Neighbors in the Decatur, Georgia neighborhood of Oakhurst are definitely not agreeing to disagree about a proposal to turn their area into an official historic district. Scott Henry fills us in on the story, something that may not be all that hard to imagine for many of you who live in historic districts, whether recognized or not:
Threats. Intimidation. Yard signs. Snotty e-mails. Yes, the knives
are out in Oakhurst, where the proposed creation of what would be
Decatur’s largest historic district has resulted in a nasty
neighborhood-wide squabble in which many homeowners have been forced to
choose sides.Terry Michel, a real estate agent who says she supports voluntary
design guidelines rather than city imposed building restrictions, says
she’s stopped discussing the issue with neighbors because the rhetoric
on both sides has become too overheated.“The vitriol is off-putting to me,” Michel explains. “It’s like watching Ann Coulter debate Al Frankin (sic).”
So what is it about a historic district that has so many peoples’ knickers in a wad?
Mainly, the argument comes down to control over one’s own property.
If a house is included in the district, then the owner would need to
get a “certificate of appropriateness” to tear it down, build an
addition or make significant exterior changes. Construction plans that
aren’t seen as keeping within the historic character of the
neighborhood – say, replacing a 1920s Craftsman bungalow with a
modernist stucco triplex – may not be allowed.