The Rock Island Preservation Commission has created Residential Design Guidelines for Rock Island Historic Districts and Landmarks to assist property owners in selecting appropriate and historically sensitive designs for their property sites, exterior house alterations and new building construction. Changes to buildings are often inevitable, and these guidelines will assist Rock Island historic homeowners with ways to maintain a “sense of place and time” that makes their homes and neighborhoods special and unique.

While these guidelines are beneficial to all historic homeowners, they will apply more specifically to Rock Island Landmark owners and residents in the Highland Park Historic District as they apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness. These guidelines provide assurance to property owners that review will be based on clear standards rather than the taste of individuals on the Rock Island Preservation Commission. However, these guidelines are not hard and fast regulations; they are flexible criteria designed to accommodate unique requests in a case by case basis.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
   
   1. Purpose of guidelines
      
   2. Authority of the Rock Island Preservation Commission
      
   3. Certificate of Appropriateness
      
   4. Availability of rehabilitation funding
      
2. Neighborhoods and Architecture
   
   1. Architectural styles of Rock Island residences
      
3. Guidelines for rehabilitation and additions
   
   1. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation
      
   2. Specific building elements
      
   3. Additions
      
4. Guidelines for new construction
   
5. Guidelines for the property site
   
6. Technical assistance bibliography
   
7. Glossary of terms
   
8. Housing rehabilitation contacts
   
   

Please contact the Planning and Redevelopment Division at (309)732-2900 or planning@rigov.org if you would like more information or a copy of the design guidelines mailed to you.