....Identify, retain, and preserve

Farm in rural landscape.

Retaining the historic relationship between buildings and landscape features of the setting. For example, preserving the relationship between a town common and its adjacent historic houses, municipal buildings, historic roads, and landscape features.

Inappropriate parking that changes the character of an entire neighborhood.

Removing or radically changing those features of the setting which are important in defining the historic character.

Destroying the relationship between the buildings and landscape features within the setting by widening existing streets, changing landscape materials or constructing inappropriately located new street or parking.

Removing or relocating historic buildings or landscape features, thus destroying their historic relationship within the setting.

....Protect and Maintain

Protecting and maintaining historic masonry, wood, architectural metals, stone, and plant features through appropriate treatments such as cleaning, rust removal, limited paint removal, and reapplication of protective coating systems; and pruning and vegetation management.

Cast iron furnishings from a 19th-century catalog.

Protecting building and landscape features such as lighting or trees, against arson and vandalism before rehabilitation works begins by erecting protective fencing and installing alarm systems that are keyed into local preservation agencies.

Evaluating the overall condition of the building and landscape features to determine whether more than protection and maintenance are required, that is, if repairs to features will be necessary.

Failing to provide adequate protection of materials on a cyclical basis which results in the deterioration of building and landscape features.

Permitting the building and setting to remain unprotected so that interior or exterior features are damaged.

Stripping or removing features from buildings or the setting such as wood siding, iron fencing, terra cotta balusters, or plant material.

Failing to undertake adequate measures to assure the protection of building and landscape features.

....Repair

Replacing an entire feature of the building or landscape when repair of materials and limited replacement of deteriorated or missing parts are appropriate.

Chemical reaction between new concrete steps and historic iron railing that causes unsightly appearance.

Using a substitute material for the replacement part that does not convey the visual appearance of the surviving parts of the building or landscape, or that is physically, chemically, or ecologically incompatible.

....Replace

Removing a feature of the building or landscape that is unrepairable and not replacing it; or replacing it with a new feature that does not convey the same visual appearance.

Design for Missing Historic Features

The following work is highlighted to indicate that it represents the particularly complex technical or design aspects of rehabilitation projects and should only be considered after the preservation concerns listed above have been addressed.

Designing and constructing a new feature of the building or landscape when the historic feature is completely missing, such as row house steps, a porch, a streetlight, or a terrace. It may be a restoration based on documentary or physical evidence; or be a new design that is compatible with the historic character of the setting.

Creating a false historical appearance because the replaced feature is based on insufficient documentary or physical evidence.

Introducing a new building or landscape feature that is out of scale or otherwise inappropriate to the setting's historic character, e.g., replacing picket fencing with chain link fencing.

Alterations/Additions for the New Use

The following work is highlighted to indicate that it represents the particularly complex technical or design aspects of rehabilitation projects and should only be considered after the preservation concerns listed above have been addressed.

Designing required new parking so that it is as unobtrusive as possible, thus minimizing the effect on the historic character of the setting. "Shared" parking should also be planned as that several businesses can utilize one parking area as opposed to introducing random, multiple lots.

Designing and constructing new additions to historic buildings when required by the new use. New work should be compatible with the historic character of the setting in terms of size, scale design, material, color, and texture.

Removing nonsignificant buildings, additions or landscape features which detract from the historic character of the setting.

Urban setting marred by inappropriately altered house on right, now clad in vinyl siding.

Placing parking facilities directly adjacent to historic buildings which cause damage to historic landscape features, including removal of plant material, relocation of paths and walkways, or blocking of alleys.

Introducing new construction into historic districts that is visually incompatible or that destroys historic relationships within the setting.

Removing a historic building, building feature or landscape feature that is important in defining the historic character of the setting.