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Bay City HDC to seek consultant; $60,000 budgeted for design guidelines RFP
Summary
Staff told the commission the department secured $60,000 in the next fiscal-year budget to hire a consultant to draft historic-district design guidelines; commissioners reviewed draft checklist language, discussed moving-buildings policy, solar-panel authority questions, enforcement limits, and asked staff to produce example materials and an RFP package for the next meeting.
Bay City planning staff told the Historic District Commission the department has $60,000 budgeted to hire a consultant to draft design guidelines for the historic district. Adam, a planning staff member, said the funds are in the next fiscal-year budget and that the department expects to post a request for proposals (RFP) after July 1.
Commissioners reviewed a draft work-review checklist staff provided and discussed a more extensive checklist a commissioner had prepared. Members recommended removing items that the commission does not review (for example, children's play structures and standard painting) and asked staff to include the commission’s expanded draft in the next packet so members can review it before the next meeting.
The commission also discussed three recurring policy issues the guidelines should address: moving buildings (including explicit treatment of moving houses both into and out of historic districts), the HDC’s role regarding solar panels and mounting/visibility concerns relative to zoning and manufacturer requirements, and enforcement mechanisms when property owners fail to follow approvals. Commissioners asked staff to compile examples from communities comparable to Bay City (application process layout, formatting and content) rather than large cities.
Adam said the city’s budget approval makes it easier to run a more deliberate process than a time-constrained grant project; the planned RFP and consultant engagement will allow draft guidelines to be circulated for comment, revised, and re-submitted for committee feedback. Commissioners agreed to provide input and examples, and requested staff bring draft zoning language related to solar to the next meeting.
