Spokane Historic Landmarks Commission

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Design Review

Owners of properties designated in the Spokane Register have signed a document stating that they will abide by Management Standards outlined within the Management Agreement. They must also agree to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for any action affecting use, exterior appearance, demolition, or new construction attached to the register-listed structure.

This Management Agreement and design review process ensures the preservation of those historic and architectural features that allowed the structure to be placed on the Register. A Certificate of Appropriateness is the tool used to provide this protection for a designated structure or district. The Certificate of Appropriateness is an official notice of approval issued by the administrative commission (Landmarks Commission), or its designee (Historic Preservation Officer), charged with the jurisdiction for permitting or denying the appropriateness of any exterior changes. 

Obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness is the responsibility of the property owner(s). It is advisable to get the Certificate of Appropriateness well in advance of anticipated construction and before making any financial commitments for work or materials.

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BASIS FOR DESIGN REVIEW

In order to determine compatibility as objectively as possible, the following Standards for Rehabilitation have become the established criteria for Design Review. These broad guidelines, developed by the Technical Preservation Services Division of the United States Department of the Interior, serve as the basis for all rehabilitation design review. 

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Standards for Rehabilitation

1. Every reasonable effort shall be made to provide compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, or site and its environment, or to use a property for its originally intended purpose.

2. The distinguishing original qualities or character of a building, structure, or site and its environment shall not be destroyed. The removal or alteration of any historic material or distinctive architectural feature should be avoided when possible.

3. All buildings, structures, and sites shall be recognized as products of their own time. Alterations that have no historical basis and which seek to create an earlier appearance shall be discouraged.

4. Changes which may have taken place in the course of time are evidence of the history and development of a building, structure, or site and its environment. These changes may have acquired significance in their own right, and this significance shall be recognized and respected.

5. Distinctive stylistic features or examples of skilled craftsmanship shall be treated with sensitivity.

6. Deteriorated architectural features shall be repaired rather than replaced, wherever possible. In the event replacement is necessary, the new material should match the material being replaced in composition, design, color, texture and other visual qualities. Repair or replacement of missing architectural features should be based on accurate duplication of features, substantiated by historic, physical, or pictorial evidence rather than on conjectural designs or the availability of different architectural elements from other buildings or structures.

7. The surface cleaning of structures shall be undertaken with the gentlest means possible. Sandblasting and other cleaning methods that will damage the historic building materials shall not be undertaken.

8. Every reasonable effort shall be made to protect and preserve archaeological resources affected by, or adjacent to, any project.

9. Contemporary design for alterations and additions to existing properties shall not be discouraged when such alterations and additions do not destroy significant historical, architectural or cultural material, and such design is compatible with the size, scale, color, material, and character of the property, neighborhood, or environment.

10. Wherever possible, new additions or alterations to structures shall be done in such a manner that if such additions or alterations were to be removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the structure would be unimpaired.

(Note: Respectful Rehabilitation and the Preservation Briefs, published by the Technical Preservation Services Division of the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior, expand on the basic ten guidelines and should prove helpful resources.) 

To learn more about the Secretary of Interior Standards for Rehabilitation, click here.   

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Demolition Review

For the demolition of properties listed on the Spokane Register of Historic Places, the Landmarks Commission encourages the preservation of historic landmarks, or property within an historic district. Where demolition is proposed, however, the following factors should be considered:

1. Importance of the structure to its general surroundings.

2. Importance of the structure historically.

3. Importance of the structure as a prime example of a style.

4. Importance of the structure due to its irreplaceable qualities or features.

5. Proposed use of the property after demolition. (No demolitions for the purpose of new construction will be approved without review of preliminary designs for proposed new structures.)

Restoration and adaptive re-use of structures and outbuildings is encouraged. Deterioration of a structure due to the property owner's lack of maintenance shall not be considered a valid reason for approval of demolition.

Under Section 17D.040.220 of the Spokane Municipal Code (SMC), the Landmarks Commission can request up to a ninety (90) day delay in demolition from the date of the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to find alternatives to demolition of a Spokane Register property.

For procedures regarding demolition of historic landmarks listed on the National or Spokane Register of Historic Places, or structures located in historic districts, see Demolition Ordinance and Permit Review, or Section 17D.040.230 of the Spokane Municipal Code (SMC). 

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DESIGN REVIEW PROCESS

1. Application: The application for a Certificate of Appropriateness may be obtained from the Historic Preservation Office, City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., (509) 625-6983. Application deadline is the last Wednesday of every month prior to the SHLC public meeting.

2. Receipt of Request: Complete and return the application with payment (see Required Documentation below). A request will then be made to the Landmarks Commission for design review of the proposed action, if deemed necessary by the Historic Preservation Officer. The application must be submitted at least 21 days prior to the Landmarks Commission's next scheduled meeting. Commission staff will transmit copies of the request and any supplemental information to the Landmarks Commission members, the property owner(s) or applicant, and interested parties of record, 14 days prior to the next scheduled meeting of the Landmarks Commission.

3. Landmarks Commission Review: At its next scheduled meeting, the Landmarks Commission shall review the request and decide whether to issue a Certificate of Appropriateness. (Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month at 2:00 p.m., in the Council Briefing Center, Lower Level, City Hall. For the current meeting date and agenda, click here.)

Should the request be denied, the owner(s) have the right to arbitration as set forth in Ordinances C-26353 and 82 0038. In unusual or complex cases, the owner(s), Commission, or the Historic Preservation Officer may request that specific negotiated management standards be developed for modifications to particular properties. 

The fee for a Certificate of Appropriateness is $35.00.

Effective October 1, 2007: Payment needs to be made at the time of application. COA applications will not be reviewed without payment.

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REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION

In order for the Landmarks Commission or Historic Preservation Officer to proceed with Design Review for the issuance (or denial) of a Certificate of Appropriateness, the following must be presented to the Historic Preservation Office at the same time the application is submitted (can be submitted electronically):

1. A statement of proposed work.

2. Documentation showing existing conditions. These can include scale drawings and photographs, and must also show the structure in relation to its surroundings.

3. Scaled architectural drawings which include plans, elevation, sections and details showing proposed changes.

4. Samples demonstrating finishes, such as texture, material and color chips.  

For additional documentation requirements for a review of Change-of-Use, exterior lighting or signage, see below.

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Change-of-Use

As previously stated in the Standards for Rehabilitation, every reasonable effort shall be made to provide a compatible use for a property which requires minimal alteration of the building, structure, or site and its environment. The Landmarks Commission will consider the impact of the proposed use on the historical or architectural importance of the structure or historic district. 

For Change-of-Use approval, any proposed use must comply with zoning and regulations for the district. The following documentation must accompany the Certificate of Appropriateness.

1. Copies of the plot plan with legal description.

2. Copies of the floor plans, if applicable.

3. Description of proposed use in enough detail to give the Landmarks Commission a good understanding of the proposal.

4. Photographs or slides of the structure as it currently exists. 

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Signs and Lighting

Signs, exterior lighting and other appurtenances such as walls, fences, awnings and landscaping shall be visually compatible with the traditional architectural character of the historic structure. The following information should be provided in triplicate for any request for a Certificate of Appropriateness.

1. An accurate drawing of the design is required showing colors and an exact representation of all letter-styles proposed. Dimensions must be noted for lettering, the sign itself, and for the area/site where the sign will be situated.

2. A drawing or photocopy must be submitted showing where the sign will be located.

3. How the sign will be attached and what materials will be used for the sign must be shown. 

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Revisions to Plans

Work must occur exactly according to approved plans. ANY revisions, omissions or additions to plans must be reviewed by the Landmarks Commission prior to execution.

Appeal Procedure

See Section 17D.040.270 of the Ordinance.

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TYPES OF WORK THAT DO NOT REQUIRE DESIGN REVIEW

Certain limited types of work are permitted without a Certificate of Appropriateness. These are as follows:

1. painting and/or staining (same color);

2. general maintenance/general repairs; (see item 5);

3. new porch floors that do not alter the existing or original shape;

4. interior work that is not visible from the outside (unless otherwise specified in the agreement); and/or

5. repair-in-kind, if the work you want to do involves only repair using the same materials and exact same details and finishes. It is, however, a good idea to notify the Historic Preservation Office when you are planning in-kind maintenance.

For special Design Review considerations for the Corbin Park Historic District, see the Corbin Park Design Guidelines.

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TYPES OF WORK THAT DO REQUIRE DESIGN REVIEW

Examples of work that require a Certificate of Appropriateness include:

1. installing synthetic siding (aluminum, steel, etc.);

2. installing ornamental fencing (if applicable);

3. replacing roof, with different finish materials;

4. changing existing windows, sashes or frames or adding awnings;

5. adding shutters not original to structure;

6. altering or adding sidewalks, driveways or parking areas (if applicable);

7. adding/altering garages (if applicable);

8. painting: change of color.

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For special Design Review considerations for the Corbin Park Historic District, see the Corbin Park Design Guidelines.

TYPES OF WORK TO BE REVIEWED AND BY WHOM

© 1997-2006 City of Spokane, Washington. All Rights Reserved.
Last Date Modified: December 11, 2008