The Arts and Cultural District in the City of Williamsburg will likely be excused from some design restrictions in the proposed update to the Design Review Guidelines from the Architectural Review Board.
The ARB proposal moves all of the Arts District into the Architectural Preservation District, which requires ARB review for all construction, rehabilitation, relocation, demolition and signage, but will allow that area of city more leniency regarding color schemes and signage.
In the current guidelines, portions of the Arts District are in the Corridor Protection District, which requires ARB review for all construction and signage. The Comprehensive Plan suggests the Corridor Protection District for the Arts District.
“The main reason for [moving the Arts District] is some of the really nice older buildings along Richmond Road we think should be retained if at all possible,” said Carolyn Murphy, deputy planning director, at a joint meeting of the ARB and City Council on Tuesday to present the changes. “If you put it in a Corridor District like it is now, they could be demolished without any approval from the city.”
Architectural Preservation Districts (AP) are broken up into three categories to account for the different aesthetics of areas throughout the city. The Arts District will be included in AP-3, which includes neighborhoods constructed post-WWII Colonial Revival and more modern-style homes.
The Arts District, established in February 2011 in the area where Richmond Road meets Lafayette Street, was created to bring attention to the area sandwiched between the more successful retail sections on Richmond Road and near the College of William and Mary. The special designation incentivizes would-be businesspeople starting or expanding an arts business to receive a five-year Business, Professional and Occupational License (BPOL), sales tax reductions and fee waivers for qualified businesses.
The new design guidelines would require the Arts District to follow most of the same rules as others within the Architectural Preservation District 3, but adjusts a few of the restrictions – such as permitting more than three colors on signs, more pictorial sign designs, larger signs and a wider selection of exterior colors – for the Arts District.
“I personally think the more color we get in that area, the more it will pop compared to the surrounding area in a good way. It’ll create a lot of visual interest,” Vice Mayor Paul Freiling said in Tuesday’s meeting, which allowed councilmembers to provide feedback on the guideline changes before the ARB launches the formal approval process.
The reclassification of the Arts District is the most significant change to the ARB map, but is not the only major change for residents and business owners looking to build or redesign within city limits.
The ARB, which last updated the Design Review Guidelines in 2006, is also proposing the Crispus Attucks neighborhood be moved to AP-3 from Corridor Protection, the allowance of cementitious siding in AP-2 districts and a full listing of the new official color palette of Benjamin Moore Williamsburg and Avery paints.
Beyond guideline changes and language tweaks, the ARB aimed to make reading the guidelines user-friendly for citizens, citing confusion among many residents who have come before the board seeking repairs or a new look to their home or business.
“You’ll see a considerable change to the format of it,” said ARB Chairman Robert Lane. “That whole part of it was to make it easier to use and a little clearer to use.”
The new guidelines make clear the differences between the guidelines for residential and commercial properties or the differences between new construction versus reconstruction. The guidelines also offer more pictures to help show what’s written in the text.
In general, City Council praised the ARB for its suggested changes to the guidelines but did offer a few minor suggestions to help clarify some of the guidelines, such as specifying “high-quality slate” or “high-quality windows,” if possible, and creating an easy-to-reference list of differences for the Arts District.
In a meeting following their joint meeting with the City Council, the ARB reviewed the suggestions and will make adjustments prior to releasing the Design Review Guidelines proposal to the public. It also scheduled its public hearing on the guidelines for 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
