As some of you may or may not know, our property is no less than partly inside of the Corn Hill Preservation District. That makes us part of the district, and we’re on the list of properties here (warning: pdf). The major reason this is a big deal is because our house needs to be compatible with the neighborhood. We don’t feel this is particularly limiting, but it’s been something to keep in mind. As part of the process of preparing myself, I’ve been reading the agendas, notes, and decisions made by the Preservation Board over the past year or so. I highly recommend everyone take a look at the incredible work that goes into the process. All of the board materials can be found here.
37 Eagle St
In the situation you’re in — at the outset of a process which takes a considerable length of time no matter what — the process may not be a big deal. But I live in a landmarked neighborhood in Brooklyn, and the required processes can add considerable time to relatively quick projects like painting your fence. So you may feel differently down the road, if you need to get approvals etc.
This is something we’ll have to keep in mind. Hopefully it never comes to blows! Quite honestly, I am hoping to serve on the preservation board someday, although I would clearly have to recuse myself from modifications to my own home.