Historic Preservation Terms

Recognizing that to the outside observer, the terminology of historic preservation sounds like a foreign language. The following glossary will help to provide a better understanding of commonly used terms.

50 Year Rule: National Register of Historic Places guideline that states properties will generally not be considered for the register until they have reached 50 years old.

Abatement: Removing or mitigating hazardous materials

Adverse Effect: A change to a historic resource that will lessen the property’s historic value and integrity. Used primarily during the Section 106 review process.

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation: Oversees the Section 106 process. If the Georgia Historic Preservation Division finds under Section 106 review, a project has a possible adverse effect on a historic resource. The project will be reviewed by ACHP. They will make the final ruling regarding the project. ACHP will find rule no adverse effect or will find an adverse effect is expected, and they will explore ways to avoid or mitigate the harm to the historic resource.

Building Envelope: A building envelope is the exterior of the building that prevents the infiltration of environmental factors into a structure. (water, air, heat, cold, noise, etc.).

Certificate of Appropriateness: Document issued through the design review process of local historic preservation commissions.

Certified Local Government: Commonly referred to as CLG. The CLG program partnership between the National Park Service and the Georgia Historic Preservation Division to provide preservation guidance to comminutes. A city must be a Qualified Local Government, must adopt a local historic preservation ordinance, enforce the ordnance through an active historic preservation commission, must have a recent (10 years) historic resources survey to be eligible for CLG status. A CLG designation provides access to federal funding for preservation activities.

Character-Defining Features: Features of a building, structure, or sight that relates to the time period and/or methods used when the historic resource was constructed. (Decorative features, materials, craftsmanship, etc.)

Contributing Property: Used in historic resources surveys and pertains to properties that are 50 years or older and have maintained their historic integrity and/or significance. The properties are listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Defensible Decision: A decision made by a local historic preservation commission during the design review process for a Certificate of Appropriateness that is supported by the established design guidelines and is not influenced by personal taste or opinion. A defensible decision will hold up under appeal.

Demolition by Neglect: A property owner knowingly allows a building to fall into a state of extreme deterioration and is likely beyond repair. Some owners use this a way around historic preservation regulations.

Demolition Delay Ordinance: An ordinance adopted by a local government, holds a demolition permit for properties within a local historic district, in hopes of finding alternatives to demolition. The time frame varies from city to city.

Design Guidelines: A document that guides the design review process for historic preservation commissions to ensure defensible decisions are regarding the certificate of appropriateness applications. They ensure proposed changes to properties within a local historic district do not adversely affect the integrity or significance of the property or district.

Design Review: A process of approval for material change within a local historic district. The local historic preservation commission makes a decision either issuing or denying a Certificate of Appropriateness based on established design guidelines for the district.

Georgia Historic Preservation Division: Commonly referred to as HPD. HPD has many roles, including reviewing property surveys, assisting in nominating properties to the National Register, administering grants, helping local agencies, coordinating the Certified Local Government Program, conducting and consulting on Section 106 review, and reviewing applications for federal investment tax credit projects.

Historic Context: Information about historic properties based on a shared theme, specific time period, and/or geographical area.

Historic Fabric: Original physical materials of a built structure. (Brick, wood, windows, etc.)

Historic Preservation Ordinance: Ordnance adopted by a local government and aids in the protection of historic resources. The ordinance establishes a historic preservation commission and its powers.

Historic Preservation Commission: Commonly referred to as HPC. The HPC is established by a locally adopted historic preservation ordnance and oversees the design review process and other powers granted to it by the ordinance, including but not limited to, designating local historic districts, and educating the public about historic preservation.

Historic Resource: A district, site, building, structure, or object significant in history, architecture, engineering, archeology, or culture at the national, state, or local level.

Historic Significance: Articulates how a historic property relates to an established historic context. Concerning the national register, a building, structure, object, site, or district must have high levels of integrity and be significant under one of the criteria for evaluation of the National Register. Significance can be described at the local, state, and/or national level.

Integrity: How much a building has retained of the elements that define it as historically significant. When integrity is lost, the property’s significance can be called into question. The National Park Service lists seven factors that determine a property’s integrity: Location, Design, Setting, Workmanship. Feeling, Association, Materials.