The City of Canton
Historic Preservation Commission

•  Permit Review Procedure & Application Criteria

•  New Construction, Additions, Restoration or Rehabilitation

•  Commercial Signs

•  Trees

•  Parking Lot

•  Moving a Structure

•  Demolition

A Certificate of Appropriateness, hereafter referred to as a COA, is required from the Canton Historic Preservation Commission before any action can be taken within the Courthouse Historic District or involving a Mississippi Landmark or Landmark Sites.

Property owners planning to initiate work requiring a COA must submit an application to the office of the Canton Redevelopment Authority, which shall forward the application to the Chairman of the Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission shall review the application and make recommendations for changes and modifications, if necessary, in order to meet the standards and guidelines for the work to be performed. If the applicant’s plans meet the Commission’s approval, a signed COA will be returned to the building official.

Applications for COA’s must be submitted by the second Tuesday of each month. Applications should be submitted to the Canton Redevelopment Authority office at 100 Depot Drive, Canton, Mississippi 39046. These applications will be considered at the next regular meeting of the Commission on the first Wednesday of each month, at 2:00 p.m. in the conference room on the first floor of the Old Historic Madison County Courthouse. The applicant or his representative MUST be present at the meeting. If any assistance is needed with the preparation of an application, please call the Canton Chamber of Commerce/ Main Street office at 859-5816 or the Redevelopment Authority at 859-3815.

NOTE - All maintenance or repair work must meet city scifety standards and codes.

Applications for new construction, additions to existing structures, restoration or rehabilitation of an existing structure must include the following:

1. A set of plans and drawings showing all exterior eleva- tions proposed for additions, alterations, rehabilitation or new construction and the type of work proposed iiiclud- ing: overall dimensions, type of materials to be used on walls, roofs, windows, trim, siding, and color samples.

2. Site plan indicating property lines, setbacks, location of the structure or proposed location of a new structure, accessory building, parking facilities, exterior lighting, fencing, landscaping to include existing trees six inches or more in diameter measured at five foot level, and screening for utilities.

3. Drawing of proposed sign(s), with lettering, colors, materials, lighting to be used, and dimensions of the sign.

4. Photographs of existing structure, or if for new construction, a photograph of the lot and the adjourning structures.

No application is required for minor repair or routine maintenance, which is defined as removal of inappropriate or outdated signs, awnings, or canopies not original to the structure or not involving change in design, material or appearance of the building.

Applications for commercial signs must include the following:

1. A drawing of the proposed sign showing the type of sign, placement on the building or lot, sign dimensions, lettering, and type of support.

2. Materials to be used.

3. Type of illumination, if any.

1. Applications for the cutting of a live tree, 6 inches or more in diameter measured 5 feet above ground must include the following:

2. Photograph of the tree showing its relationship to the structure(s) on the lot.

3. A measurement of the diameter of the tree(s) at five foot level.

4. An explanation of why the tree is proposed to be removed.

5. A plot plan of the proposed use of the property.

Application for the construction of a parking lot shall include the following:

1. A plot plan showing the adjoining structures and their relationship to the proposed parking lot.

2. Type of paving, illumination, curbing, and stripping to be used.

3. Any proposed fencing, screening, landscaping, and signs.

Application for moving a structure into, out of, or within the Historic District must include:

1. Photograph of structure to be moved and its current address.

2. Method of moving the structure, photograph and address of the proposed location of the structure.

3. Statement of need for the proposed move with reference to the future use of the site.

4. Site plans indicating property lines, setbacks, proposed location of the structure, accessory buildings, parking facilities, exterior lighting, fencing, and landscaping.

Application for demolition of a structure shall include the following:

1. Photograph of the structure to be demolished.

2. Method of demolition to be used.

3. Statement of the need for proposed demolition with reference to further use of the site.

NOTE - A time limit of one year is given for the initial implementation of any approval granted by the Canton Historic Preservation Commission.

Click here to download an Application for Certificate of Appropriateness
This file is in Adobe PDF format and is 1,334 kb.

2003 Canton Redevelopment Authority, All Rights Reserved