HISTORIC DISTRICT

PRINCIPLES & DESIGN GUIDELINES*

2007
The Oxford Board of Commissioners established the Oxford Historic District (the “Historic District” or the “District”) and the Historic Preservation Commission (“the Commission”) on _____________, 200_. By designating a local Historic District, the City of Oxford recognized the cultural, historic, and economic value of the area and committed to conserve, protect and enhance this valuable resource.

The Oxford Historic Preservation Commission has the authority to review and regulate all exterior changes within the District as provided for in the Ordinance establishing such District. The Commission developed these Design Review Guidelines to provide a standard to evaluate applications for Certificates of Appropriateness. The Commission does not require property owners to make changes to their properties. Also, except in a very few cases, its review is limited to exterior changes. These guidelines are designed to assist property owners in the Historic District with understanding the parameters by which appropriateness and compatibility will be determined by the Historic Preservation Commission and help them in planning improvements to a property within the District, should they contemplate making changes. The guidelines are intended to be flexible to encourage personal and innovative improvements, yet additionally assure that the Historic District as a whole will be aesthetically and historically
compatible.

Oxford’s locally designated Historic District shares the boundaries of the Historic District registered on April 28, 1988 in the National Register of Historic Places , an honorary and official listing of cultural resources administered by the Department of the Interior, but the two designations are different. These guidelines apply only to locally zoned historic districts. Properties on the National Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in their history, architecture, archaeology or culture to the area, region, and nation as a whole. National Register listing carries with it the potential for funding assistance through Federal and/or State tax credits for the rehabilitation of buildings or structures which are either listed individually on the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District and certified as contributing to the district. Rehabilitation must be approved by the State Historic Preservation Office or the National Park Service. All work must adhere to theS ecretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation (see page 60) in order to qualify for Federal and/or State tax credits. If you are contemplating applying for Federal or State tax credits, you are urged to contact the State Historic Preservation Office prior to undertaking rehabilitation.



*Based on and adapted from the “City of Tarboro Historic District Design Guidelines” dated March 1990, with kind permission of the Tarboro Historic Commission.
Click to download full PDF report (5.2 MB) or download sections
Background 3 download (1.6 MB)
Map of Historic Distric 4
Permits and Procedures 5
Historic Perspective of Oxford Historic District 8
Architectural Styles of the Oxford Historic District 12
Design Guidelines download (168 KB)
General Guidelines
Exterior Features in the Landscape
Existing Structures: Repairs, Renovations, Additions; Paint
Additions and Outbuildings
New Construction
Storefronts and Signage
Demolition
Relocation
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Appendix of Details download (772 KB)
The Parts of a House
Yard Definitions
Fence and Wall Details
Porch Details
Gable Treatments
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Glossary of Architectural Terminology 37 download (2.8 MB)
Sample Application for Certificate of Appropriateness 53
Sample Certificate of Appropriateness 55
Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 56
Background……………………………………………………………………… 3
Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation…………………………….. 56Map of Historic