City Council Agenda and Packet 2011 07 12 SP

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Cityof Louisville Historic Preservation Commission Louisville 749 Main Street • Louisville CO 80027 • 303.335.4592 • www.louisvilleco.gov COLORADO . SINCE 1882 To: Louisville City Council From: Peter Stewart, Chair, Louisville Historic Preservation Commission; Mike Koertje, Vice - Chairman, Historic Preservation Commission Date: July 6, 2011 Re: Request to Tie Development Plans to Demolition Applications Dear Mayor Sisk & Member of Council: MEMORANDUM The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has discovered a need to request an amendment to § 15.36.200 of the Louisville Municipal Code (LMC) to require that a development plan be tied to any demolition application for a structure over fifty years of age, as discussed at the study session with Council earlier this year. While the members of the HPC understand that they do not have jurisdiction to determine what replaces a demolished structure, absent an application for Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) incentives for a new structure, the present lack of requirement of a plan for the site makes it very difficult for the HPC to fulfill its obligations to Council and the City. When a demolition permit application is filed for a structure over fifty years old, LMC § 15.36.200 directs the HPC to make a determination if the demolition will cause a significant impact or potential detriment to the historic resources of the City, and if the structure to be demolished has historical significance, utilizing the criteria in LMC §15.36.200.I, including the eligibility of the structure as a landmark. LMC § 15.36.200.J provides that if these criteria are met and the HPC is obligated to place a temporary stay on the demolition of the structure, the HPC is to explore alternatives to demolition of the structure. This is extremely difficult to do if the applicant has not revealed a plan for the site. With a plan, the HPC can have an intelligent discussion with the applicant about how the structure might fit in that plan or the plan might be altered somewhat to accommodate an important historic resource. The HPC has had these conversations with property owners in the past, who have successfully made alterations to the satisfaction of both the owners and the HPC. The City has been well served by these discussions. The deficiency of the current process became obvious recently when an application was filed to demolish a structure that has previously been determined to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. During the public hearing before the HPC, the applicant revealed no plan for the site, and maintains that there is no plan yet. While the applicant has engaged in conversations with a subcommittee of the HPC, those conversations are not particularly productive, with the absence of a plan. Speculative demolition of historic structures serves no effective purpose for the City. While we accept the proposition that every historic structure will not be saved, destroying historic 15