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Permit & Design Q&A
Virtually all work to your home in the District of Columbia requires a building permit. In historic districts, such as Mount Pleasant, the permit application for any exterior work must be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Office (HPO) to ensure consistency with historic district guidelines and compatibility with the original building design.. Minor projects can be approved "over-the-counter" by the HPO staff. More complex projects such as large additions and new construction require the review of the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB). Work done without a valid permit may be subject to fine, issuance of a "stop work" order and even an order to remove all work done.
We urge you to contact HMP's Design Review Committee early in the design process if you are serious about pursuing an exterior renovation project. The Committee is in regular contact with HPO staff about permit application in the neighborhood and reviews and comments on all staff recommendations to the HPRB. The Committee can thus alert you to potential problems in your plans as well as solutions that others in the neighborhood may have used in dealing with the same kinds of issues. Our intention is to facilitate quality renovations that meet both legal and design requirements.
Permits for Minor Projects
Minor projects that can be approved "over-the-counter" staff include: All interior work, front porch repairs, window repair and replacement, repairing walks and driveways, minor rear alterations and porches, building or replacing retaining walls, and commercial signage or awnings. Please note in particular when considering window replacement that like-kind replacement is required on the front of the building (wood with wood in the same configuration, e.g., 1 over 1 or 6 over 1, metal casement with metal casement) and that vinyl windows are not permitted.
The DCRA website (see link below) now has detailed guidance on all aspects of the permit application process, including an on-line building permit application and a chart detailing attachments required for different kinds of permits. Please note that more copies of documents are required in cases that require review by the Commission on Fine Arts (CFA) in addition to HPO or HPRB. In Mount Pleasant, CFA review is generally required only for properties bordering Rock Creek Park. A new Permit Center at 941 North Capitol Street, N.E. brings together representatives of all key agencies in the permit process. It is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., except on Thursdays when it opens one hour later.
Major Projects
Major projects that must be reviewed by the HPRB at a public hearing include: additions, new construction, major exterior alterations, and curb cuts for driveways. In such cases, we urge you to make us aware of your plans and to discuss your project with HPO before filing a permit application. HPO staff will alert you to potential problems that could affect HPRB approval and suggest alternatives. The staff will make written recommendations to the Board concerning your project, and this report will frame the public discussion of it. Applicants are thus well-advised to seek agreement with the staff on all critical aspects of a project prior to going before the Board.
At the hearing, the HPRB will ask whether anyone from the historic district wishes to speak in favor of or against the permit application. It is at this point that both HMP and ANC-1D, as well as any others with an interest, could weigh in. As a general rule, HMP will present views to the Board on all cases on its calendar -- either through a prior e-mail to staff or in person at the hearing. In order to provide as informed a judgment as possible, we thus ask all those pursuing exterior renovation permits to share their plans with us early so that we may have an opportunity to discuss our concerns with the parties directly involved prior to a HPRB hearing. You may also wish to contact your ANC representative so that he or she knows what is going on. The ANC may or may not adopt a resolution on the case, depending on its view of its issues involved.
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Historic Mount Pleasant has posted some very thorough renovation permit guides below that you should review with your architect very early on in your design process before submitting any permit applications. Remember, mistakes will delay your permit process.
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Residential Permit Guides
Permit Guide for the Mount Pleasant Historic District
(Español) Guía para la Solicitud de Permisos en el Distrito Histórico de Mount Pleasant
Commercial Permit Guides
Storefront Renovation Guide (coming soon)
Storefront Signage Guide
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HMP is here to help you with this process!
If you have any further questions, please ask and we will post the responses below for everyone’s benefit.
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For what sort of things do I need a permit?
Light poles, flag poles, driveways, columns, porches, roofs, compressors, tv & radio towers, dish antennas, skylights, railings, fences, new and replacement windows, doors, chimneys, balconies, stairs/steps, swimming pools, and more.
Do I need a permit for painting?
You do not need a permit to paint your house; however, brick is a material that should not be painted in historic districts.
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Historic Mount Pleasant Design Review Committee
Phone / Fax: (202) 387-2734
Email: historicmtp@aol.com
1624 Hobart Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009
*HMP's Design Review Committee meets monthly as needed.
*HMP Board meets the 3rd Monday of every month, except during August and December.
Historic Preservation Office
801 North Capitol Street, NE - 3rd floor
202-442-8800
Hours are Monday-Friday 9 - 5
Visit Planning.DC.gov/HPO for HPRB design guidelines, HPRB schedule, Inventory of historic sites, Community historical information, and more.
Technical advice from the DC Historic Preservation Office on topics including: Windows and Doors; Roofs; Walls and Foundations; Landscape; Energy Conservation; Accommodating Persons with Disabilities; Additions; Porches and Steps; and New Construction.
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
941 North Capitol Street, NE - 2nd floor
202-442-4400
Hours are Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 8:30 - 4:15, Thursdays 8:30 - 8:00, and Saturdays: 9:00 - 1:00
Visit DCRA.DC.gov for Permit applications, Building code information, Zoning information, and more.
ANC1D
email ANC1D or www.anc1d.org
ANC1D meets on the 1st Tuesday of each month beginning at 7:00 pm (*unless a major holiday falls on that day)
at 3166 Mt. Pleasant St., NW . (La Casa Community Center)
OTHER RESOURCES FOR BUILDING PERMIT PROCEDURES
DCRA Homeowner s Center
http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/cwp/view,a,1342,q,635750,dcraNav,|33420|.asp
Provides help to D.C. homeowners who need building permits for home improvement projects
How to investigate or report potential illegal work in a historic district
http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view,a,1284,q,634413,planningNav_GID,1706,planningnav,|33515|.asp#1
D.C. Historic Preservation Law and Regulations
http://planning.dc.gov/planning/cwp/view,A,1284,Q,637255.asp
Downloads of the Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act of 1978 (DC Law 2-144, as amended) and the Historic Preservation Regulations (10DCMR Title 10A)
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