Council advances ordinance to sell city property, debates Certificate of Appropriateness timing

Shelby City Council passed the first reading of Ordinance No. 11 (2025) to determine that certain city-owned real property be sold and to designate the Community Improvement Corporation of Shelby, Ohio, Inc., as the city’s agent in that sale.

Council members spent substantial time debating procedural language in the ordinance about when a Certificate of Appropriateness — referenced in the discussion as a COA — must be filed and who may file it. Councilman Martin said the language could prevent a prospective buyer from appealing if only an “owner” could file within the ordinance’s timeframes and suggested changing the language to allow an “applicant” or prospective buyer to submit a COA in advance. “They can’t even bring it up for an appeal because they’re not the property owner under this,” Martin said.

The council discussed the practical effects of the COA process on redevelopment. One speaker noted that COA applications typically require details about proposed materials and exterior changes, and that denial after a purchase would leave a buyer unexpectedly unable to proceed with planned work. “I would much rather see someone pull out of a project before they’ve invested the money for the building itself,” a council member said, arguing that allowing prospective applicants to submit COAs earlier could reduce wasted investment.

Council members also raised timing provisions in the ordinance. Section 2(b) sets a six-month completion timeframe with a council-granted extension possible; members discussed whether an emergency reading should be used so the ordinance would take effect immediately and prospective purchasers could begin COA work at once.

Council members asked the law director’s office for guidance and indicated they would seek revised wording (owner versus applicant) and clarification about the effective date and extension process before final passage. The ordinance passed the reading; next steps are revision of the draft language and return to council for subsequent readings.

Ending: Council members directed staff and the law director to review the ordinance language on COA filing and on extension/emergency procedures and bring recommended edits back to a future meeting for additional readings and a final vote.