Economic Incentives

for Historic Preservation

in the Oak Cliff Gateway
OOCCL October 13, 2014
Economic Incentives for
Historic Properties - Purpose
Provide more economically feasible uses for historic buildings
Increase a propertys income potential and discourage
demolition.
Promote preservation by increasing redevelopment options and
increasing income potential.
Allow underparked historic buildings to attract tenants and
compete with new construction.
Encourages continued neighborhood revitalization
Increases property values, tax base and sales tax receipts
Retain character defining historic structures throughout Oak Cliff
Types of Incentives
oDensity Bonus
oConditional Use
oParking Reductions

Density Bonus
A density bonus is an incentive-based tool that
permits developers to increase the maximum
allowable development on a property in exchange
for helping the community achieve particular
public policy goals such as preserving open space,
preserving low-income housing or historic
preservation.
Relieves redevelopment pressure and
provides a potential source of income for
historic buildings through the sale of those
rights to developers.

Examples
Example
San Franciscos TDR program protects historic
buildings by
1.) allowing the permanent transfer of the
unused permitted floor area from a historic
building to other development parcels and
2.) using the sale of those transferred rights as a
source of funds to rehabilitate the historic
structure. TDR allows projects to increase the
permitted floor-area ratio...
Portland, Austin and Seattle have similar
programs with varying degrees of
success.
Its unclear if this would work here
because of the abundant area available
for development and a very pro-
developer climate.
Conditional Use
A use that is otherwise not
allowed in a district but that can
be allowed under the condition
that it occur in a historic
landmark
Examples
Spokane B&B
Conditional Use.
A bed and breakfast facility must be accessory
to a residential household living use on a site.
This means that the individual or family who
operate the facility must occupy the house as
their primary residence. The house must be on/
in one of the following historic registers:
Spokane Register of Historic Places or District.
Washington Heritage Register; or
National Register of Historic Places.
Baton Rouge B&B
Conditional Uses
Bed and breakfast home Limited to
four (4) guestrooms within National
Register Historic Districts or Sites or
homes listed on the National Register of
Historic Places or within homes a
minimum of fifty (50) years old.
Portland Office, Retail and
Others
Allows nonresidential uses, such as retail,
office and others, in up to 100 percent of
the floor area in a Landmark. Requires a
land use review to minimize potential
impacts on nearby residences. Increases
development options and income
potential.
San Francisco Retail and
Restaurant
Provide for flexibility in permitted uses, thus encouraging the adaptive
reuse of local landmarks and landmark districts. Zoning flexibility is a
common historic preservation strategy used in other local jurisdictions to
encourage reuse of local landmarks.
NonResidential Use in Residential Districts
For Article 10 Landmarks in Residential Districts, the Planning Code
permits any ground floor use listed with Conditional Use Authorization
from the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission must adopt
findings that the proposed use would enhance the feasibility of preserving
the landmark.
Example: Typically, retail or restaurant use is not permitted within a
Residential District. With Conditional Use Authorization, retail or
restaurant use would be permitted within an Article 10 Landmark. Any
proposed work to characterdefining features or the installation of
business signage would require review and approval by the HPC, or
delegated to planning staff by the HPC, prior to the hearing before the
Planning Commission.
San Mateo County Regulation
Example
Location of uses not allowed by the zoning district regulations but determined
by the Planning Commission to be compatible in structures listed in the
National Register of Historic Places, or County Historic Landmarks and/or
Historic Districts.
1. The Historic Resources Advisory Board shall review all applications and
report to the Planning Commission prior to its public hearing on the
compatibility and appropriateness of the use in the historic landmark and/or
historic district.
2. The Planning Commission shall make the following findings prior to
approving any permit:
The use will contribute to the preservation of the historic landmark.
The use is compatible with the design of the structure and will not require
alterations which will destroy or alter its historic character.
The use is compatible with surrounding land use and the character of the area.
It is demonstrated that the impacts of the use on the surrounding area,
including noise and traffic, can be mitigated.
The use is not detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare.
Parking Reductions
o Parking requirements are reduced for
historic properties to allow landlocked
structures more flexibility in attracting
tenants and maintaining economic vitality
Examples
New Jefferson PD
The new Jefferson PD will allow for a
100% reduction in parking requirements
for all uses in all buildings built before
1989 in Subareas 1 and 2. New structures
and additions to old structures must
comply with current parking
requirements.
Bishop / Davis PD 830
LEGACY BUILDING AMENDMENTS.
If the director finds that all of the following standards apply to
a building within this district, the director authorized to add
the building to the legacy building list (Exhibit 830B):
(1) the building was constructed before 1957 if fronting on
Davis Street, Tyler Street, Polk Street, or 7 Street east of
Madison Avenue and before 1945 if fronting on Bishop
Avenue;
(2) the primary street-facing facade of the building is within
feet of the right-of-way line of Davis Street or within five
feet of the 25-foot front yard setback line on Bishop
Avenue;
3) the buildings main entrance faces Davis Street or Bishop
Avenue;
(4) the building window and door openings total at least 20
percent of the facade area that faces Davis Street or Bishop
Avenue; and
(5) off-street parking is not located in the required front yard

PD 830 Approved 8/11/10
Legacy building.
(A) For residential uses within a legacy
building, off-street parking requirements
may be reduced an additional 25 percent.
B) For retail-related uses and office uses
within a legacy building, off- street
parking is not required.
Examples
Bolsa while the downstairs is a
restaurant, the upstairs is office
and does not require parking.
Brumley Gardens
Sherwin Williams
Oil and Cotton
Padillia Gallery
Chad West Attorney
Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters while
partially a restaurant, the structure also has
a retail component that does not require
parking
Square Foot Tyler St. Properties
Lucky Dog Books
Cannons Village
Tyler / Davis
Bishop Arts CD 7 Parking
Requirements
CD 7 Ordinance 25115 was amended and requirements were
reduced on 11/12/02
Oak Cliff Gateway -
Proposed
Period of significance Structures
built prior to 1957

Article XIII
Vague Possibly up to 50%. Structures
that are either eligible or on the National
Register of Historic Places OR City of
Dallas Landmarks retain delta credits
Current Recommendations -
City Staff
25% for office/retail
25% for residential
0% for restaurant
Recommendations Steering
Committee
Previously 50% Office/Retail
Currently
Office/Retail 25%
Residential 25%
Restaurant 0%
Current Recommendations -
Kidd Springs, East Kessler, Lake
Cliff, Dallas Homeowners
League and Old Oak Cliff
Conservation League

15% for office/retail
25% for residential
0% for restaurant
In Conclusion
The successes that are occurring
along the Davis corridor since 2010
would not have been possible
without significant parking
reductions
Two of the 3 finalists for this years
OOCCL Ruth Chenoweth
Preservation Achievement Award
would not have been possible
without significant parking
reductions
ALL the current proposed parking
reductions that are being
recommended for the Oak Cliff
Gateway are marginal and
insignificant and they will not result
in the positive historic adaptive reuse
we are now seeing on Davis.
The early 1900s buildings OOCCL has
singled out as At Risk and many others
will not survive the proposed increased
density without significant, tangible,
monetary incentives. The heights are even
greater in the Gateway. Deep parking
reductions and conditional use permits
should be added and the area increased
beyond the listed streets.
NO current neighborhood problems
are being caused by the Legacy
Amendment, they are being caused
by Bishop Arts parking requirement
reductions for restaurants that
passed in 2002.
Additionally the 2010 wet/dry vote has
increased the number of restaurants
open late serving alcohol. PD830 also
increased the size of the Conservation
District and did away with the
residential/light use zoning sub-area and
that has added to those problems. These
are separate issues.
It is misleading and confusing for us
to recognize and reward successes
while simultaneously supporting
insignificant reductions that would
have made those same successes
impossible.
These insignificant incentives are not
serious about historic preservation.
Compared to 2010, there is more political
will for more historic preservation
incentives rather than less. Particularly
after the election of Scott Griggs and the
recent successes of new businesses in old
buildings on Davis.
OOCCL has been very successful
promoting historic preservation and
the adaptive reuse of historic
structures. OOCCL has had
significant media exposure for these
very reasons. The public has come to
expect it of us. It would be counter-
productive to do anything less now -
particularly with such a huge density
driven zoning case in some of the
oldest areas of Dallas.
Recent demolitions downtown on Main
St. have made people aware that our
historic resources are threatened in this
current business climate. It is more
important than ever to make the old
buildings worth more standing rather
than torn down. They need all the
incentives they can get.
Moving forward
Dis-incentivize tear downs and incentivize preservation and
adaptive reuse
Support generous incentives to retain our character defining
structures
Advocate 100% reduction in parking requirements for retail/office
uses in Legacy Structures
Advocate 50% reduction in parking requirements for residential
uses in Legacy Structures
Advocate Conditional Use permits for restaurants, office and retail
in any area of the Gateway in City of Dallas Landmarks.
Advocate Conditional Use permits in any area of the Gateway for
Bed and Breakfasts in City of Dallas Landmarks of National
Register properties.
Remove the Lancaster Commercial National Register Historic
District from the Gateway or cap the height at 2-stories.