Small Changes Coming to Preservation Ordinance

One item of interest was a proposed change to how appeals of Historic Preservation Commission actions were to be handled.

Alderman Bob Bauman explained that most issues related to actions by the Historic Preservation Commission are handled by the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee or the Common Council.  It was pointed out that during a typical situation the Historic Preservation Commission may deny a demolition permit and then the property owner could appeal to the Common Council whereas in the case of the Transera project the Administrative Review Board stepped in due to what Alderman Bauman characterized as a “a glitch in the HPC ordinance”.  Alderman Terry Witkowski supported the measure and added “I’ve been on that board for five years and this is the first time anything from historic preservation came that way,” indicating that this change wouldn’t burden the Common Council with numerous appeals.

In response to this legal quirk, Alderman Bauman considered passing legislation to dissolve the board but instead brought forward an amendment to the ordinance.  The amendment directed future appeals to the Common Council and restricted who may appeal a decision by the Historic Preservation Commission.  This ordinance change was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.