Historic Preservation board seeks surveys, grants and outreach to explore Old Town historic district

The Historic Preservation Advisory Board told Erie Town Council it will continue pursuing property surveys and public outreach after a recent competitive grant application for a Phase 3 railroad‑history survey was not awarded.

Chair Mike Turner explained the board’s goal of documenting candidate properties (including Eagle Mine, the train depot and the bridal school) and described the legal mechanics of a historic district: nominations require a description of boundaries and what features should be preserved, and designation requires written consent from at least 51% of property owners within the proposed district.

Turner said the board is considering boundaries that would include much of Old Town (roughly Briggs to Main and Evans to Perry, as described in the presentation) and intends to share information with the public at the town fair to measure interest before any formal steps. He emphasized grants are competitive and that some applications can include a 25% match while CLG (Certified Local Government) grants require no match.

Council members acknowledged trade-offs between preservation and economic development and suggested a public study session and survey questions as ways to gauge interest without committing the council to immediate action. The town manager and staff confirmed the grants team can work with HPAB on future applications.

What happens next: HPAB plans to reapply for funding in October and to include historic-district questions in upcoming town surveys and public outreach. No binding council action was taken at the meeting.