AMESBURY - There might be new life sprouting for the town's decaying carriage houses and barns.

A new bylaw, unanimously approved by the Municipal Council last week, will allow homeowners with a historically significant building on their property to receive a special permit to transform it into housing, even if it doesn't meet zoning requirements - either to use themselves or sell.

Aimed at preserving the important elements of the town's history, the measure will also add to the housing stock and give families a chance to stay in town together, Town Planner Nipun Jain said.

"It was a balancing act," Jain said.

Designed to encourage the preservation of Amesbury's history and prevent people from tearing down the aging buildings, the program does not apply to all old buildings. The structure, such as a carriage house, historic barn or outhouse, would need to be at least 75 years old and be on the National Register of Historic Places or the state's Register of Historic Places to qualify for the change.

The law is the first of its kind in the area. A preservation plan, formed by the Historical Commission, first mentioned the concept in 1999. The idea was also brought up when the town wrote its master plan. The Planning Board adopted the measure last year, but the bill needed approval from the Municipal Council.

Relatively few barns remains from Amesbury's early agricultural days. But carriage houses can still be spotted throughout town, dating back to Amesbury's golden age of carriage building. Amesbury was the center of innovative design, breakthrough patents and bold statements in the manufacture of carriages. Its heyday lasted about 20 years, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s, when the town's annual carriage show drew interest from across the country. In peak years, Amesbury's factories produced about 15,000 carriages.

The advent of the automobile in the early 1900s forced Amesbury carriage makers to either switch to auto-body building or go out of business. By 1930, the last producer of carriages in Amesbury closed its doors.

Today, many of the carriage buildings stand empty and are deteriorating with age.

While switching the buildings into homes, the homeowner or builder will need to meet strict requirements. The structure will need to be rehabilitated and repaired. Distinctive features that show the character and history of the building will need to be preserved - such as cupolas, colors and materials like slate or wood. Existing windows, stone walls and driveways will need to be incorporated into the design.

"The end result is to put something not being used back on the map," Jain said.

Jain said the bylaw falls in line with the state's "smart growth" plan by restoring buildings that would otherwise stand in disrepair. In addition to saving that aspect of the town's history, it could help bring in tax revenue and encourage homeowners to take a new look at their properties. If a developer wants to turn the historical building into housing units to sell, and four or more units are built, at least one unit needs to be sold at an "affordable" rate under the state's Chapter 40B affordable housing law. It will count toward the town's affordable housing stock.

"We tried to make this a simple process (for applicants)," Jain said.

Mayor Thatcher Kezer said he believes the program will be important in instances such as when owners have a barn and do not farm so they are considering tearing it down to put something else up.

"The desire of the town is to preserve the structures and the look of the structures," Kezer added. "One of the ways to control increases in housing costs is to increase the housing supply."