You live in an historic District!

Well most of you do! We have two historic districts in the Rose Park Neighborhood. It’s pretty easy to tell. Just look at the street sign at your corner – it will say you are in an historic district. Why is that important? Because historic districts are a city ordinance that defines land use in an area. And with that there are some requirements before a property owner paints, replaces windows or alters the exterior of the property. And this is for all buildings – not just ‘old ones’! So – here are some things to consider.

If you are responsible for building maintenance please avail yourself of the historic district guidelines for your area, Rose Park South below 7th and Rose Park above 7th. There are many historic districts in LB – each with their own guidelines.

When you want to alter the exterior e.g. paint color, windows, change the footprint the city requires a ‘certificate of appropriateness’. If you fail to obtain it – there are consequences. But why conform to the guidelines? Why seek and obtain a certificate of appropriateness? Because it is the city’s ordinance, which the city manages and monitors. And more than that it keeps the aesthetic fabric of our area cohesive.

If you live here because you like the look and feel of the space, the way the streets are, the mixture of 100 year old bungalows and duplexes then this is how we maintain and sustain this neighborhood.

Here are the resources:

Historic District Guidelines LINK

Certificate of Appropriateness Forms LINK

RPNA’s role has been and continues to be one of information sharing – alerting those involved in the neighborhood with who to contact. RPNA has for several years identified volunteers who serve as liaisons to the Cultural Heritage Commission and the City’s Planning staff when the need for a neighborhood response is requested or deemed helpful.