Yep, we’ve looked at the website for info about “Special Study Zones” and couldn’t find any information.
Being designated an “historical district” is the kiss of death if you ever want to make improvements.
The ironic thing is that all the paperwork seems to be directed at a developer planning a development rather than a puny little room add-on in an unused side yard. These people are like the hall monitors from junior high...just following the ‘rules’ and there’s no way on God’s green earth they will ever admit they are wrong or made a mistake....
I was a Building Contractor in Wilmington, NC. and had frequent dealings with the "Hysterical Society" there. They were a bunch of do-nothings that wanted to exert their power in any way possible.
While building a NEW house in their midst )after a year of negotiations in style, design, and whatever else they decided), I encountered a couple of queer men that wanted to upgrade their home by installing wood-grained vinyl siding. Of course they were refused that opportunity.
Their response was to paint the house. They used 14 different colors to decorate the house in the proper Hysterical style as it had formerly been in the 1800"s as a Bordello!
Ha! They were at first refused for that design, but after a presentation by their Lawyer, those old biddies had to relent. Who had that last laugh!
It actually looked pretty good, but of course they did it tastefully. After all, we all know queers have lots of "style"!!! YMMV!