October 19, 2007

Recent events such as the loss of one neighborhood home to fire, planned development just outside the pillars, and interest in infill development have raised neighborhood awareness about the importance of protecting Island Home Park's historic neighborhood resources and character. In response to these concerns, the IHPNA Board voted in May to begin the process for an H-1 Historic Overlay.

An H-1 overlay is a zoning district in which new construction, modifications to existing structures, and demolition are regulated by a set of standards known as design guidelines. Detailed guidelines are developed by the neighborhood, following the general principles of the Secretary of the Interior's Guidelines for Historic Rehabilitation. The IHP H-1 Overlay committee, appointed by the board, will facilitate the process.

The Committee has developed draft H-1 guidelines for neighborhood consideration. The first general neighborhood meeting to discuss the proposed guidelines is scheduled for Tuesday, October 30 at 7 p.m. in the Ward Building Auditorium at TSD. The committee will then make revisions based on neighborhood feedback, and the revised guidelines will be presented back to the neighborhood. We will iterate through this process as many times as necessary to ensure all concerns are fully considered.

When the guidelines are complete, each property owner will vote "yea" or "nay." At least 51% of the property owners responding must approve the designation. If the guidelines are approved by the neighborhood, then they are submitted to the Historic Zoning Commission, to MPC, and to City Council for approval.

A summary of these preliminary guidelines is enclosed for your review. The complete version of the document is available at the IHPNA website (http://ihpna.net) or from any board member or committee member (contact information on the back of this letter). We are also enclosing a set of illustrations to help make the terminology easier to understand.

Please bring your copy of the draft summary with you to the meeting. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your feedback!

• Does NOT change existing zoning; i.e. IHP will remain single family residential
• Does NOT require changes in existing structures; all existing structures are "grandfathered" in
• Does NOT regulate interior remodeling or exterior paint colors
• Does give neighborhood a voice in guidelines and regulations
• Does prohibit demolition of existing structures without special review
• Does require new construction to meet overlay design guidelines
• Does require exterior renovations and exterior changes requiring a building permit to meet overlay design guidelines
• Does work to preserve historic character of neighborhood
• Does protect and enhance property values.

IHPNA H-1 Committee Members

Additional IHPNA Board Members (not listed above)