Balancing Change and Preservation in Aiken

1. Balancing Change and Preservation in Aiken Ryan Bland, AICP, Planning Director Mary Catherine Lawton, Planner

2. Itinerary • Context of Aiken - History • Historic Preservation in Aiken • Preservation of Characteristic Elements in Aiken • Current Challenges

3. Four Formative Eras of Aiken History • Railroad Town* • Winter Colony* • Development of the Savannah River Site • Current Era

4. Foundation – The Railroad Town (c1830-1870) • South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company (1828) • Longest Rail Line in the World • First steam engine built in the United States (Best Friend of Charleston) • First American rail line to have passenger service • Aiken Founded in 1833

5. Foundation – The Railroad Town (c1833-1870) • Powered incline into the Horse Creek Valley • Aiken founded in 1833 as a planned rail town • Dexter and Pascalis Plan • Known through Charleston coastal region as a summer retreat

6. Foundation – The Railroad Town (c1833-1870)

7. The Winter Colony Era (c1870-1950) Park in the Pines Hotel • Started c1870 (following Civil War) – Confederate victory at the Battle of Aiken spared the city from Sherman’s march • Built on reputation as “a place to retreat from the heat and malaria of unhealthier regions” • Aiken gained notoriety among equestrian and sportsmen from the North (mild winter, and sandy soils with a clay base) Highland Park Hotel

8. The Winter Colony Era (c1870-1950) • Aiken County formed and Aiken named County Seat in 1871 • 1,817 population in 1880 • 6,000 by 1930 • 7,100 in 1950

9. Savannah River Site Development (c1950-1980) • Era of significant growth • Plant construction started 1951 • Start of Aiken’s “modern” suburban development • Aiken grew from 7,000 in 1950 to 15,000 in 1980 • Currently employees ~11,000

10. Current Era – Golf Community? (c1980- ) • Built on the foundation of the previous two eras (Winter Colony sporting and SRS employment) • Primarily attributed to Houndslake and Woodside Plantation developments • Grew from 15,000 in 1980 to 30,000 today

11. What to Preserve Historic Structures in Aiken Historic Character in Aiken

12. Historic Preservation • Focused on Winter Colony Era • Primarily included residential and equestrian areas • Wooden Bridges are individually listed (Rail Era)

13. Preservation in Aiken Key Players • City staff • Historic Aiken Foundation • Property owners • Grassroots “friends” groups Designation Options • Individual Listing on National Register of Historic Properties • Individual Listing on Aiken Historic Register • District Listing on National Register of Historic Places • District Listing on Aiken Historic Register

14. Milestones of Preservation in Aiken • Historic Resource Survey • Listing of Colonies on National Register (Winter Colony Historic Districts I, II, & III) • Creation of Historic Preservation Commission and Design Review Manual • Creation of Aiken Historic Register • Listing of Colonies on Local Register (Historic Districts I, II, & III) • Creation of Historic Overlay District • Creation of Old Aiken Overlay District • Creation of Old Aiken Design Guidelines

15. Purpose of the Historic Overlay District: The purpose of the Historic Preservation Overlay District is to promote the educational, cultural, economic, and general welfare of the public through preservation and protection of historically, architecturally, and archeologically valuable areas, sites, structures, objects, districts, and neighborhoods along with the promotion of a general harmony as to style, form, proportion, and texture between historic structures and those of more modern design.

16. Aiken Historic Overlay District • Follows Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehab • Certificate of Appropriateness for all changes visible from ROW (except for Landmark properties) • Bailey Bill tax incentives available for significant rehabilitation • Key architectural elements require board approval with some elements eligible for administrative review (Director and Chair) Pine Knoll

17. Aiken Historic Register: Designation Options Key Terms: • Landmark: • Structure may not be demolished • All exterior work may require design review, regardless of visibility • Contributing: • Demolitions require approval by DRB • Plans for demolition can only be considered with a Certificate of Appropriateness application for new construction • Non-Contributing • Less stringent enforcement of design guidelines and demolition standards

18. Aiken Historic Overlay District • Individually listed elements • Wooden Bridges • Dirt Roads • Whiskey Road Right-of-Way

19. Purpose of the Old Aiken Overlay District: This district is designed to promote a high level of aesthetics and the economic stability of the downtown area by protecting and enhancing the appearance of existing structures and the appearance of new structures. The downtown area is the heart of the City and deserves special protection that this district provides.

20. Old Aiken Overlay District • Started as creation of Historic District IV • Included downtown business district • Turned into a design district to focus on preservation of character elements

21. Old Aiken Overlay District • Defines key design elements, typically related to storefront • Gives guidelines for site design • Most approvals are administrative (Director and Chair) • New construction or demo requires board approval • Façade grant program

22. Preservation of Culture Through Zoning • Equestrian Zoning • Horse District (Commercial) • Residential Single-Family/Stable (RSS) • Accessory Structures and Accessory Dwelling Units

23. Equestrian Zoning • Horse District • 10 acre minimum lot size • No horse limit • No limit on accessory structures • Residential Restrictions • Residential Single-Family/Stable • 3 acre minimum lot size • Pleasure stables permitted by right • No limits on Horses • Pleasure Stables by Special Exception in other residential districts

24. Accessory Dwelling Units & Accessory Buildings • Accessory Buildings • Can be up to 50% the area of the gross heated floor area of primary residence • Cannot be taller than the primary residence • Accessory Apartments • Lot must be 10,000 sqft (75 ft wide) • May be attached or detached • 35% max. floor area of primary residence, 450 ft min. • Owner-occupancy required (difficult to enforce)

25. Managing Change • Challenge: Business needs vs. historic preservation in downtown • Answer: Old Aiken Design Overlay to define character – permits administrative review • Challenge: Maintaining the importance of equestrian culture in Aiken • Answer: Utilize equestrian zoning; protect dirt roads through local historic designation • Challenge: Promoting mixture of uses and pursuing Old Town housing (Downtown and adjacent) • Answer: Expand downtown footprint to include adjacent residential neighborhood, address legal non-conformities and introduce design standards and incentives • Challenge: Permitting a variety of accessory buildings that permit reasonable use • Answer: Allow variety of accessory buildings, subject to compliance with design and zoning standards to accessory building (limited to residential and equestrian accessory uses)

26. Challenges • The Battle of Waterloo (Or…The Clash of Preservation and Progress) • Department of Transportation • Other City departments

27. Current Elements Being Evaluated • Proper size for Horse District properties to permit changes in equestrian demands • How to adapt large estate properties along major arterials • How to deal with short-term rentals • What to do with the SRS era development (starting with the “time that planning forgot”) • Expansion of protected areas to include historically African-American neighborhood

28. Contact Information Phone: 803.642.7608 Email: rbland@cityofaikensc.gov (Ryan) mcfarrell@cityofaikensc.gov (Mary Catherine)