HDC to interview members individually before workshop to update downtown design guidelines

The Historic District Council decided on a two-step approach to update the downtown design guidelines: staff will interview each board member individually to collect priorities, then the council will hold a facilitated workshop to reconcile differences and draft changes.

Chair proposed the interview-first approach, saying individual preparation will make a future workshop more productive. Staff agreed and offered to compile notes from each interview for the public record. Attorney Day cautioned that staff-led individual meetings cannot be used as a conduit for communications between board members on matters likely to come before the board. "...they cannot serve as a go between or conduit for communications between two board members on a matter that's going that is likely to come before you for a vote," Attorney Day said, reminding the board of legal constraints on deliberation outside a noticed meeting.

Board members agreed to ask staff to schedule interviews and to target completion of interviews by the end of September to permit a workshop thereafter. The council also discussed possible timeline constraints related to August absences and quorum issues; staff will follow up on meeting dates and public-notice requirements.