Judges Hill or West Hill?
The boundaries of a proposed Local Historic District, while including many properties from the Judges Hill neighborhood, will not be exactly the same. To avoid confusion, West Hill has been suggested as an alternate name. Westhill is the name of the oldest property in the Judges Hill neighborhood. The home at 1703 West Avenue was built by Abner Cook in 1855. In either case, the name will identify a Local Historic District in the northwest corner of Downtown Austin.

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Local Historic Districts
The Austin City Council passed an ordinance allowing for the
establishment of local historic districts (“LHDs”) with the stated
purpose of preservation.

In 1851 Elijah Sterling Clark Robertson built Judges Hill’s first home near the corner of 18th and San Gabriel. The house was subsequently demolished in 1966. Over the last century many historic homes have been destroyed in the West Hill district, but the current teardown trend evident in Tarrytown, Travis Heights and other parts of town -- one that irreparably changes the character of a neighborhood as fine historic homes are demolished to make way for new houses -- has not taken hold in West Hill. Nor has the other current building trend, i.e. high-rise residential towers, taken hold in West Hill as it has in
Downtown Austin.

Residents have expressed a desire to maintain the neighborhood’s current land use pattern, but they recognize the dificult issues involved in trying to preserve a neighborhood while also respecting the rights of the property owners within it. To this end, the Judges Hill Neighborhood Association (JHNA) Historic Committee is organizing the process for becoming a local historic district (LHD).

Requirements for a Local Historic District (LHD)
Like many other Texas cities, the Austin City Council has passed an ordinance allowing for the establishment of local historic districts. LHD’s are currently thriving in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and other Texas cities. The most important features of the Austin ordinance relevant to establishing a LHD are as follows.

1) Within the boundaries of the LHD, at least 51% of the principal structures within the district must be contributing. A contributing structure is defined as follows:

  1. At least 50 years old.
  2. Built in the “period of interest” (which we are defining as the 100 years between 1855 and 1955).
  3. Not having been radically altered from its original design.

2) Owners of at least 60% of the land area in the proposed LHD must sign a petition of support. (Signers do not have to own contributing structures.)

3) The boundaries of the LHD the must be coherent.

Benefits of a Local Historic District
  1. A LHD will protect your investments as owners and residents of historic properties and the neighborhood at large.
  2. LHD’s encourage better quality design in new structures which must be in keeping with the overall feeling and design standards set by the LHD.
  3. A LHD can result in a positive economic impact on the city as a whole by providing for a greater diversity of structures in the urban environment.
  4. The protection an LHD a!ords can enhance business recruitment potential.
  5. The educational benefits of creating LHD’s are the same as those derived from a historic preservation effort. Historic districts establish a tangible link to a city’s past, providing added meaning for both its past and its current population. Districts help explain the development of a place, the source of its inspiration and technological advances. They are a record of our communities and of ourselves.
  6. LHD’s provide social and psychological benefits: the comfort found in human scale environments, the desire to live and work in attractive surroundings, the emotional stability gained by maintaining recognizable and walkable neighborhoods, and the galvanizing e!ects of community-based group action. These are all direct results of most local historic district ventures.
  7. There are some potential tax benefits for homes in LHD’s. In addition, structures located in historic districts are safeguarded from demolition and tend to appreciate in value.
  8. LHD’s are a source of civic pridesignificant tax benefits. Ask us for details.

Restrictions of a Local Historic District
The neighborhood defines its own criteria to be applied within the LHD. These can be as strict or lenient as the neighborhood decides, but they must promote the long-term stability and integrity of structures within the neighborhood. These criteria are viewed as a part of the city’s zoning code and are therefore binding in the same way as are other zoning requirements. The JHNA Historic Committee is proposing the following criteria for structures in the LHD.

  1. The density and value of new structures/remodeling should be compatible with existing structures in the neighborhood.
  2. The height of new structures/remodeling should not be higher than the current structure or than the homes immediately surrounding.
  3. New provision for parking should be as concealed as possible from street view.
  4. New garages/car ports should be set back from the front facade of the home.
  5. Appearance and landscaping should be compatible with the existing character of the neighborhood. This does not preclude modern and unusual design features.
  6. The foot print and massing of new structures should be compatible with surrounding homes.
What You Can Do:
  1. Review these proposed draft criteria and participate in the discussion. Ask questions, make your criticisms known. If you think a LHD is not a valid way to preserve our neighborhood, help us to find other ways.
  2. Consider applying for Historic Landmark status for your home. There are both significant restrictions and significant tax benefits. Ask us for details.
  3. Participate in the city political process. Make your needs known to city government decision makers. Write letters. Support candidates who support neighborhoods. And help JHNA to better represent your interests.
  4. Decide whether you would prefer to call the district Judges Hill or West Hill.

At this point, JHNA Historic Committee is asking for your comments of this draft proposal. We encourage you to consider supporting this e!ort. The criteria for inclusion in Local Historic District must promote the long-term stability of the neighborhood, but be as non restrictive as possible for individual property owners. We will soon be contacting you to discuss this proposal. But you need not wait for our call. Please feel free to contact any of us.

Proposed District Boundaries and Contacts
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  • Jeff Harper and Mark Seeger, 474-2928 - jdharper@fastmail.fm
  • Bert and Megan Meisenbach, 474-9565 - mmeisenbach@austin.rr.com
  • Bill Monroe, 587-2721 - ht2@austin.rr.com -
  • Ben Schotz, 476-5913 - schotz@bga.com
  • Bob Swaffar, 477-7449 - swaffar@lostinaustin.com
  • Jay Tassin, 236-1993 - jtassin@austin.rr.com

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