December 1991 - Laserfiche WebLink

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proposed secession. This concluded with an unfavorable recommendation for Bill 64-91 (See addendum #1). Mr. R. Shafer said it appeared the unfavorable recommendation had already been made; why, then, have a public hearing at all? Mr. Holycross assured him that what he had just read was only a staff recommendation; the Commission had not yet made a recommendation. Mr. Shafer then asked for proof that residents of the two -block area had ever voted for the district; Mr. Holycross agreed to furnish the information. Mrs. Sporleder then made a number of points. She said the speeches so far had shown a great deal of misinformation and she wondered where it had come from. Most of the complaints she had heard, she said, were based on groundless fears. It seemed to her that no one had attempted to use the benefits offered by a historic district. Preservation commissions administer districts declared by ordinance in much the same way as zoning laws are administered. The district was intended for the greater economic good of all participants. Public hearings had been duly held to allow residents to agree on what standards were important to them. She conceded that more information about the benefits of a historic district should, perhaps, have been supplied. She asked for a list of prospective buyers who had turned down Mrs. Buss's property because it was in the district. Mr. Brink's problem, she said, could have been avoided if he had followed correct procedures. Mrs. Buss could demolish her greenhouse, if she got the Commission's approval; they were not interested in preserving it. Finally, she pointed out that the Commission never mandates action; its task is to cooperate with district property owners and help them to interpret and apply district standards. Usually the procedures ran smoothly. Mr. Nelson asked for a description of the benefits of historic districts. Mrs. Sporleder named investment tax credits, which are for certified renovations of investment properties. Mrs. Janosik mentioned a grant program for which she had recently applied. The program, administered by the Building Department, was intended to help property owners meet code standards. Mr. Oxian said he knew of the program, and said the Housing Development Program administered it. To the best of his knowledge, it was for investors only.