Mount Vernon council posts and approves expanded historic design guidelines, OKs JMT invoice

The Mount Vernon Historic Preservation Commission presented expanded design guidelines and confirmed a formal vote to adopt them for use, and the City Council approved payment for the consultant who drafted the document.

Sue Ashley, former chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, told the council the commission conducted a competitive RFP process, reviewed four proposals and selected JMT on criteria that included clarity and a "common language" approach to guidance. She thanked subcommittee members and singled out Randy Brown and Edith Dawson for substantive contributions to the draft.

"Randy did a really careful job of making sure everything was in line," Ashley said, and she described the guidelines as more detailed than the previous version, with expanded chapters on why preservation matters, building types and architectural styles, guidance on substitute materials, updated accessibility and energy conservation guidance, signage, and demolition procedures.

Ashley said staff and the commission had consulted the Secretary of the Interior guidance on appropriate substitute materials and emphasized that the guidelines are intended to give property owners a clearer sense of what is likely to be appropriate before they submit applications to the HPC.

Lee Bradbury, city planning staff, told the council planning and ordinance language were reviewed alongside the guidelines to ensure consistency with the municipal code and enforcement processes. The commission's vote means the HPC can begin using the published draft while appeals of HPC decisions would continue to be handled by council under current code.

Council approved payment of JMT invoice #6-276762 in the amount of $226,968. Councilmembers also noted an $80,000 credit on a related renovation project, which the presenter said helped cover other costs such as lockers for the public works facility.

The HPC and council emphasized outreach and clarity: the guidelines separate residential and commercial guidance, add an institutional category to account for Cornell College buildings, and propose clearer sign provisions such as sandwich-board rules for Main Street and the Town Center. Sue Ashley said the commission's goal was to put as much guidance on paper as possible so applicants will know what is appropriate before applying.

Council members voted in favor of the invoice and the commission said the document will be posted on the city website for public review.

Council action: payment approved and HPC guidance accepted for use pending any future ordinance changes. The council did not take additional legislative steps to change the ordinance during the meeting.