On Tuesday, May 6, 2003, City Council approved the Carrollton Heights Historic Overlay District ordinance.

General Information

There are two parts to historic preservation overlay districts in Carrollton. The first is Article 20.3 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. This article establishes a zoning overlay district which can be applied to a district, and sets some basic rules and procedures for administering the district. Article 20.3 explains how the rules of an historic overlay district in Carrollton will operate. The second is the enacting ordinance for the district itself which establishes the specific rules and requirements for the district. The enacting ordinance explains what regulations will apply.

Article 20.3

On July 16, 2002, City Council approved Article 20.3 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. This article:
	establishes a new overlay zoning district, which can be applied either to individual properties or to several properties together as a "district." The particular requirements and conditions of each historic preservation overlay, whether landmark or district, would be established by the ordinance creating it.
	adds Planning & Zoning Commission review and recommendation for applications for designation of property as an historic landmark or district.
	designates historic landmarks or districts by ordinance, rather than by resolution.
	requires a formal finding that any change to, or demolition of, a protected property is in conformance with the requirements set by the establishing ordinance.
	prohibits "demolition by neglect."
	provides a method for granting a limited exemption from city ad valorem taxes in certain situations.
	does not affect in any way the underlying "base zoning" of any property.

Click the icon to the right to open a copy of Article 20.3 in PDF format. (NOTE: this file is 237K in size.) It will open in a new window.
Article 20.3 refers to "Appendix A" and "Appendix B," which together are the Secretary of the Interiors Guidelines and Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings. Click the icon to the right to open a copy of this document in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. (NOTE: this file is 100K in size.) It will open in a new window.

Carrollton Heights Historic Overlay District

On May 6, 2003, City Council approved an ordinance establishing the Carrollton Heights Historic Overlay District. The rules of this district are intended to maintain the overall character and development pattern by:
	removing the 70% brick or stone requirement for building facades.
	setting a maximum lot size.
	setting general upper limits on building size.
	requiring more city review and permission for demolition.
	prohibiting "demolition by neglect."
	establishing architectural design controls.

The rules of the district DO NOT:
	regulate paint color.
	change permitted land uses.
	impose additional fees or require additional building permits.
	affect interior remodeling.
	increase staff review time for building permits.

Click the icon to the right to open a copy of the enacting ordinance in PDF format. It will open in a new window.

Frequently Asked Questions Carrollton Heights Historic Overlay District

Question 1:	Section D of Article 20.3 says something about painting. Can I paint my house any color I want?
Answer	Yes. Since the enacting ordinance does not establish any "approved" paint colors, there is no such thing as an "unapproved" paint color. (However painting over brick or stone would probably not be allowed, since it is a change in the exterior finish material itself.)
Question 2:	When do I need to apply for a "Certificate of Historic Appropriateness?" (CHA)
Answer	A CHA is required whenever you do something that changes the exterior appearance of your house.
Question 3:	How do I apply for a CHA?
Answer	If your project requires a building permit from the Building Inspection Department, your building permit application serves as your application for a CHA and the Historic Preservation Officer (HPO) will review your plans for conformance with district requirements. If your project does not require a building permit, you should contact the HPO directly to discuss your project.
Question 4:	How much does the CHA cost, and how long will it take to get?
Answer	There is no additional charge for a CHA. If you are applying for a building permit, there will be no additional review time. If you are not applying for a building permit, the review time should take only a day or two.
Question 5:	What if my plans don't meet the district regulations?
Answer	The HPO will advise you of what changes can be made to satisfy the district regulations and get your CHA.
Question 6:	What if I don't want to change my plans?
Answer	You can appeal the decision of the HPO to the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, which has the power to overrule the HPO and issue the CHA. If they agree with the HPO, you can appeal their decision to City Council.
Question 7:	Will this district increase property values or property taxes?
Answer	The experience of other historic districts shows that properties within them become more desirable - and therefore more valuable - than properties outside them. We hope that Carrollton Heights has the same experience in the long run. The district itself does not increase the property tax rate.
Question 8:	Who enforces the district rules?
Answer	The HPO will work with the Community Services Division (i.e. "Code Enforcement") to enforce these ordinances. If you suspect a violation of the district regulations, contact the HPO or Community Services.
Question 9:	Who is this "HPO" person?
Answer	The HPO (Historic Preservation Officer) is Christopher Barton of the Carrollton Urban Development Department. You can phone him at 972 - 466 - 3040, or send him an e-mail.
Question 10:	How do I know if I'm in the district?
Answer	You can see an address list of properties. (The addresses are those shown by the Dallas Central Appraisal District.) Also, you can see a map of the district, in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format. (Both of these links will open in new browser windows.)
Question 11:	Whose idea was it to have an historic district?
Answer	The Carrollton Heights Neighborhood Association applied for the district. For information about the neighborhood association, click on their name above to go to their web page.
Question 12:	Why is it called an "overlay" district?
Answer	An "overlay" zoning district establishes regulations in addition to those set by the "base" zoning. Because of this, you can think of an "overlay" district as being laid on top of - or "overlaying" - the "base" zoning.

History and Historic Preservation Links

Here is a page with some links to other useful web sites regarding history and historic preservation.