Erie Historic Review Commission schedules May 16 special meeting to advance Article 7; survey, staffing and fees discussed

The Erie Historic Review Commission on Monday set a special meeting for 11 a.m. on May 16 to review solicitor comments on proposed Article 7 amendments to the city zoning ordinance so those amendments can be considered by the planning commission at its May 20 meeting. Commissioners also heard a progress report on the citywide historic resources survey, received updates on staffing and grant opportunities, discussed nomination fees and the timeline for reopening the local designation process, and heard a city department report covering several environmental and planning initiatives.

The commission’s action to call a special meeting is intended to allow the Historic Review Commission (HRC) to review any edits from the city solicitor before Planning Commission consideration on May 20 and a possible City Council review in June, with final adoption anticipated later in the summer. Director Spry told commissioners, “Last week, we submitted or I think it's been 1 week. Right? About a week, we submitted the draft ordinance to the solicitor's office. So it it is complete at the moment, and, it's in review, with Jason Cech.”

Why it matters: Article 7 contains the ordinance language that shapes how local historic designations and related procedures operate. Commissioners said they want the HRC to review solicitor feedback quickly so the schedule for Planning Commission review and subsequent Council consideration stays on track. Several agenda items — including staffing, grant-funded training and fee structures — are tied to reopening the nominations process once the ordinance text is settled.

Key decisions and calendar

- The commission voted to hold a special HRC meeting on May 16 at 11 a.m. for the exclusive purpose of reviewing Article 7 revisions. Commissioners were asked to review materials in advance; the planning department will provide a calendar invite and the document under review ahead of that meeting. The planning commission’s review is scheduled for May 20, and staff outlined an aim to have city council study sessions and two readings in June with adoption to follow in July if the schedule holds.

Survey update

Grant Johnson, a consultant with EDR, reported the field work portion of the citywide historic resources survey is largely complete. “I would say we were, probably 80 to 85% done on the survey at this point,” Johnson said, and he described recent field work in downtown, West Bayfront, Pulaski Lighthouse, Little Italy and the Twelfth Street corridor. Johnson said the team expects to complete the remaining East Bayfront and Trinity Park mobilization soon, then finish data entry and report writing in the PA-SHARE survey manager application.

Johnson and staff identified several potential historic districts during fieldwork in West Bayfront, including an early-20th-century residential pocket along Cranberry Street and an area near Landmark Square. Commissioners also noted Downing Court and stretches of Ninth Street as locally notable concentrations of historic fabric; staff and the consultant agreed to follow up with more detailed maps and documentation. Johnson described a public-facing story map the consultant is building to accept supplemental public photos and nominations that may have been missed in prior surveys.

Preservation month event

Staff confirmed a Historic Preservation Month celebration at the Erie Art Museum on Thursday, May 29, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with the mayor scheduled to attend. Acting staff member Cooper said letters signed by the mayor and Matthew (chair of the HRC) will be presented to five recently designated properties at the event. Invitations will be managed through the city communications office; staff provided a preliminary guest list of roughly 75 invitees drawn from partners and early supporters of the preservation program.

Staffing, CLG training grant and nominations timeline

Director Spry said the department extended an offer to a candidate for the historic preservation planner position but the candidate declined; the position is now being rerecruited. “We actually made an offer to someone, and, they declined, unfortunately. So we reopened the…application process,” Spry reported.

Staff also described efforts to secure Certified Local Government (CLG) training funds. Spry said there may be available carryover funding of about $5,000 from FY2023 and that the city can apply again for the current year’s CLG training grants. Training topics discussed included the design guidelines and broader outreach to planning and zoning partners.

Commissioners reported continuing community interest in nominations despite the temporary moratorium: staff said inquiries have come from the Erie Cemetery and First United Methodist, among others, seeking information about local designation and the National Register. Spry summarized the sequence required to reopen the nominations process: HRC review of Article 7 at the special meeting, Planning Commission consideration on May 20, City Council study sessions and readings, and then a formal lift of the moratorium by the city once the ordinance is adopted.

Fees, certificates of appropriateness and program start-up considerations

Staff and commissioners discussed the fee structure for nominations and certificates of appropriateness. During the meeting staff recalled existing nominal fees and said a review of other Pennsylvania municipalities would be used to set appropriate charges that cover administrative costs without creating a prohibitive barrier for homeowners, houses of worship or non-profit property owners. As discussed in the meeting, staff reported the currently listed residential fee on the draft form was $60 with a higher commercial fee, and commissioners asked staff to prepare a comparative analysis and recommendations before the program reopens. Commissioners also requested staff consider whether separate administrative versus full-committee review fees for Certificates of Appropriateness are appropriate.

Other department items

In a brief director’s report, acting director Cooper said the department is administering a DCNR tree-planting grant and selected a consultant to prepare a tree inventory and sustainable urban forest management plan from four proposals. Cooper also said the Environmental Advisory Committee has formed subcommittees to explore a dark-skies/outdoor-lighting ordinance and a single-use plastics restriction focused initially on plastic bags. Staff are reviewing a draft Safe Streets for All implementation plan and will provide comments before the plan moves to council for possible adoption.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to approve regular meeting minutes from April 7, 2025: Passed by voice vote. - Motion to call a special HRC meeting on May 16, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. for exclusive review of Article 7 revisions: Passed by voice vote (unanimous). - Motion to adjourn: Passed by voice vote.

What’s next

The Historic Review Commission will convene the special meeting on May 16 to review solicitor comments on Article 7. The planning commission’s session on Article 7 is scheduled for May 20; staff said they intend to seek city council study sessions and readings in June with possible final adoption in July. Staff will circulate Article 7 materials, the consultant survey maps/reports and a fee-comparison memo to commissioners ahead of the May 16 meeting.

(Details in this report come from direct remarks recorded in the HRC meeting transcript. Quotations are attributed to meeting speakers as recorded.)