Applications

Obtaining HPC Approval for Your Project

A Certificate of Appropriateness issued by the HPC is required if a property is located within a historic district or is an individual historic site, before any of the following work can begin:

Exterior work that requires a building permit. Examples include roof repair or replacement, porch repair or replacement, new siding, decks, and additions.

Exterior repairs, replacements, or removal of features, including windows, doors, stairs, railings, and any other trim.

Adding, replacing, or changing fences, walls, signs, solar panels, sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. Moving a structure.

Demolishing a structure.

The removal of living trees measuring 18 inches or more in diameter at breast height located in the public right-of-way.

Download the application here

Work on historic sites that do not require HPC approval:

Any work to the interior of buildings.

Any work that is not visible from a public street.

Ordinary maintenance that does not require replacement of existing materials. Painting your building.

To Apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HPC:

The HPC holds regular monthly meetings, and the schedule is posted in City Hall and on the website. All required forms are available in City Hall in the Division of Planning. You may also download the forms from the HPC's website at www.orangenjhpc.com

Plan your building project (see advice in Planning Your Building Project below).

1. Gather a detailed list of all proposed work, building plans prepared by your contractor or architect, and photographs of the building and site.
2. Apply for a construction permit (if required).
3. Fill out the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness
4. Notify all neighbors within 200 feet of your property line, completing the Affidavit of Service of Notice
5. When your application is complete, attend your scheduled HPC public hearing to present your
proposed work. Bring plans, photographs, sample materials, catalog cut sheets, and any documents necessary to illustrate the proposed design and construction details.
6. Upon approval, the HPC will issue a Certificate of Appropriateness within 10 working days of the hearing. The Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a construction permit can be issued.
7. When a structure or improvement requires immediate repair to preserve the continued habitability of the structure and/or the health and safety of its occupants or others, consult the Division of Planning to see if emergency repairs may be performed in accordance with city codes without first obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness. An application and an appearance before the HPC will still be required to document the emergency work

Planning Your Building Project

Check Available Documentation

Knowing the history of your building can help you make informed decisions about your project. Check with the Orange Library and other sources to find out about your building's origins and changes over time, and to see photographs and views of the building in the past.

Consult Preservation Publications

There is a wealth of readily available material, in libraries and on the Inter

net, on preservation do's and don'ts, as well as practical guidance on repair techniques and where to find products and materials for historic buildings. (See Helpful Information.) Learn from the experience of others so you don't make mistakes!

Evaluate the Historic Character and Physical Condition of the Building

Identify the materials and features of the building that contribute to its historic character and that need to be preserved. Are there any physical problems that threaten the structure? Are there historic features hidden behind later alterations?

Plan for the Work.

Hire an architect or contractor who has experience with historic building work. Review the Design Guidelines, and consult with the HPC before you complete your designs to make sure that your project will meet the Design Guidelines.

Choosing an Appropriate Treatment for Your Historic Building

The four treatment approaches are Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration, and Reconstruction, defined below:

Preservation is the act or process of applying measures necessary to sustain the existing form, integrity, and materials of a historic property. Work, including preliminary measures to protect and stabilize the property, generally focuses upon the ongoing maintenance and repair of historic materials and features rather than extensive replacement and new construction. New exterior additions are not within the scope of this treatment; however, the limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a preservation project.

Rehabilitation is the act or process of making possible a compatible use for a property through repair, alterations, and additions while preserving those portions or features that convey its historical, cultural, or architectural values.

Restoration is the act or process of accurately depicting the form, features, and character of a property as it appeared at a particular period of time by the removal of features from other periods in its history and the reconstruction of missing features from the restoration period. The limited and sensitive upgrading of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems and other code-required work to make properties functional is appropriate within a restoration project.

Reconstruction is the act or process of depicting, by means of new construction, the form, features, and detailing of a non-surviving site, landscape, building, structure, or object for the purpose of replicating its appearance at a specific period of time.

Choosing the most appropriate treatment for a building requires careful consideration about a building's historical significance, as well taking into account its physical condition and proposed use. What is the existing condition - or degree of material integrity - of the building prior to work? Has the original form survived largely intact, or has it been altered over time? Are the alterations an important part of the building's history? Preservation may be appropriate if distinctive materials, features, and spaces are essentially intact and convey the building's historical significance. If the building requires more extensive repair and replacement, or if alterations or additions are necessary for a new use, then Rehabilitation is probably the most appropriate treatment. These key questions play major roles in determining what treatment is selected.

Proposed use. An essential, practical question to ask is: Will the building be used as it was historically, or will it be given a new use? Many historic buildings can be adapted for new uses without seriously damaging their historic character; special-use properties may be extremely difficult to adapt to new uses without major intervention and a resulting loss of historic character and even integrity.

Source: National Park Service, Technical Preservation Services, The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, 1995. www2.cr.nps.go