An expansion of the Park and Elkins Neighborhood Conservation Overlay has been proposed to apply to all homes between Park, Colorado, 42nd, and 51st.
Many residents believe it is the best option we have to protect the historic character of our neighborhood. On a weekly basis homes are being purchased by investors and demolished. Many of them have historic architectural value that can be saved. If the proposed overlay expansion does not have the same positive results that overlays in other historic neighborhoods throughout Nashville have had, we can always fine tune or fully repeal it. However, until we at least try it, we will continue to lose valuable pieces of our history that can never be replaced.
The book Nashville's Sylvan Park is a great resource to learn why Sylvan Park's architectural history is worth preserving. It can be found at the Produce Place, Arcadia Publishing, and Amazon.com.
There are 23 districts in Nashville that currently use some kind of zoning overlay to protect historic buildings. The type of overlay being proposed for Sylvan Park is a "Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay" (the least restrictive type). The overlay guidelines being proposed are based on national standards, and are nearly identical to several of those already in use by other Nashville districts. These core guidelines are a time tested approach that has been fine tuned over decades to best serve our Nashville community. The Park and Elkins guidelines are the ones currently being considered for all of Sylvan Park. Links to the guidelines for every current historic/conservation overlay in Nashville can be found on the MHZC District Boundaries and Design Guidelines page.
Click here for an article by Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors describing why a Neighborhood Conservation Overlay overlay was important to them.
The overwhelming majority of studies show that historic districts lead to increased property values in neighborhoods of all shapes and sizes. Here are links to several such studies supporting this conclusion:
Benefits of Residential Historic District Designation for Property Owners
Historic Districts Are Good for Your Pocketbook: The Impact of Local Historic Districts on House Prices in South Carolina
Profiting From The Past: The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Georgia
Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation in Georgia, A Study of Three Communities: Athens, Rome, and Tifton
The Contributions of Historic Preservation to Housing and Economic Development
Gracing the Land of Elvis and Beale Street: Historic Designation and Property Values in Memphis
The Making of a Historic District and the Economic Impact upon Housing Value: An Empirical Analysis of the Tree Streets Neighborhood in Johnson City, Tennessee
An Impact Study of Local Historic District Overlays on Property Values in Fayette County, KY
The Impacts of Historic District Designation in Washington, D.C
The Impact of Local Historic Designation on Residential Property Values
The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation Districts – A Case Study of Indianapolis Neighborhoods
Connecticut Local Historic Districts and Property Values
Measuring Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation
Historic Preservation and Residential PropertyValues: An Analysis of Texas Cities
The Impact of Historic Districts on Residential Property Values
The Impact of Historic District Designation on Property Values
Historic Preservation Economic Benefits Report in Colorado
If your house is within the proposed overlay boundaries (Park, Colorado, 42nd, and 51st), the following types of changes would require review by requesting a Preservation Permit from the Metro Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC):
The following types of changes would not require review:
The above information can be found on page 5 of the MHZC Handbook, and page 3 of the Park and Elkins Guidelines.
As currently proposed, work that requires a permit would be approved based on the Park and Elkins Guidelines. However, that does NOT mean that adhering strictly to every guideline is required. The MHZC often approves projects that do not strictly meet every guideline, especially in cases where the homeowners' needs cannot be met within the guidelines. In fact, the Park and Elkins Guidelines even explicitly state that demolishing any structure is appropriate when it will prevent an economic hardship (page 23).
The primary factor that determines how guidelines are considered for a specific structure is whether or not it is considered "contributing". The MHZC Handbook defines "contributing" and "non-contributing" as follows:
‘contributing’, meaning they contribute to the historic character of the district; or
‘non-contributing,’ which means that they do not contribute because of age,
condition and/or alterations.- MHZC Handbook, page 7 sidebar
In our neighborhood, Craftsman Bungalows and Victorian homes are typically considered "contributing". Homes newer than 1945 are typically considered "non-contributing". Many of the guidelines do not apply for "non-contributing" structures, since they do not have the historical character that the overlay is intended to preserve.
If you would like to know whether or not your home is considered "contributing", or have any specific questions about the types of changes that would or would not be approved under the overlay, Historic Zoning Administrator Robin Zeigler is always happy to answer specific answer questions via email (robin.zeigler@nashville.gov) or phone (862-7970).