77
Local landmarks and properties in local historic districts require a Certificate of Appropriate- ness for utility work undertaken by private property owners, utility providers, public utility companies, and the State of North Carolina, its agencies and municipalities.
A COA is not required for ordinary maintenance or in-kind repair of utility lines, support structures, or replacement in- kind of street fixtures. Equipment failure, damage due to accident, natural occurrence or disaster, including, but not limited to: electrical storms, tornadoes, ice storms, and hur- ricanes is considered an emergency. Emergency situations al- low for temporary measures to be undertaken to secure the building while a COA is being processed. A minor work COA can be processed administratively for in-kind replacements. Design Standards for Utilities 1. Locate utilities, mechanical equipment, and associated structures in secondary and tertiary areas and screen from public view with vegetation, fencing, or other means, in keeping with the character of the historic district.
prot ect UTILITIES w i t h rou t i ne MAINTENANCE P • Conduct routine inspections of entrances and life safety features. • Properly prune trees away from overhead wires and shrubs from HVAC equipment. • Keep storm drains and street gutters clear of debris. • Call before digging to identify all utilities.
2. It is appropriate to site heating and air conditioning units in areas that will require the least possible alteration to the plan, structure, materials, and appearance of the building. 3. It is appropriate to use existing openings for utility connections whenever possible. Locate utility connections and vents through walls, roofs, or foundations on secondary or tertiary areas of visual concern where they are not visible from public view. 4. Where allowed by the utility company, paint meter boxes, vents, and other utility connections in colors that will blend with the historic building and screen them from view. 5. It is appropriate to install underground utility services to eliminate overhead lines and poles wherever possible. Bore utilities under streets, sidewalks, fences, and other landscape features to avoid damage to historic landscapes and features. 6. It is inappropriate to install window air conditioning units in the front windows. 7. It is inappropriate to locate skylights, solar collectors, ventilators, or other mechanical equipment on rooftops on the front elevation of the building. Flat skylights, solar panels, and other equipment are appropriate on the rear slopes of the roof provided they are not visible from the public-right-of-way. Solar panels may be installed in the rear yard, provided they are not visible from the public right-of-way. 8. It is inappropriate to place satellite dishes of any size in an area visible from the public-right-of-way. Small (2 feet diameter or less) dishes may be mounted on a building provided they are located in the back of the property. 9. It is inappropriate to puncture a standing seam metal, slate, asbestos, or tile roof for any utility application including the installation of satellite dishes or antennae. 10. See the design standards for lighting on page 43 for additional guidance.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online