2019-078 Ordinance - Laserfiche WebLink

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As part of the recent update, Chapter 165 now includes a list of qualitative criteria in addition to the age requirements for creating new historic districts. The Landmarks Commission believed that this list of factors would help to more specifically identify ways in which "historic relevance" can be shown. The code contains the following criteria: (1) Its character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the city, state or nation; (2) Its location as a site of a significant historic event; (3) Its identification with a person significant in our past; (4) Its exemplification of the cultural, economic or social heritage of the city, state or nation; (5) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of a building type or architectural style; (6) Its identification as the work of an architect or master builder whose work has influenced the city, state or nation; or (7) Its potential to yield information important in prehistory or history (archaeology). It can be argued that most of these factors apply to the Butternut Ridge Historic District, but four of the criteria are indisputable. (1) Its character, interest or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the city, state or nation: The Butternut Ridge Historic District is a time capsule preserving 200 years of growth and change in the community. The development of the city is reflected in the district as observed by representative housing from virtually every decade from the 1820s until the mid -20th century. (4) Its exemplification of the cultural, economic or social heritage of the city, state or nation: Butternut Ridge Road remains the center of education and learning in the community. The district includes the High School/Middle School complex and the North Olmsted Branch Library containing the same books brought to the community in the earliest settlement of the area. (5) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of a building type or architectural style: Rather than one building style alone, housing in the district has examples of architecture from its early pioneer agricultural period until modern suburban times. The district has excellent examples of vernacular architecture, where design was influenced by the trends of the day, but houses were built to suit the homeowners' needs and reflected the availability of construction materials in the region. (7) Its potential to yield information important in prehistory or history (archaeology): Butternut Ridge is one of several geological ridge formations in northern Ohio created by prehistoric lakes. The sandy ridges provided a dry path through the swampy land left by the lakes. These ridges have been studied by geologists from the time of the earliest surveys, to the present day. In more recent times, the houses built on the ridge can tell researchers much about the lives of the people who lived in and developed the area. As shown in this Boundary Modification Report, while many changes have occurred along Butternut Ridge since the district was formed in 1986, the underlying historical fabric remains intact. With improved recordkeeping and technology, the Landmarks Commission is able to update the district boundaries in a manner that best preserves the unique character of the district while respecting and reflecting changes over time. Page 17