Not every home is considered a historic landmark or is located in a historic neighborhood. Most homes, particularly those in suburban areas, were built during the 20th century, and, when it comes to making minor aesthetic adjustments, such changes don’t need to be approved by a town or neighborhood preservation board. This isn’t the case for historical properties or neighborhoods, however. As we saw a few months ago, a woman who has added a carport to her Richmond, Virginia, home in a historic neighborhood was asked to remove the structure, as it violated local ordinances for keeping up the appearance.
But a recent editorial in the News-Sentinel debates whether these restrictions on historical properties are a hindrance or a practicality. The editorial discusses a homeowner in Fort Wayne, Indiana, who had a historically-designated property and, as a result, needed to have every minor external change approved by the town’s Historic Preservation Review Board. After two years of this, however, the owner decided to have the historical designation withdrawn, as he wanted to have the freedom to do what he wants to his property.
Although homeowners of non-historical properties don’t have true freedom, either, not having to approve every change with a local board means adding external structures like carports or changing the paint color on the siding is less of a hassle. Nevertheless, the editorial brings up another point: making such changes can devalue the property and, if the current owner ever decides to sell, the value may be less than the amount for which he bought it.
Carports, in particular, are structures that have restrictions on even ordinary properties, and adding one to a historically-designated home is nearly impossible. If you need the practicality of a carport, however, a homeowner should have the privilege of adding one, even if it’s only a small structure in the backyard. Those considering adding one or more carports should check with local ordinances and parking laws first before purchasing a structure and obtain a building permit before erecting it.
