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Preserving small town charm
Historic preservation officer protects Fredericksburg’s architectural history
By Samuel Sutton
Since the 1980’s, the City of Fredericksburg’s Historic Review Board has worked to preserve the town’s notable properties.
From historic homes misidentified as “low importance” to neglected buildings, this board has used a Historic District to help bring these properties out of disrepair.
“The city’s Historic Review Board has been placed to review all applications for exterior changes in the Historic District and really are there to protect the historic resources in the district,” said Anna Hudson, the City of Fredericksburg’s Historic Preservation Officer.
If a landowner in the Historic District wishes to make any changes to the exterior of his or her building, a Certificate of Appropriateness application must be filed. The board will then review what types of alterations are being requested.
Depending on the type of alteration and the rating of the property, the alteration could either be approved immediately through Hudson’s office or have to Hudson
be approved by a board vote.
“If it’s an 1880’s limestone house versus something from the 1960’s, we look at those buildings a little differently,” Hudson said.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Certificates of Appropriateness can be submitted via email to ahudson@fbgtx.org. Applications can be found at https://www.fbgtx.org/DocumentCenter/ View/3218/CofA-2020-fillable.
Success stories
The Historic Review Board has helped protect several properties from neglect. For example, a “hidden gem” on Creek Street was misidentified in a 2003 survey as a “low-rated structure.”
“An owner in town discovered it and said, ‘Wow, there’s an old log cabin in here,’” Hudson recalled. “We were able to rerate that and we let the owner do some additions.”
After it was rerated and the cabin was restored, Hudson said the house now tells its story better.
Another example Hudson mentioned was a building at 411 E. Main Street. It had been neglected for so long that it nearly fell into demolition.
Using the “Demolish by Neglect” ordinance, the Historic Review Board was able to stabilize the property. Through more mainte
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nance, new owners were also able to help save the property. A current success story is an ongoing process at a home on South Milam Street.
“An elderly couple that has lived in the house for 20- plus years just needed help to keep the wooden house painted,” Hudson said.
Since property values do go up when a home is in the Historic District, this elderly couple wasn’t able to afford the maintenance on the home.
The board was able to use preservation grant money to keep up the painting and save the house.
“This was really an example of us doing some outreach and really helping those in need,” Hudson said.
Historic District
‘benefits everyone’
Some landowners fear
Fredericksburg’s Historic District expanded over the past year. This map shows the previous boundary and the expansion area. — Submitted photo
that if their property is expanded into the Historic District, it means the government is taking full control of their land. It’s not.
“It’s not really as bad as people may hear and the review is just limited to the exterior property,”
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Hudson said. “There is absolutely no limit on interiors.”
She added the board is there to approve projects, not to deny.
“We all benefit from it, and most people aren’t going to make huge alterations to their property,” Hudson said.
If someone is to make a big change, Hudson said this just gives them a chance to get some expert advice.
The Historic District also protects the value of landowners’ property from being ruined by a neighbor’s alterations, like building a big mansion outside someone’s little cottage home. The district also benefits locals by keeping the charm of the streets and properties, Hudson said.
Expansion
The Historic District expanded over the past year after the City Council adopted new borders in June.
“It had gone through a survey and a public process and several public meetings,” Hudson said.
After a year-long process of holding several public hearings and surveying the
The Historic Review Board has helped locals preserve buildings like this one at 507 W. Austin St. With the help of Historic Preservation grants, the home’s elderly landowners were able to keep up with necessary painting maintenance. — Submitted photo
properties, Hudson said they were able to expand a bit in each direction.
“We did bump it out to the North and also a bit to the west and a little bit to the south,” Hudson said.
Included in the expansion was the old Fredericksburg High School Building, located on the current Fredericksburg Middle School campus on Travis Street.
Hudson said this was done after the City Council had deemed the building as an historic landmark.
Distinctive Homes
It’s all about the details
