City Historic Districts (CHD) and Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCD) are forms of codified historic overlay zoning. Both are areas recognized for outstanding historical, architectural or archaeological significance. Whereas CHDs aim to preserve the form, massing, scale, design and materials of buildings, structures and landscapes in the district, NCDs focus on maintaining historic, character-defining façade design and ensuring that additions are designed to complement the building or structure. In both forms, demolitions and new construction are reviewed for appropriateness. 

City Council may designate certain areas in the City upon request of property owners and other interested parties, and in accordance with recommendations from City departments and commissions.

The Department of Land Use and Planning completes research and evaluations of proposed districts and makes recommendations to the community, the Design Review and Preservation Commission (DRPC), and the Planning Commission (CPC). DRPC and CPC make recommendations to City Council, which then acts to pass legislation adopting the district. 

The first designations were made in 1979, following city-wide cultural resource surveys.

Designation recognizes the historical significance of Wilmington’s unique neighborhoods and cultural resources. Such designation helps stabilize property values by protecting the elements that define the area’s character, including buildings, structures, and landscapes. 

Rehabilitation projects within City Historic and Neighborhood Conservation Districts may be eligible for historic preservation tax credits (state and federal), city tax abatement, and private funding programs for pre-approved work.

The following categories of exterior work are subject to review:

• Maintenance that involves changes to design or materials, including windows and doors. Replacements in-kind must be reviewed and approved prior to permitting.
• Rehabilitation, renovation or restoration
• Alterations
• New construction
• Demolition
• Fencing and substantial changes or disturbances to landscape

 All items requiring a building permit, including window and door replacements, are evaluated at the time of building permit review (fees will be waived for items not requiring a permit except within City Historic or Neighborhood Conservation districts).  Reviewable work completed without a building permit and without approval by the Design Review and Preservation Commission is subject to financial penalties.

The Design Review process is initiated when an applicant submits a building permit application to the Department of Land Use and Planning (LUP), along with a complete Design Review application.

A complete Design Review application must include, at minimum:

• Completed building permit application
• Completed Design Review application
• Narrative description of all proposed work
• Plans, specifications, and other illustrations describing proposed work
• Photographs of the current site conditions

Staff reviewing the application may request additional information as necessary to complete the review process.

For large and/or complex projects, an applicant may request a preliminary meeting with LUP Design Review staff prior to submitting the building permit and Design Review applications. Applicants should call the design review staff contact listed below to discuss their project if they have questions. 

The Design Review and Preservation Commission (DRPC) evaluates each application with reference to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s (SOI) standards for the treatment of historic properties. The four treatments address preservation, rehabilitation, restoration and reconstruction. The treatments outline how to maintain the significant, defining characteristics of historic properties while allowing for continued use. The regulations promulgating the Standards are within 36 CFR Part 68.

The DRPC applies the applicable Standard to proposed exterior alterations, windows and doors within districts. Their role is to ensure that all changes are compatible with a property’s historic materials, scale, design, and context—avoiding conjectural additions, preserving character-defining features, and enabling new use without compromising historical integrity of the property and district.

➡️ Read the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation

The Department of Land Use and Planning (LUP) qualified staff review building permit and Design Review application packages to determine the type of review required.  Proposals that involve ordinary repair with in-kind materials, maintenance, or that meet pre-established design criteria can be reviewed administratively by LUP staff. All other proposals must be referred to the Design Review and Preservation Commission (DRPC) for consideration. See Sec. 48-416 of the City Code for more information. Applicants are informed as to which type of review will be performed, and the expected schedule.

Upon completion of the in-house review, staff will transmit a signed Certificate of Appropriateness memorandum to the applicant and LUP permit coordinators, recommending approval of the proposed work and issuance of a building permit. Applicants are responsible for meeting all other permit requirements prior to the issuance of a permit.

Projects approved by the DRPC receive a signed Resolution, which outlines the project and approved design. Copies are sent to the applicant and to LUP permit coordinators.  Applicants are responsible for meeting all other permit requirements prior to the issuance of a permit.

The Design Review and Preservation Commission (DRPC) is a seven-member commission appointed by the mayor. Members are required to have backgrounds in such fields as architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, environmental systems, urban design, real estate, construction, including restoration and history. The DRPC generally meets on the third Wednesday of each month. To be placed on the agenda, a fully completed application with supporting documentation must be received and accepted by the Department of Land Use and Planning (LUP) a minimum of three weeks in advance of the meeting.

LUP qualified staff prepare an analysis of the application for review by the DRPC. Applicants or their agents must attend the DRPC meeting to answer any questions about their proposal.

Following review, the DRPC may recommend approval, conditional approval, or denial of the application. They may also choose to defer the application if further information is required.

The final DRPC approved Resolution is forwarded to the Director of LUP within five working days for signature, after which building permits may be issued for approved projects. Applicants are responsible for meeting all other L&I permit requirements prior to issuance of a building permit.
Proposals that are denied by the DRPC can be revised and resubmitted, with a fully- completed application and supporting documentation, for consideration at the next monthly meeting or appealed through the Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections.