Council considers historic designation changes

Springfield City Council last night held a public hearing on changes to procedures for designating buildings to the Springfield Historic Register, a move that would involve property owners earlier in the process.

The proposal is a response to a historic designation case heard last summer for 3535 S. Lone Pine Ave. in Galloway Village, when an application was filed without property owner consent. Council voted in favor of the property owner to deny the designation, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.

The amendment brought before council yesterday would require a notification letter to be sent through certified mail to the property owner 15 days before the application is submitted to the city and a second notification be sent 10 days before the Springfield Landmarks Board public meeting, according to bill documents. Current law does not specify when the notifications need to be sent.

If the owner protests the nomination, it would require a two-thirds vote to pass council.

“One of our concerns previously was that there really was not adequate notification to the property owner of a pending nomination,” Planning and Development Director Mary Lilly Smith said at the meeting. “And we were doing it by regular mail, so we didn’t have even the validation that they had received the notification.”

Another modification would alter the timeline for historic building demolition. Currently, the Landmarks Board can delay a permit to demolish a historic building for 60 days from the time the owner applies for a permit, but the proposal would change the timeline to reflect 60 days from an application for a certificate of appropriateness.

Paden Chambers, chair of the Springfield Landmarks Board, said the board approves of the proposed changes.

“We feel this is going to improve the process and make things more clear in terms of how nominations work,” Chambers said, adding the board has three historic nominations in the pipeline.

Council has added seven properties to the Springfield Historic Register in the last 20 years, according to past SBJ reporting. Last year, council also heard a nomination for the former Katz City Drug Store and CVS Pharmacy building on South Glenstone Avenue, which failed in a 7-1 vote.

Councilman Richard Ollis last night asked Chambers how council can create a balance between respecting property owner rights and protecting historic structures.

Chambers said he anticipates there always will be a chance for opposition against the designation, adding the Landmarks Board works to help formulate plans with approval from all parties.

“In terms of placemaking, which I've heard a lot of with this new plan we’re working through, we need to decide: Is this something we feel strongly about in our community? I think it is,” Chambers said of preserving historic buildings.

Council is scheduled to vote on the amendment March 23.