to the sidewalks.
The commercial district is prc-
dominately early 20th century,
boarding houses and a number of
commercial renovations of resi-
dential buildings. To the south in
Rehoboth Heights, the most popu-
lar architectural form stems from
the colonial revival of the 1920s
and 1930s, Kurtze said.
With this groundwork laid
down, Wetherill took the floor and
explained that the policies institut-
ed for the historic districts would
be incorporated into the zoning
ordinance and supersede any pre-
vious zoning laws.
The three districts would be the
Northern Portion of the Residen-
tial Historic District; the Southern
Portion of the Residential Historic
District and the Commercial His-
toric District. The northern dis-
trict would include all residential-
ly zoned properties and public
lands, while the southern district
would also include all residential-
ly zoned properties and public
lands except Country Club Es-
tates, Schoolvue and properties
facing the western side of State
Road and eastern side of Grove
Street.
The commercial district would
encompass Rehoboth Avenue and
the Boardwalk, along with Balti-
more and Wilmington avenues,
but also include residentially
zoned properties facing the east-
ern side of Grove Street south of
Rehoboth Avenue and those fac-
ing the western side of State Road.
It would exclude commercially
zoned properties along Route 1 to
the south of Silver Lake.
If adopted, the city would estab-
lish an Historic Preservation
Commission composed of five
members (residents or property
owners). At least one would be a
registered architect (waived if one
cannot be found) and at least one a
business owner in the historic dis-
trict. Most of the members should
be residents or property owners in
the historic district, with at least
one member from each historic
district "and all having knowledge
of and a demonstrated special in-
terest in historic preservation, ar-
chitecture, landscape architecture,
architectural history, planning or
local history."
The commission would have
the power to review applications
for Certificates of Appropriate-
ness, either approving, denying or
approving with conditions any ap-
plication submitted. They would
monitor the condition of proper-
ties within the historic districts
and have the power to take action
should such properties not be
properly maintained. The com-
mission would also recommend
changes to district boundaries or
creation of new districts and re-
ceive funds and grants which
would enable it to carry out its
tasks.
A Certificate of Appropriate-
ness would be required before
there is "any construction, recon-
struction, moving, demolition, re-
pair or alteration of a structure or
landscape feature in the historic
district in a manner which affects
the exterior appearance of the
structure or landscape feature if
the change is visible from a public
way, waterway, boardwalk or
beach."
All applications for certificates
would be accompanied by maps,
plans and other documents, and a
fee would be charged.
Failure to act within 60 days of
when the certification application
is made would constitute approval
and all certificates would expire if
work on a new structure has not
begun within nine months and
completed within 18 months.
Any other changes would have to
begin within six months and be
completed within one year.
The ordinance would provide
specific criteria which would need
to be followed in order to qualify
for a certificate. They would in-
clude yet-to-be set down design
guidelines, "so that some pro-
posed changes could be pre-ap-
proved by the guidelines and the
owner wouldn't need to come be-
fore the commission," Wetherill
explained, adding that the guide-
lines would be presumably more
lenient in the commercial distrkt.
Criteria would take into consid-
eration "the historic, architectural,
cultural, educational and aesthetic
value or significance of the struc-
ture or landscape feature and its
relationship to the surrounding
area." Also considered would be
the general compatibility and rela-
tionship of the proposed exterior
design, arrangement, size, setting,
architectural features, landscape
features, colors, texture and mate-
rials with the surrounding/a.s.
The applicant would also need
to comply with the Secretary of
Interior's Standards for Rehabili-
tation and Guidelines for Rehabil-
itating Historic Buildings, which
are extremely detailed.
Demolition of a structure be-
lieved to contribute to the charac-
ter of an historic district would not
be allowed, although extenuating
circumstances include the struc-
ture being a deterrent to a major
improvement program which
would be of substantial benefit to
(he city; retaining the structure
would cause undue financial hard-
ship to the owner; and retention
would not be in the best interest of
the community.
The document stressed that or-
dinary maintenance and repair
shall not be prevented, unless it
involves changes in design, mate-
rial, color or outward appearance
or removal or alteration of archi-
tectural features.
If a certificate is denied, the
property owner may take the case
to the Rehoboth Beach Board of
Adjustment. Should it be denied
once more, the courts are the only
recourse.
No building permits would be
issued for any construction, recon-
struction, moving, repair, alter:
ation or demolition of any struc-
ture within an historic district
which affects the exterior appear-
ance, visible from the public eye
until a Certificate of Appropriate-
ness is issued.
"Compatibility" is the key,
Dowling told them, addressing
general height, roof shape, street
alignment, setbacks and building
shape as the most important fac-
tors in the residential areas.
"With the commercial district,
it's more a question of integrity of
the building and storefront, with
basic signage guidelines - getting
basic to basics and toning them
down. You look at the building
and the proposed changes within
the context of the block and how
the changes would benefit the en-
tire district and adjacent neigh-
bors," Dowling said.
With copies of the draft avail-
able at city hall, all written com-
ments will be received through
June 21 by City Manager Greg
Ferrese. They are especially seek-
ing feedback on definitions for
landscape features as well as
buildings. The next meeting has
been slated for 7 p.m., Wednes-
day, June 28.
:CAP/g GAZ]g'PI, )'riday,:Jime'ff- June l& 11195,15
OARDWALK
[00HILDERS INC.
- " - . .ii._ _ " '' ii $i;-iE":'"hi'i:iii!ii!!:
SALE!
$299 Reg. $339
$399 Reg. $449
s499 Reg. $529
PK HOME
FURNISHINGS
andstyks
vary by
location.
Delivery
Available
PK City
Stein H/.
Seafood, DE
(302) 629-,1099
Route 1
Midway Shoping Center
Rehoboth, DE
(302) S44-233S
