A week after several pointed comments were made about the work it does, the Historic Preservation Commission has decided to seek some face time with City Council.
On Monday, commissioners agreed to ask for a chance to explain how they make their decisions and how they view their role in the community. The commission is a seven-member body of volunteer citizens appointed by council to administer the local historic district regulations.
Its responsibilities include evaluating changes planned by property owners to determine if they comply with design guidelines and uphold the overall integrity of the neighborhood. Council, which has veto authority on these points, voted last week to reverse one of the group’s decisions amid a debate that was, at times, critical of the commission.
Specifically, Councilman Jeff Helgeson, who is fundamentally opposed to historic districts on the grounds they erode private property rights, rebuked the commission as an “unelected body of bureaucrats” who act as dictators, rather than partners, in preservation matters.
“This very thing is the reason why I would never buy in a historic district,” Helgeson said, arguing people have to “grovel” to make changes to their own homes.
Helgeson was in turn criticized for his comments by some of his peers, although council did not debate the merits of historic districts or the commission itself in detail as it was deemed beyond the scope of the matter before them.
“Nobody groveled. I didn’t see anyone crawl on the floor,” Vice Mayor Bert Dodson retorted, adding he didn’t believe historic district residents would want Helgeson as a neighbor “with the way you demean them.”
The vote to overrule the historic commission went on to pass City Council unanimously. During a meeting Monday, commissioner Gary Harvey suggested the preservation group should reach out to council and address any misunderstandings that exist.
“I think we should be proactive about this,” he said. “I think this is a learning opportunity.”
Chairman James Mundy noted he’d been aware prior to this that some in the community considered the commission to be dictatorial.
“Maybe we can we clear the air now about the work this commission does,” he said.
The commissioners agreed to request some time at a future council meeting to open a dialogue about its work. Members specifically said they hope to discuss the process they go through when making decisions, the type of guidelines they uphold and how they view the commission’s role in the historic districts.
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