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Council, Pioneer Days group spar over fence requirement for Lancaster House lease
Summary
Belle Isle and Pioneer Days discussed a lease for the Lancaster House. Pioneer Days objects to a 6-foot steel fence called for in an amendment; the council signaled it will limit required fencing to two sides and tie installation to substantial completion, and staff will return with revised language and cost estimates.
The City Council and representatives of Pine Castle Pioneer Days debated lease terms for the Lancaster House during the Jan. 20 meeting, focusing on a requirement the council previously approved for a six-foot metal fence around the property.
Billy Morgan, speaking for the Pioneer Days group, said his board never budgeted for a 6-foot steel fence and that such a fence would be historically inappropriate and visually intrusive for a restored 1885 house. The group expressed readiness to restore and rent the property but said the fence requirement had been added after initial planning and would create cost and aesthetic problems.
Council staff acknowledged the original amendment approved by the council called for a four-sided fence but said discussions with project partners and contractors show the finishing fence can be limited to two sides adjacent to the new gymnasium and that installation could be deferred until after substantial completion of adjacent construction work. The city agreed to work with Pioneer Days and the contractor to obtain cost quotes and to amend contract language so fence installation occurs after substantial completion and is limited to the south and east sides that adjoin CCA’s new building.
Councilors and Pioneer Days leaders agreed to continue negotiations; staff will return to the council with revised lease language, a cost estimate for the two-sided fence and an updated start date. Council and the Pioneer Days board expressed shared interest in moving the restoration forward while protecting historical character.
