Historic Preservation Commission
About
The Decatur Historic Preservation Commission ensures that work in the City's five locally-designated historic districts - Clairemont Avenue Corridor, McDonough-Adams-King's Highway, Old Decatur, Parkwood, and Ponce de Leon Court - and two historic properties - Old DeKalb County Courthouse and the former Scottish Rite Hospital - are consistent with the character of their neighborhoods.
The Commission must approve exterior projects by issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness (CoA) before a building permit can be obtained, although some projects may be administratively approved through the issuance of a Certificate of Exemption (CoE). Applicable fees to include with each application are $35 for the CoA and $10 for the CoE.
The Commission is staffed by Aileen de la Torre, Planner. Call 404-371-8386 or email aileen.delatorre@decaturga.com for more information.
Meetings
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the City Commission Meeting Room of Decatur City Hall, 509 N McDonough Street, and may be attended in-person or via livestream. Access to the building outside of standard work hours is through the rear double glass doors next to the employee parking area.
Please note that dates may change based on federal holidays and school breaks, and special-called meetings may be scheduled if necessary. The January meeting is a work session open to the public in which the Commission does not review CoAs. There is no meeting in July.
Members
Andrew Navratil (Chair), Gabrielle Dean (Vice-Chair), Kate Breslin, John Cushnie, Maya Hahn, Ashley McClure
Agendas and Minutes
Click here to view Agendas/Minutes
Forms
Certificate of Appropriateness Form
Certificate of Exemption Form
Ordinances and Design Guidelines
Design Guidelines for Decatur (Clairemont included)
MAK Handbook
Ponce de Leon Court Guidelines
Old Decatur Guidelines
Decatur Historic Preservation Ordinance
Georgia Preservation Act
The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
Under the National Historic Preservation Act, the Secretary of Interior is responsible for establishing professional standards and providing guidance on how to preserve the nation’s historic properties. They serve as the basis for all local design guidelines.
Leila Ross Wilburn, who attended Agnes Scott College, was one of only two women registered as an architect in Atlanta in 1920. Ms. Wilburn designed and built a home in the neighborhood where she lived with her widowed mother and younger siblings. She published several popular plan books that emphasized her status as a Southerner and a woman. Through these plan books, she influenced neighborhood design throughout the Southeast during the 1920s.
Decatur was named in honor of Stephen Decatur, a popular early-American naval hero. Stephen Decatur was born in 1779 in Maryland and was raised in Philadelphia. At the age of 19 he joined the newly formed U.S. Navy, and rose rapidly in rank.
