According to Curbed Atlanta, the residents of the Poncey-Highland neighborhood east of downtown Atlanta recently voted on historic preservation measures that will influence real estate development in the area. The voting was done via absentee ballots due to COVID-19. The new rules will affect second story additions, painting brick, additions on the rear of buildings, and contemporary designs on infill lots.
Most historic districts would require changes to mesh with the local government’s historic preservation guidelines—imagine having to buy older, pricier materials, rather than just whatever Home Depot has in stock—but supporters pointed out that this case would be different.
The Poncey-Highland plan would allow alterations of historic structures to be made with non-historic materials, as long as they’re compatible with the existing construction’s style.
The Poncey-Highland Historic District isn’t a done deal just yet, however. The results of Wednesday’s election still have to go before the local neighborhood planning unit (NPU-N), as well as the City of Atlanta’s Zoning Review Board, which has canceled its April hearing due to concerns of the virus.
