Nominating a Heritage Conservation District

Applicant-initiated

• Upon submission of an application and payment of a fee, a property owner or a group of property owners within the HCD may initiate the nomination.
• Within a reasonable amount of time after a completed application is made, the Director of the Planning, Property, and Development Department will decide on the nomination based on whether or not the proposed HCD meets the criteria for designation based on its heritage values.
• If the Director decides to nominate, all property owners in the proposed HCD will receive notice of the nomination.
• The Director’s decision regarding the nomination may be appealed by a property owner within the HCD to the Standing Policy Committee on Property and Development, Heritage, and Downtown Development (SPC-PD) within 30 days following the date on which notice of the nomination was received.

Director-initiated

• The Director may nominate an HCD if they feel that that the HCD would meet the criteria for designation based on its heritage values and if the area is of widespread significance to the entire city.  
• If the Director decides to nominate, all property owners in the proposed HCD will receive notice of the nomination.
• The Director’s decision regarding the nomination may be appealed by a property owner within the HCD to the SPC-PD within 30 days following the date on which notice of the nomination was received.

• On September 4, 2018, Council adopted the Heritage Conservation Districts By-law No. 87/2018 and directed the Public Service to explore processes for identifying and prioritizing potential Heritage Conservation Districts.
• On May 16, 2019, Council received a report that outlined three potential candidates for HCD status: Crescentwood, the Exchange District, and Point Douglas.
• Other applications for nomination (from other areas of the City) received in accordance with the HCD By-law would be considered using the criteria for designation and may be accepted where financial and staff resources are in place to meet the requirements outlined in the By-law.  
• The City expects to undertake only one HCD designation at a time, so applicants may be asked to delay applying until there is availability.

Should the proposed HCD become nominated, the applicant will be responsible for:

• Preparing the HCD study and fulfilling the requirements of the HCD By-law, which include: 
• Identifying the proposed boundaries of the HCD
• The history and evolution of the HCD
• A survey of built features, landscapes, and streetscapes of the proposed HCD
• A statement of significance which includes a list of all proposed character-defining elements
• The objectives of designation including the proposed criteria for determining when a heritage permit is required
• A recommendation in respect of whether an HCD Advisory Committee should be required
• The results of any public consultation undertaken by the applicant
• Promoting and leading community consultation sessions
• Any costs related to preparing the HCD study, which may include hosting consultation events, rentals, equipment, etc.

During the HCD study phase, the City will be responsible for:

• coordinating and leading the review process for the HCD study
• supplying the applicant with report templates
• providing support to the applicant as required

Should the HCD study be accepted, the City will be responsible for:

• Preparing the HCD plan and fulfilling the requirements of the HCD By-law, which include: 
• Identifying the proposed boundaries of the HCD
• A statement of significance, which includes:
• The geographic location
• A description
• The heritage values
• The character-defining elements of the proposed HCD
• The objectives of the HCD
• Policy statements, guidelines, and procedures for achieving the objectives of the HCD
• A list of the work for which a heritage permit is not required
• If an HCD Advisory Committee is determined to be required, the HCD plan must include:
• The required number of HCD Advisory Committee members
• The rules for determining membership
• The HCD Advisory Committee’s duties and responsibilities
• The HCD Advisory Committees’ terms of reference.
• Promoting and leading community consultation sessions
• Any costs related to preparing the HCD plan, which may include hosting consultation events, rentals, equipment, etc.
• coordinating and leading the review process for the HCD plan

Decision making process for determining Heritage Conservation District status 

• Heritage values (architectural & historic significance)
• importance in illustrating or interpreting the history of the city or a neighbourhood
• association with important individuals, groups, or events
• illustration of the architectural or design history of the city
• embodiment of distinct or unusual architectural or design characteristics or a particular style or method of construction
• location in an area of historical or architectural interest
• historical or architectural integrity
• Character defining elements (protected under the Listing)
• The physical features of the area that embody its heritage values
• usually limited to exterior elements and not elements on the interior of a building
• Examples include: a park, tree-lined boulevards, a collection of buildings from a certain era, consistent yard setbacks, etc.
• Whether any amendments are required to the HCD study or HCD plan

• HBRC's recommendation
• The architectural or historic significance of the resource in the heritage values it embodies
• A recommendation by the Director
• Letters of support or opposition and/or delegations from members of the public and property owners

• Council will make a final decision concerning the designation of the HCD and enactment of the HCD plan.
• In determining whether an HCD study or designation with enactment of an HCD plan should approved, Council considers:
• HBRC's recommendation
• The architectural or historic significance of the resource in the heritage values it embodies
SPC-PD and Executive Policy Committee recommendations
• A recommendation by the Director
• Letters of support or opposition and/or delegations from members of the public and property owners

In Complete Communities 2.0, section G7 Heritage Conservation, policy direction includes that the City recognizes, identifies, and designates a broad range of tangible heritage resources and districts throughout the city that illustrate Winnipeg’s unique sense of place, community identity, and heritage values using Winnipeg’s Historical Thematic Framework as means of evaluating heritage significance.

The Framework is an additional tool to use in the evaluation of nominated resources and heritage conservation districts because it places heritage value within a broader context. 

On July 17, 2019, the Historical Buildings and Resources Committee endorsed the Winnipeg Thematic Framework.