National Register ≠ local COA — the distinction that protects you
The City of Marietta lists five National Register districts: Atlanta-Frasier, Church-Cherokee, Northwest Marietta, Washington Avenue and Whitlock Avenue. National Register listing alone does not impose a local design review on a private owner. Kennesaw Avenue — designated in August 2013 — was the City's first locally designated district, where a COA is required before projects covered by the ordinance. Forest Avenue is also presented by the City as a local district. Every historic address gets a parcel-level check with Marietta Planning & Zoning before design begins.
The COA process, step by step
- Confirm the parcel's local designation and read the district's design guidelines first
- Prepare a complete application with all street-visible elevations — incomplete applications are not forwarded to the Historic Preservation Commission
- Public hearing, with notice mailed to the owner, occupants and adjacent owners
- The Commission approves or rejects within 45 days of filing
- No building permit is issued without proof of COA; the approved action must be commenced within 3 years; demolition additionally needs City Council approval
Full guide: Kennesaw Avenue COA — a homeowner's start-to-finish guide.
Renovation inside historic fabric
Kitchens and baths expand best where the street cannot see them: rear additions subordinate to the main house, systems modernised behind original fabric, inset cabinetry and trim replicated rather than replaced with builder-grade profiles. Church-Cherokee's guidelines add tree protection during work — fence the root zones of the mature oaks, preserve terracing and topography.