The Petitioner is requesting an amendment to Articles 7 and 13 of the Zoning Ordinance to clarify development standards regarding the use and composition of stucco within Historic Districts:

• Sec. 7.8.10 Savannah Downtown Historic District Design Standards;
• Sec. 7.9.10 Savannah Victorian Historic District Design Standards;
• Sec. 7.10.10 Cuyler-Brownville Historic District Design Standards;
• Sec. 7.11.10 Streetcar Historic District Design Standards; and
• Section 13.5 Defined Terms, Historic.

Savannah’s Zoning Ordinance currently defines “true stucco” as a material that can only be applied over masonry. This precludes the use of stucco over wood frame construction, limiting the means and methods of construction projects, which is typically beyond the scope of review for work done in any of the City’s four Historic Overlay Districts. After detailed research, conversations with the local development community and the HPC Subcommittee, Staff proposed text amendments to the existing ordinances.

The text amendment was approved by both the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) and Historic District Board of Review (HDBR) to move forward to the Planning Commission and City Council. The proposed language in the text amendment also provides clarity by omitting “wood framing” and “metal framing” from the prohibited materials to more precisely convey that one-part stucco is prohibited regardless of the construction type over which it is applied.

On August 13, 2024, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the requested text amendment to more clearly define the definition and use of stucco in the City’s Historic Overlay Districts.