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This material is presented for informational
purposes only. Herron-Morton Place holds no liability for inaccuracies
that may be contained herein. Individuals are urged to contact the
Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission for complete guidelines
as may apply to your project.
A Certificate of Appropriateness is simply a document
that you receive from the IHPC stating the specified work has been
approved. A Certificate of Appropriateness is required before most
exterior work begins, before a building permit can be issued, and
before any variance of development standards, land use variance,
or rezoning can be granted.
The first thing an applicant must do is determine
the scope of work to be completed. This should be a detailed list
of all work the applicant wishes to complete. After the scope of
work is determined, the required type of approval can be determined
by consulting the IHPC Policies and Procedures Handbook (available
for purchase at the IHPC office) or by contacting the IHPC staff
at 327-4406.
If the type of work being considered requires
a Certificate of Appropriateness, an application can then be filed
with the IHPC staff. The application is a one-page form generally
completed by the owner or a representative. Documentation will usually
need to be submitted along with the application. Documentation will
vary by project, but generally includes photos of the area where
work is to be done, drawings depicting any new construction or alterations,
product literature, product samples, or color samples. If you have
questions about required documentation or the completion of an application,
please call the IHPC office.
A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) is approved
in three different ways depending on the type of work proposed.
The three approval types are: Commission Approval, Hearing Officer
approval, and staff approval. If different portions of the proposed
work fall into different approval categories, the applicant may
file separate applications to allow the staff approval process to
commence while waiting for hearings to occur.
- Hearings are conducted on the first Wednesday
of every month at 5:30 pm. (Contact IHPC office for location.)
- Submit application with required documentation
and fee (if applicable) to IHPC office.
- The hearing will be scheduled.
- Notify all property owners within 100 feet
of the property at least fifteen days before the hearing.
- Return notarized affidavit of notice to IHPC
before the hearing.
- Staff recommendation will be mailed to the
applicant prior to the hearing.
- Attend the Commission hearing to present your
case to the IHPC.
- IHPC may approve, deny, or continue your case
to the next schedule hearing.
- If the project is approved, the Certificate
will be available the following day.
- Obtain the necessary permits. (Contact Permits
at 327-8700 for further information.)
- During construction, display the certificate
where it is visible from the street.
- Work may proceed. Certificates expire in one
year.
- Hearings are conducted each Tuesday at 12:00
noon in the IHPC office.
- Submit application with required documentation
and fee (if applicable) to IHPC office.
- The hearing will be scheduled.
- Notify all property owners within 100 feet
of the property at least fifteen days before the hearing.
- Return notarized affidavit of notice to IHPC
before the hearing.
- Attend the hearing. Hearing Officer may approve,
deny, or continue the case.
- If approved, the Certificate will be available
after 12:00 noon the following day.
- Obtain the necessary permits. (Contact Permits
at 327-8700 for further information.)
- During construction, display the certificate
where it is visible from the street.
- Work may proceed. Certificates expire in one
year.
- No public hearing or public notice is required.
- Submit application with required documentation
and fee (if applicable) to IHPC office.
- The certificate will be issued when the staff
determines that the proposed work complies with the Historic Area
Plan. If proposed work is approved, the Certificate of Appropriateness
will be issued, often while you wait.
- Obtain the necessary permits. (Contact Permits
at 327-8700 for further information.)
- During construction, display the certificate
where it is visible from the street.
- Work may proceed. Certificate expires in one
year.
- Clearly determine the scope of the project.
- Talk with the IHPC staff early in the process.
- Make an appointment to assure the staff has
adequate time to assist you.
- Find out from staff if a hearing will be required.
- Provide thorough documentation.
- If a hearing is required, do not forget to
send notices to surrounding property owners and the affidavit
to the IHPC staff.
- Obtain any necessary permits.
- Contact IHPC staff immediately if plans change
during construction. Changes can often be accommodated by staff.
Display Certificate of Appropriateness in a visible location along
with permits.
- An extension of the Certificate is needed if
the work is not completed within one year.
The IHPC holds monthly public hearings to issue
Certificates of Appropriateness, Rezonings, and Variances for work
to be done in historic areas. The Commission meets on the first
Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in Room 120 of the City-County
Building (date and location are subject to change). The IHPC's Hearing
Officer holds weekly public hearings to issue Certificates of Appropriateness.
These hearings are held in Room 2060 of the City-County building.
The public is welcome to attend all meetings of
the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission.
The IHPC has granted its staff permission to approve
Certificates of Appropriateness in certain situations. In these
cases, no public hearing is necessary. Ask the IHPC staff if a hearing
or staff approval is applicable for your project.
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