Norhill Historic District

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Design Guidelines: Project Scope

As required by the City of Houston code of ordinances, the Houston Office of Preservation initiated a process to develop design guidelines for the Norhill Historic District.

The Norhill Historic District Design Guidelines are being created to:

  • preserve the historic character
  • maintain the traditional building scale in front
  • maintain the traditional lot coverage
  • develop context sensitive design
  • clarify the existing historic preservation ordinance
  • provide a user-friendly design guidelines document



Draft Norhill Historic District Design Guidelines

Please review the draft guidelines and let us know what you think. You may submit feedback and questions in the comment sections below.


Process and timeline

The Houston Office of Preservation (HOP) began working with the Norhill neighborhood in 2016 to develop a set of guidelines that would provide predictability to property owners and the community. Workshops and meetings were held to discuss the purpose, scope and details of proposed guidelines. The process was put on hold during the Covid pandemic. Last summer, the Norhill Neighborhood Association (NNA) asked the HOP to resume the process and submitted a revised draft that included measurable standards. The NNA hosted meetings to engage property owners in reviewing the draft restrictions.

The HOP is hosting meetings to review the latest draft and get comments from property owners in the district. When a significant number of property owners agree on the draft guidelines, the HOP will present them to the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission. The HAHC will consider the draft recommendations and vote request City Council approval or ask the HOP and the neighborhood to refine the guidelines.


NEXT MEETING:

Information will be posted soon.


Design Guidelines: Project Scope

As required by the City of Houston code of ordinances, the Houston Office of Preservation initiated a process to develop design guidelines for the Norhill Historic District.

The Norhill Historic District Design Guidelines are being created to:

  • preserve the historic character
  • maintain the traditional building scale in front
  • maintain the traditional lot coverage
  • develop context sensitive design
  • clarify the existing historic preservation ordinance
  • provide a user-friendly design guidelines document



Draft Norhill Historic District Design Guidelines

Please review the draft guidelines and let us know what you think. You may submit feedback and questions in the comment sections below.


Process and timeline

The Houston Office of Preservation (HOP) began working with the Norhill neighborhood in 2016 to develop a set of guidelines that would provide predictability to property owners and the community. Workshops and meetings were held to discuss the purpose, scope and details of proposed guidelines. The process was put on hold during the Covid pandemic. Last summer, the Norhill Neighborhood Association (NNA) asked the HOP to resume the process and submitted a revised draft that included measurable standards. The NNA hosted meetings to engage property owners in reviewing the draft restrictions.

The HOP is hosting meetings to review the latest draft and get comments from property owners in the district. When a significant number of property owners agree on the draft guidelines, the HOP will present them to the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission. The HAHC will consider the draft recommendations and vote request City Council approval or ask the HOP and the neighborhood to refine the guidelines.


NEXT MEETING:

Information will be posted soon.


Please comment on the draft design guidelines in the space below.

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  • Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this link

    My primary issue with the guideline is the very restrictive square footage limitations. First of all, I don't understand why there aren't 2 measurements as the Historic Heights has. Those measurable standards include a percentage for lot coverage and one for FAR (Floor Area Ratio). The FAR is higher to allow for more square footage for two story additions. It just makes sense. Why are doing it differently here? 1900 sq feet does not adequately allow for a second story. I would support numbers more in line with the Heights numbers. Lot coverage for 5000-5999 sq ft lots being 42% and the FAR being 49-50%. I very strongly oppose the restrictions this guideline puts on my properties. I encourage all responders to look into this.

    Susan Mitchell asked 18 days ago

    Hello,

    Thank You for your comment. Yes, the Heights has two measurable standards, and both must be met thus most people have stated that they are too restrictive.

    The 1900 square feet is not a number set in stone. It is not permanent. 

    Please take the poll/survey that should be arriving in your mailbox between today and tomorrow and voice your opinion of the guidelines and what the square footage should be.

    Thank You

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    Hello - I feel the living area restrictions are far too restrictive. For the scale to go from 40% for lots under 5k Sq FT, all the way down to 31% on lots over 7k sq ft is even more mind boggling. I purchased my home on a larger lot in Norhill with ideas of expansion in the future. I do not believe it is fair to implement such a large restriction, on people that have already made significant investments in the neighborhood. 1. Is there currently a restriction on home square footage by lot size? 2. If there is a limit in place, I do not believe it should be scaled down so drastically based on the size of the lot. 3. It would make more sense to be by surface area, as this allows people to build up, while still maintaining green space. 4. Will the poll questions arriving to residents mid April address max square footage? 5. The current knock on Norhill is that it is a great area to live, but many people will move out once they have kids due to smaller homes. I think we should be creating a neighborhood that wants young families, vs making them feel as if they need to leave.

    Norhill Scott asked 16 days ago

    Hello,

    There has been no attempt to prevent anyone from expanding on their property. That has never been a question in the guidelines. There are neighborhoods like Woodland Heights that do not allow a restriction, however a proposed addition on a non-contributing home, that is massive can still be denied by the HAHC. These guidelines address massing, and Norhill is a more intimate neighborhood than Woodland Heights. The lots are smaller. 

    We are listening to your issues, but we must also listen to your neighbors, who may not want what seems like a mid-rise looking into their yard or home. Despite, your issues with the guidelines, I do not believe such a mass would be approved by the HAHC or the NNA. 

    To answer your questions:

    1) No there is not, however a proposed addition would be reviewed by staff and the HAHC. Massing and whether the original home has an addition that is subordinate.

    2) Thank you for your thought.

    3) That has and will further be taken into consideration.

    4) The poll/survey questions will have a few questions about square footage.

    5) Please, take a look at Norhill, the lots are smaller. The homes are smaller. This is how the neighborhood was built. I apologize that you feel that way, but Norhill has characteristics just as Woodland Heights, The Heights, and Old Sixth Ward. It is our duty to create design guidelines that lend to the make up of the neighborhoods and the future of them. The city of Houston is not doing this to force anyone out.

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    I am very concerned about the weight on which the City seems to give the comments on this website. How do we even know these people are my Norhill neighbors? I know all of my actual neighbors in North Norhill really support these guidelines and we all love the historic nature of our neighborhood. Thats why we live here. Why do people want to move in to a very long established historic neighborhood and change it? My right to have my privacy in my yard and not have your gargantuan house looming over me is paramount! There are thousands of unrestricted blocks in Houston. If you bought in Norhill in the last 20 years, you knew what you were getting. I am also concerned about these comments because people don’t seem to know what’s really going on! They don’t know the distinction between deed restrictions, historic designation, and guidelines. How can their opinions be valid when they don’t even understand the issues? Makes no sense.

    Brenda actually in Norhill asked 11 days ago

    Hello,

    As city employees, the Historic Preservation staff must consider everyone's thoughts. Yes, there is a lot of confusion with the deed restrictions, historic designation, and the guidelines but that is why we want to make sure we answer everyone with an honest answer, the best we can. We as staff would prefer to have the conversation and explain the difference of the three, rather than not. The comments on this page are welcome. Please if you would like to contribute to the Norhill Design Guidelines, please check your mailbox for the poll/survey questions for the guidelines. There is a 30 day window to complete the questionaire.

    Thank You

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    As a long time resident of Norhill, we bought our house because we wanted the security having historic protections and deed restrictions afforded us. It is very frustrating to see people choosing to buy a home in our protected community and wanting to change it. We support the clarifying guidelines, which are well overdue. We support continued protections that ensure our family home won’t be dwarfed by some massive new addition on our block, removing views and trees and the privacy we bought and paid for. People like to yell a lot about their property rights. My immediate slice of this neighborhood is still all small homes, with only minimal additions. That hasn’t stopped young couples, empty nesters, single professionals, or young families from buying on my street in the more than a decade our family has lived here. Those concerns are much ado about nothing! Nationally, historic preservation has protected property values and our price per square foot is in line with the most sought after areas in Houston!

    RVTM asked 11 days ago

    Hello and Thank You for your comments.

    We really need more comments like this, as we only hear the opposite. Please take the poll/survey that has been mailed to all Norhill residents. Your feedback will prove to be vital to this process.

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    These guidelines are very restrictive. We are not going to see people move into the neighborhood. Why are we making these changes now? Don’t we want to see progress?

    Alisa asked about 1 month ago

    Hello and Thank You for your comments.

    This has been going on for years, this is not something that just happened over night. Every historic district is set to get design guidelines at some point.

    To answer your question, some see this as progress. However, we do not expect everyone to agree.

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    Thank you for sharing the draft guidelines. My comments: 1) Rather than a firm restriction on 2 story garages, could we move to establishing acceptable guidelines for those structures. Fully agree with the comment below that 2-story garages are NOT garage apartments. The inability to have a study or playroom is needlessly limiting when many 2 story garages already exist in the neighborhood and can keep the 'harmony' with appropriate guidelines.

    Brianna asked about 1 month ago

    Hello and Thank you for your comments.

    Please take up any garage issues (garage apartments, two-story garages, etc.) with the Norhill Neighborhood Association. The Historic Preservation Office is going to allow you all (residents and NNA) to work that issue out amongst yourselves.

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    After attending last week's workshop (thanks to the city for hosting), I had a few recommendations for next steps: 1. Another meeting is necessary - I have owned a home in this neighborhood for five years and only heard about this in November. 2. The polling was great, but more options were needed - It would have been helpful to have an option for "do not address in the design guidelines" for some of the specifications. In particular, a resident raised the question of why have a restriction on building size if we are already restricting distance on the lot. It would be great to have this as an option in the polling. 3. Ground residents in the difference between deed restrictions and design guidelines and how this is an added layer of restrictions and approvals 4. A yes/no vote if Norhill wants to adopt design guidelines - While the meeting was focused on the specifics, it would be helpful for all residents to have the opportunity to weigh in on whether this is something that we actually want. Perhaps we could ask this as the last polling question at the end

    EHorn asked about 1 month ago

    Hello and Thank you for your comments and suggestions.

    We will surely take them into consideration moving forward.

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    I’m new to the neighborhood so I’m not an expert in the deed restrictions, but I’ve seen multiple responses claiming that 2nd story garage additions aren’t allowed. Where in the deed restrictions is that called out? I see no garage apartments, but that seems to be very different than a garage apartment.

    gddunton asked about 1 month ago

    Hello and Thank you for your comments.

    You will need to go to the Norhill Neighborhood Association to get the answers for the garage clarification. The Historic Preservation Office is going to remove themselves from that argument. We recommend that garage apartments, two-story garages, or anything dealing with garages and spaces above them, be discussed with the NNA.

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    I am in favor of the guidelines, and very opposed to changing the setbacks or square footage any further. As a recent transplant to Houston, this neighborhood is unique, and will retain it's value based upon what is already here; it is what attracted me to this neighborhood in particular. For more square footage and being closer to the street - so many other neighborhoods already provide this. By keeping the footprints as they are, will actually INCREASE the value of our properties.

    New to Houston asked about 1 month ago

    Thank You for your comments.

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    To Whom It May Concern. I am in favor, generally speaking of tge Design Guide Lines with the following 2 comments: 1) As far as building size is concerned, 1900 square feet maybe agreeable as far as a one story structure is concerned, but could be small for a 2-story structure. Maybe we shoyukd consider footprint as a more reasonable way. 2) I am totally, 100% opposed to the restriction of 2-story garages. Garage apartments are already prohibited. And while a 2 story garage could possibly be converted at a later stage, it is prohibited by the 2-residence prohibition already in existence in the deed restrictions. A 2-story garage is NOT a garage apartment. Kind regards

    Jorgen asked about 2 months ago

    Hello and thank you for your comments.

    As it relates to your first concern - it looks like there is a chance that this will change to provide more square footage for an addition. We are not sure what that number is, however we would like to know what your suggestions for square footage would be.

    The garage conversation is something that our office is looking into removing ourselves from. We would like the residents and the NNA to have that discussion, as it relates to that in the deed restrictions. 

    Kind Regards.

Page last updated: 12 Apr 2024, 01:23 PM