Meeting with Historic Macon

One of the many beautiful historic homes in the North Highlands neighborhood

by Marsha Bailey

On June 7th at 6:30 at Highland Hills Baptist Church approximately 27 members of the North Highlands community attended a presentation by Historic Macon to discuss North Highlands becoming a Design Review District.  The presentation was given and discussion was held by Ethiel Garlington, Executive Director and Matt Chalfa, Director of Presentation Services.

Being a Design Review District allows communities to have a tool that ensures that redevelopment and growth are suitable for the community’s historic character. A community’s Design Review District Guidelines come into play only when a property owner is performing an activity that requires a Certificate of Appropriateness permit be obtained from Macon-Bibb County.  These activities are limited only to those exterior changes that can be seen from the public right-of-way.  Macon-Bibb Design Review Board reviews the COA based on the specific neighborhood Design Review Guidelines and makes a recommendation to accept or reject the COA. Although input and guidance are given by Historic Macon, the Design Review Guidelines are written by each community and tailored to its specific concerns.

If the North Highlands community becomes a Design Review District, it will be able to:

• Establish minimum standards for property aesthetics and appearance

• Create consistency in construction and alterations to buildings

• Prevent new construction that is not in accordance with the NH Design Review Guidelines

• Provide the NH neighborhood with a public forum to voice support or disapprovals of building alterations

• Encourage thoughtful and sensitive development in alignment with the NH neighborhood

• Provide for cohesive landscaping, parking and accessory building designs

The community will NOT be able to:

• Designate structures as blighted

• Demolish any structure designated as blighted

• Require property repair or landscape maintenance

• Require a COA for minor repairs and ordinary maintenance

• Regulate property uses

• Dictate the color someone may paint a home or other structure

• Provide an exemption from any existing building and zoning codes

• Enforce the Guidelines. (This will be the responsibility of Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning).

If there is sufficient interest from the North Highland community, the next step will be for representatives form North Highland and Historic Macon to draft guidelines and to circulate them within our community for review and comment.