The purpose of this appendix is to provide additional information, resources, and recommendations related to land development. The recommendations in this appendix are not requirements but are intended to be helpful and encourage sustainable development in and around Morganton.

Effective on: 1/1/1901

Review pruning tips from the American National Standards for Tree Care Operations: Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance-Standard Practices (Pruning) published by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI A300).

Effective on: 1/1/1901

While the preservation of natural vegetation and trees is encouraged, on slopes of greater than 20 percent, wildfire risk is greatly increased. In order to protect life and property, the following table recommends defensible space distances for different types of vegetation based on slope. Within this defensible space, vegetation should be extensively pruned or cleared in order to minimize loss in the event of wildfire.

Effective on: 1/1/1901

Low impact development design is a comprehensive stormwater management approach intended to maintain and restore a developing watershed’s hydrologic functions. Developers interested in using innovative stormwater filtration methods should refer to low impact development design guidelines as set forth in the latest edition of the Low Impact Development Guidebook for North Carolina from NC State University, published by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Effective on: 1/1/1901

In an effort to reduce light pollution and excessive glare developers may use the Model Lighting Ordinance (MLO) with User’s Guide written by the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) and the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA).

Effective on: 1/1/1901

Green building techniques can be accessed through the U.S. Green Building Council, North Carolina Chapter at http://www.usgbcnc.org/. The information below is from this site:

LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is an internationally-recognized green building certification system. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in March 2000, LEED provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.  LEED promotes sustainable building and development practices through a suite of rating systems that recognize projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance. The LEED rating systems are developed through an open, consensus-based process led by LEED committees, diverse groups of volunteers representing a cross-section of the building and construction industry. Key elements of the process include a balanced and transparent committee structure, technical advisory groups that ensure scientific consistency and rigor, opportunities for stakeholder comment and review, member ballot of new rating systems, and fair and open appeals.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building or community performs across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Effective on: 1/1/1901

In general, the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are recommended when repairing, adding on, or rehabilitating existing buildings in the downtown, especially if the owner of the building wishes to utilize rehabilitation tax credits. The Standards are listed below:

1. A property shall be used for its historical purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
2. The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
3. Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.
4. Most properties change over time; those changes that have acquired historical significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
5. Distinctive features, finishes, and constructive techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.
6. Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new one shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
7. Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting, that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.
8. Significant archeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historical materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

Effective on: 1/1/1901

Property owners should take care to properly maintain and repair historic buildings in a way that will preserve the important architectural features and elements of the building that are consistent with the established architectural pattern of Morganton. Some basic guidelines to keep in mind are as follows:

1. Preserve historic entrances by preventing enclosure or relocation. If an entrance requires modification to meet ADA requirements, modification shall occur in a manner that has minimal impact on the location and configuration of the original entrance and meets the NC Building Code standards for rehabilitation.
2. Preserve existing display and transom windows openings. Property owners can achieve restoration of covered or altered window openings by carefully removing cladding or infill material.
3. Transom windows should be retained to add light to the building interior. Repair glass and framing using original style materials. Do not paint or fill in transom windows.
4. Remove any inappropriate cladding that covers historic materials.
5. To prevent deterioration and rusting, property owners should paint, or seal in a proper manner, any wood or metal features, including doors, trim bulkheads and cornices.
6. Property owners should properly maintain and repoint any damaged joints in brick, stone or other material to protect from water infiltration and deterioration.
7. Replace broken glass in display windows, transoms and doors.
8. Use interior storm windows or approved awnings to reduce heat gain and improve energy efficiency.
9. If new framing is required for insulated glass, install it so that the framing matches the exterior profile and material of the existing historic storefront.
10. In order to match the design and material of intact features, the following methods should be employed:
    1. Look for physical evidence (shadow lines) of missing features.
    2. Look for evidence of missing features in historic photographs.
    3. Look for features on similar buildings nearby to replicate.

Effective on: 1/1/1901