2003.1The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation are the most commonly accepted national standards of good preservation practice. They are used by all federal agencies and SHPOs, and have been adopted by historic district and planning commissions across the country.
2003.2The Board, the SHPO, and the staff apply the Secretary's Standards in all project reviews under the federal preservation program, including Section 106 cases and projects seeking certified rehabilitation status for federal tax purposes.
2003.3The Board and the staff may also apply the Secretary's Standards in the review of projects under the Historic Protection Act. Rehabilitation that meets the Secretary's Standards shall be considered compatible with the character of a historic landmark or historic district. Although conformity is encouraged, rehabilitation is not required to meet the Secretary's Standards to be considered compatible or consistent with the purposes of the Act.
2003.4The Secretary's Standards are:
(a) Standard 1: A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.(b) Standard 2: The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.(c) Standard 3: Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.(d) Standard 4: Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.(e) Standard 5: Distinctive features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a historic property shall be preserved.(f) Standard 6: Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities, and where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.(g) Standard 7: Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic material shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.(h) Standard 8: Significant archaeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.(i) Standard 9: New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.(j) Standard 10: New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.2003.5The Secretary's Standards are accompanied by Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, which are intended to assist in applying the Standards to projects generally. The Standards and Guidelines are published by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office. The HPO shall also make copies available for review by the public at the HPO office.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 10, r. 10-C2003
Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 51 DCR 7447 (July 30, 2004)