Committee to meet for first time today
It’s full steam ahead for the Historic Ad Hoc Committee. The nine-member team will begin examining the Historic Zoning Commission today.
The first meeting will be used to set the purpose and goals of the committee, examine available staff resources, determine meeting dates, set a time frame of completion, and make committee assignments.
Over the last several months, the Historic Zoning Commission has disagreed with several downtown building owners. With all the controversy, city officials began to hear complaints and those complaints prompted the formation of the committee to further investigate any areas that might need change.
Several disagreements have been based on building owners’ desire to use vinyl windows instead of wood, which is against the historic guidelines. However, other disagreements were more memorable.
One of the disagreements was the store front demolition at 125 W. Main Street. The changes were made without a Certificate of Appropriateness.
Although the building’s owner, Penny Medley, was adamant that she and her husband, Junior Medley, did not know they needed permission to remodel the front of the building, the commission members weren’t swayed. They ordered the demolition to stop until the proper channels could be followed.
In the end, an agreement was reached between the Medleys and the Historic Zoning Commission that would allow the construction to continue.
The last disagreement involved a rooftop railing. The rail was placed without a COA.
According to the building’s owner, Scott Garing, he didn’t alter the building so he wasn’t aware he needed approval. That statement wasn’t disputed by the commission but the rail’s historic value was.
This situation ended with the rail staying because a deck is located on top of the building. Despite lacking a COA, codes requires a railing along the deck, and codes overrule guidelines.
The first meeting of the Historic Ad Hoc Committee will be at McMinnville City Hall today at 4:30 p.m. Suggestions made by the committee must be approved by McMinnville’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen.