City Council Minutes 2005 03 01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Louisville City Council Meeting March 1, 2005 Page 3 of 12 ORDINANCE NO. 1463, SERIES 2005 - AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 15 OF THE LOUISVILLE MUNICIPAL CODE, ENTITLED "BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION," BY THE ADDITION OF CHAPTER 15.36 ENTITLED "HISTORIC PRESERVATION," - 2nd reading - public hearing (advertised Daily Camera 2/5/05 & 2/19/05) Mayor Sisk requested a City Attorney introduction. City Attorney Sam Light read Ordinance No. 1463, Series 2005. Mayor Sisk requested a Staff presentation. Community Facilitator Meredyth Muth explained the creation of the Historic Preservation Commission was mandated by the Home Rule charter as passed by the voters in 2001. City Council created the Commission and outlined their duties. Since its creation the Commission has been drafting the proposed ordinance. The ordinance is similar in scope and process to preservation programs in other municipalities and counties. The Historic Commission feels the program set out in the ordinance, allows for a balance between personal property rights and municipal involvement in the preservation of historic sites and buildings. Muth explained there are currently twelve buildings in Louisville on the National Register of Historic Places. They include seven residences; four commercial buildings, and the Historical Museum. In 1999 the City received a grant to conduct an historical building survey of 100 buildings in Old Town. The results of the survey found an additional 26 sites that would be eligible for the National Register. Of those 26 sites, 11 were residences, 13 commercial buildings, the Arts Center and the Land Management Building. Additionally, the surveyor did a reconnaissance survey of 530 historic properties in Old Town and found 79 homes or 14.9% of Old Town that may be eligible for the National Register. The ordinance provides for the following: Allows for Certified Local Government Status; creates a process to landmark historic buildings; creates a process to landmark historic buildings without the owner's consent; creates a process to landmark historic districts; creates a process for alteration certificate review; and creates demolition procedures for all buildings over 50 years old. The ordinance does not provide for the following: automatically landmark any building, regardless of the age of the structure; automatically create any landmarked districts; allow the City any say over the interior of any building, landmarked or not; or dictate paint color on any buildings, landmarked or not. The Historic Commission felt very strongly this should be an incentive based program; offering the appropriate incentives to encourage people to preserve their buildings. Without such incentives the City could lose important parts of its historical culture and character that can be seen through the architecture. The ordinance includes many possible incentives that could include financial incentives, technical assistance, and variances. 3