My Property Cheat Sheet — College Street District
One page to re-read before any project conversation.
My regulatory situation
- District: College Street Historic District (HL93-01, designated 1993) — an HL overlay under Zoning Sec 39 - HL Historic Landmark Overlay
- Also inside Historic Grapevine Township → Pattern Book + Township rules apply
- Review standards stack (most restrictive wins): College Street Criteria (Exhibit B, binding) + SOI Standards (HL properties) + Pattern Book (2025) + App. G §7(d) caps + underlying zoning (R-7.5 etc. per my lot)
Hard numbers I cannot escape (App. G §7(d))
| Limit | Value |
|---|---|
| Max roof height | 35 ft (never adjustable) |
| Min living area | 1,200 sq ft |
| Max floor area | 3,400 sq ft (never adjustable; detached garage ≤500 + shed ≤200 excluded) |
| Max lot coverage (all buildings) | 40% (never adjustable) |
| Front-entry garage | prohibited unless rear half of lot |
| Application lead time | complete package 4 weeks before 4th-Wednesday meeting |
| Commission decision window | 60 days |
| Appeal window | 30 days from written decision |
| Violation exposure | up to $2,000/day |
College Street criteria — the themes that decide cases
(Full text: College Street Preservation Criteria (Ord 93-58))
- Authenticity over imitation: each building tells its own period's story (period of significance c. 1870–1930); no false historic look; new work "clearly contemporary" yet compatible
- Repair > replace; original materials preserved; synthetic siding (vinyl/metal) prohibited; no fake brick/stone/gravel aggregate — horizontal wood siding, brick, stone, stucco are the approved palette
- Windows: original framing & light configuration preserved or replaced in-kind, same-size openings; no window A/C units visible from street; security bars inside only
- Masonry: never paint unpainted brick/stone; no sandblasting/high-pressure cleaning; mortar must match historic in strength/color/width (≤20% white Portland)
- Site: keep historic building/landscape relationships; driveways perpendicular to street, no circular drives in front/corner side yards; no new front-yard parking
- Setbacks & massing: match neighboring contributing buildings — height, roof form, cornice line, bay spacing; infill "shall be similar in front and side yard setback"
- Additions: at the rear if at all possible; if side, recess ≥18 in. from the historic façade; don't out-tower neighbors; reflect main structure's massing/roof/materials
- Mechanical: screen from view; not in front/corner side yards; satellite dishes hidden
- Paint: colors complementary to building & district; Commission keeps an adopted palette — inside palette = staff-level, outside palette = Commission review
The people to call first
- HPO David Klempin — 817-410-3197 (pre-application consult; his support ≈ approval)
- See current commissioners: Historic Preservation Commission · tendencies: Voting Patterns and Tendencies
Money
- GTRP Grant Program matching grants for exterior preservation work — apply before starting work
Watchouts
- CA ≠ building permit (need both; pre-construction meeting before permit issues)
- Scope creep converts exempt maintenance into violations — recheck Decision Tree - Do I Need a CA whenever the plan changes
- Corner lots: "not visible from street" fast-track shrinks
- Everything the Commission decides is on the public record — neighbors get mailed notice