Values Enhanced Design Guidelines: Balancing Expert Knowledge with Community Values When Regulating New Construction in Historic Districts

Research Question: This thesis intends to answer if non-professional stakeholder meanings can assess what is appropriate for new construction in historic districts, and whether those meanings coincide with the goals of the design review guidelines for Falmouth’s historic districts. Results: The meanings extrapolated from the non-professional Informants interviews, suggest new construction should be compatible with the surrounding streetscape, as suggested in the Falmouth’s design review guidelines Practical Implications: The study highlights that stakeholders with little or no background in the process of historic preservation design review can carefully understand and verbalize design criteria; and in addition, make decisions that are compatible with the goals set forth in Falmouth’s design review guidelines. This in turn can provide substantive information to the historic districts commissions, and provide a meaningful avenue for the public to become involved in the preservation planning process