Historic Preservation Commission (HPC)

Historic Preservation Commission

Overview

The historical, cultural and architectural heritage of Augusta-Richmond County is among its most valued and important assets and the preservation of this heritage is essential to the promotion of the health, prosperity and general welfare of the people. The Historic Preservation Commission was established to aid in stimulating revitalization of the business districts and historic neighborhoods of Augusta-Richmond County.  The Historic Preservation Commission is to make decisions with the intent to protect and enhance local historical, cultural, and architectural attraction to tourists and thereby promote and stimulate business; to enhance the opportunities for federal or state tax benefits under relevant provisions of federal or state law; to provide for the designation, protection, preservation, rehabilitation of historic properties and historic districts; to participate in federal or state programs to do the same; and to promote the reuse of existing building stock in Augusta-Richmond County and thereby conserve increasingly scarce landfill space and valuable natural resources.



Certificate of Appropriateness

An integral part of preserving the overall historic character and architectural heritage in historically significant neighborhoods or districts is the design review of project proposals and subsequent issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA application form).  Using the established neighborhood Design Guidelines  and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation for guidance (https://www.nps.gov/tps/index.htm), applicants should generally comply with all construction activities affecting external architectural features, building elements or site features of properties under the purview of design review by the Historic Preservation Commission.



Functions

View Historic Preservation Commission Responsibilities.

Meetings

    • 5:30 pm
    • Fourth Thursday of each month (except for November and December)
    • Meetings in November and December are on the third Thursday of the month
    • February and October HPC meeting locations TBD
    • Augusta Municipal Building
    • • Linda Beazley Meeting Room - 1st Floor
    • 535 Telfair St • Augusta, GA 30901




Variance Request Application


Project proposals must meet all required zoning codes in order to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission.  Should a lot require a variance of any type due to an unnecessary hardship, requests for zoning variances must be made using the following application:

Board of Zoning Appeals Application Form

Link to Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance: https://www.augustaga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8388/Comprehensive-Zoning-Ordinance---November-2019?bidId=


Members


The Historic Preservation Commission consists of 12 members:

10 appointed by the Augusta Commission from Commission districts

2 appointed by the Richmond County Legislative Delegation. All Historic members shall be residents of Augusta Georgia.

Qualifications




To the extent available, at least five members must be professionals from the fields of architecture, history, architectural history, planning, archaeology, historic preservation, or related disciplines. The remaining members may be nonprofessionals with special interest, experience, or education in regional history, historic architecture, or historic preservation.



Authority
The Historic Preservation Commission is given its legal authority through Title Seven, Chapter Four of the Augusta-Richmond County Code.

Legislative