Will history be made Monday night? Or at least expanded?
After reaching out for input from more property owners, the Historic Zoning Commission will again consider expanding the city’s historic district during its meeting Monday night.
Commission Chair Sarah Baker said the expansion would be up for a vote for the second time since the most recent discussion began on including the entire downtown business area in the historic district.
“I hope that it does come for a vote this time,” Baker said. “This is something that we have been working on for some time.”
The commission has been working on expanding the boundaries for almost a year-and-a-half.
Baker said in that time, the commission and the city’s planning department have sent out letters to all property owners in the district, and have held a series of open houses to explain the purpose of the expansion.
“We have reached out to people,” Baker said. “The planning department has reached out to people, has phoned and sent letters.”
Baker added that two polls were conducted asking people whether they were in favor of or against the expansion, or did not care. In the first survey, 38 of the 71 property owners were reached, with 15 in favor, 12 indifferent and 11 against it.
When the expansion came up for a vote in June, commission member David Pinckard asked to delay voting on the expansion until more property owners could be contacted. Since then, another poll has been conducted.
“We will discuss it,” Baker said. “Hopefully it will come for a vote. There is no way to know for sure until we have the meeting.”
Also on the agenda is a certificate of appropriateness for repairs to 604 Hattie Ave. and a certificate of appropriateness for the Covered Bridge Stage.