— Since October 2005, development activity in Drehr Place has required issuance of Certificates of Appropriateness (COA) by the Historic Preservation Commission. The following is an excerpt from the Drehr Place Historic Design Guidelines.
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS
After designation by the Metropolitan Council, the HPC will review applications for Certificates of Appropriateness for proposed changes in appearance to the exterior of historic properties. No material change in appearance to the exterior of a historic property shall be permitted until an owner or occupant has received a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the HPC. A material change is a change that will affect either the exterior architectural or environmental features of a historic property visible from the public right-of-way, and may include any one or more of the following: \r\n\r\n
1. A reconstruction or alteration of the size, shape, or façade of a historic property, including any of its architectural elements or details;
2. Demolition of a historic property;
3. Commence excavation for construction purposes;
4. A change in the location of advertising visible from the public right-of-way on any historic property;
5. The erection, alteration, reconstruction, or removal of any building, structure, object or work of art within a historic property, including walls, fences, steps, and pavements, or other appurtenant features.
If work on the exterior of such a designated property is proposed, a COA must be issued by the HPC,in addition to the building permit issued by the Department of Public Works. Interior alterations will not be reviewed by the HPC. It is the intent of the HPC that any changes which occur to a designated property be in keeping with the historic character of the landmark or district. Historic district designation is designed to protect and enhance the existing character of a community, not to change it. If you have a question about work you are about to begin, you may call the Planning Commission to determine if your project is subject to a COA. A Certificate of Appropriateness is a review of the final, complete project design. The HPC bases their decision on the criteria contained in the Architectural Guidelines for Historic Preservation for the specific district or landmark. A COA is required before a building permit may be issued. Only those drawings approved by the HPC may be reviewed by the Building Official during the building permit review process. For a COA, provide a complete description of all work to be done. Specify the type, style, color, manufacturers’ names, materials and hardware. Plans, elevations, detail drawings and schedules, photographs, paint chips, samples, catalogs and/or brochures should be submitted. Failure to provide sufficient detailed information may delay review of your application by the HPC. With applications for new construction and additions, a site plan must be submitted. This site plan must indicate existing structures, proposed new work, lot lines, setbacks, etc. Site Plan Review must be conducted by the Planning Commission staff prior to review by the HPC. If you would like to speak to a person, you can call the HPC staff person in the Planning Commission at 225-389-3144 or go in person to the Planning Commission Office at 1100 Laurel St, Suite 104.
The HPC Website Homepage is found here.
Architectural Guidelines for Historic Preservation for development activity can be found at on pages 91-98 in the below doc:
Baton Rouge Unified Development Code
To speed up reviews not requiring a building permit, a new pathway for COAs was created in 2011 that bypasses public hearings. This is referred to as staff approval and the HPC staff person will guide you along this route if your project does not require a permit.