Collierville planning staff updates HDC: development activity map, training, and possible National Register boundary work

Staff for the Collierville Historic District Commission on Jan. 23 told commissioners there were no administrative cases in the district since the last meeting and reviewed ongoing outreach and training plans, including a request to the Tennessee State Historic Preservation Office for tailored training on historic window repair, economic hardship certificates, and the process for updating National Register district boundaries.

Jamie (staff) told the commission that the town’s interactive development activity map (available on the town website) contains current project pins with status indicators and links to plans and staff reports; staff encouraged commissioners and the public to use the map to monitor new cases. Staff said a number of facade-change inquiries are ongoing and could appear on future HDC agendas.

Jamie said staff has asked the state historic preservation office for customized training and has a forthcoming call to formalize topics. “Some topics I threw out are historic window repairs… economic hardship claims,” Jamie said, noting the HDC previously denied a demolition request for a building owned by Gus’s and that the owner may seek a certificate of economic hardship.

Staff also reviewed the 2021 historic resource survey and the earlier recommendation to consider revising National Register district boundaries. Commissioners said they would like to prioritize a starting effort this year to examine the National Register overlay and the town’s local historic overlay so boundaries are clearer and, if warranted, prepare for a consultant-led boundary update and potential budget request to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA).

Staff reiterated that administrative approvals (sign permits, fence permits) will be brought to the HDC’s attention as they appear and that staff can provide more detailed visual materials—drawings or measured photos—when applicants present cases to avoid misunderstandings at the dais. Commissioners asked for presentation examples and cautioned staff about overburdening applicants with excessive detail requests; staff agreed to balance the level of visual detail provided.

Ending: Staff said it will follow up with the state historic preservation office on training, monitor the development activity map for incoming cases, and alert the HDC when potential economic hardship claims or boundary-change work returns to the agenda.