Montford Design Standard Amendments
Montford Design Standard Amendments
The City is working with the Historic Resources Commission (HRC) and the Montford neighborhood on consideration of proposed amendments to the Montford Historic District Design Review Standards, specifically changes to the standards for additions and fences.
Happening Now
The HRC invites community members to provide feedback on the proposed amendments through a brief online survey. The results of this survey will be presented to the HRC at an April 2026 work session. The HRC will then discuss and vote on proposed amendments at their May or June regular meeting.
Why This Matters
It's recognized that design standards may need updating at times. While the decision on amending the Montford standards is up to the HRC, community input is important to inform their decisions.
Opportunities for Community Involvement
- Take the Survey! The survey only takes about 5 minutes to complete.
- To learn more - Watch the November 2025 HRC Special Work Session or read the meeting minutes.
- Watch the second HRC Special Work Session in April (date currently to be determined).
- Provide public comment at a regular HRC meeting in May and/or June.
What's Next?
- Survey closes March 20, 2026.
- HRC Special Work Session in April (date currently to be determined) to share and discuss feedback from the survey.
- Final decision on amendments by HRC at a regular meeting in May or June.
Background
In the Spring of 2024, the Historic Resource Commission (HRC) began considering several amendments to the Montford Design Standards, which were submitted by a small group of Montford residents.
To support this process, the HRC's Executive Committee collaborated with City staff to analyze the proposed amendments by comparing them to design standards from other North Carolina cities and comparing them to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, which are the guiding principles for best practices in Historic Preservation. This analysis resulted in the Committee recommending that the HRC move forward with consideration of the amendments to the design standards for building additions and fences.
Community input from the City's survey will be used to inform the HRC's decision-making, but final decisions must align with historic preservation guidelines and the district's historic character. The Commission cannot base amendments solely on practical considerations or aesthetic preferences.
For more information on the HRC and their meetings, please visit the HRC Webpage, or for more information on historic preservation in Asheville, please visit Planning and Urban Design Department's Historic Preservation Page.
Montford Design Standard Amendment Survey
The Historic Resources Commission (HRC) is considering some updates to the Montford Historic District Design Review Standards, originally adopted after Montford's 1980 designation as the city's...
Montford Area Historic District Boundaries
Frequently Asked Questions
The HRC is a municipal historic preservation agency charged with preserving and protecting the cultural and architectural character of Asheville and Buncombe County. The HRC is responsible for making recommendations to governing bodies on historic district and landmark designations. Under state statute, the HRC must adopt and apply design standards whenever a local historic district is designated.
Select the search icon in the bottom right of this historic district overlay map and input the property address.
Properties that are within the overlay are subject to special design standards aimed at preserving the historic character of the district.
- The standards apply to exteriors of existing structures and landscape features, as well as new construction.
- Montford Historic District Design Review Standards
It's recognized that the standards may need to be amended from time to time. Amendments to the standards can be proposed by the HRC, City staff and/or community members. The amendments currently in review by the HRC were submitted by Montford residents in 2024.
The City is facilitating a clear, structured review of resident-proposed amendments to the Montford Design Review Standards. There isn't a set step-by-step process for amending the standards, but amendments generally involve analysis and input from stakeholders, including HRC members and affected property owners. In the end, the HRC makes the final decision on whether to approve the changes.
Historic district standards should be based on best practices in the field of historic preservation, and rooted in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, as set forth by the National Park Service. The Executive Committee of the board and city staff analyzed the Montford standards against multiple other NC cities, including Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Winston-Salem, New Bern, Durham, Rocky Mount and Wilmington, as well as the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, to gauge consistency of the Montford standards.
The Commission's analysis found that the standards for windows and doors and solar panels are consistent with federal preservation guidelines, as well as those of other peer cities, and further consideration of changes to those standards is not warranted at this time.
- The HRC will take public comment on the proposed amendments at an upcoming regular meeting, likely in May and/or June.
- 2026 HRC Regular Meeting Schedule
Project Contact:
Alex Cole
Urban Planner III - Historic Preservation
City of Asheville
Email: acole@ashevillenc.gov