Planning commission and landmarks commission differ over size limits for replacement buildings in historic districts

Council members heard competing views Jan. 6 on ordinance C36633, a historic-preservation proposal that would limit the size of replacement structures when potentially historic buildings are demolished.

Commissioner Jesse Banks, appearing for the Planning Commission, said commissioners support historic preservation goals but opposed applying replacement-size caps in centers-and-corridors and downtown zones because those areas are where the comprehensive plan directs the bulk of future growth. Banks said caps tied to the footprint of a demolished building could be “antithetical” to the comprehensive plan’s growth objectives in those zones.

Megan Duvall, the city’s historic preservation officer, clarified that the size-cap proposal would be limited to contributing properties within the three downtown National Register historic districts; eligible or potentially eligible properties outside those registered districts would not automatically be subject to the downtown cap. Duvall said the measure is intended to discourage speculative demolition in districts where the National Register status applies and where demolition-to-redevelopment pressure exists.

Council members asked staff for lists of properties affected and about overlaps between historic districts and centers-and-corridors; staff said the overlap is minimal outside downtown, with Hilliard a noted exception where local historic-district protections already allow denial of demolition.

No final council vote on ordinance C36633 was recorded in the transcript; council heard the competing recommendations and asked staff for additional information.