Stakeholder Perceptions of the Design Regulatory Process: Implications for Their Future Relevance and Efficacy in Preservation Practice

Abstract

Abstract:Through an analysis of stakeholder perceptions of design regulations in local historic preservation districts of three South Carolina cities, researchers revealed opinions about the impact and effectiveness of design guidelines in both shaping the physical form of historic districts and protecting their individual character. We investigated the ways in which the end users—residents, property owners, and investors—perceive design regulation to determine the degree to which residents felt either empowered or disenfranchised by the process. A combination of online survey and supporting archival research was utilized, first to collect resident opinions regarding the process, and then to cross-check those results with city records. Using this methodology, gaps between the way stakeholders perceive and understand the design regulatory process and the way it is implemented within each community were identified. With a better understanding of these misalignments, those responsible for executing design regulations are equipped to address the potential impacts that residents' perceptions can have on revitalization efforts within historic districts.