Planners aim to protect historical structures

by Brian Rosenthal
Pharos-Tribune staff writer

July 15, 2008 12:00 pm

— The Logansport Plan Commission voted 6-0 at a meeting Monday to approve amendments to a resolution seeking to protect historical structures in the Logan’s Landing district.
The move sends the ordinance back to the Logansport City Council, which had rejected a previous version.
The proposed legislation would be an addition to the zoning law of the Logan’s Landing district. The proposal would limit when structures with potential historical value could be demolished.
The measure’s original version called for an appraisal showing no economic value and a notice period of 2-6 months, if a review board didn’t approve the demolition. The review board would decide the length of notice time on a case-by-case basis, but could also OK the demolition, ordering no notice at all.
But some city council members had concerns with the original text, especially with the required appraisal and the long length of notice time, Stan Williams, the planning commission’s executive director, said at the meeting Monday afternoon.
The amendment presented Monday removes the appraisal part of the ordinance. In addition, as something of a compromise, the amendment expands the maximum notice time to a full year.
The mission of the measure remains in place, Williams said.
“We have historical structures in the city and those structures are part of our plan for economic development, downtown revitalization and tourism,” he said. “This gives the public notice that a building they value could be coming down.”
The idea is to provide enough notice that the public would have a chance to organize opposition to a building’s demolition, Williams said.
At the meeting, resident Kado Downs read a letter from the Logansport Historical Preservation Commission in support of the ordinance. Downs is the president of the commission.
“Historic preservation is pure economics,” the letter reads. “A strong downtown core is essential to every community. We cannot have one without the other.”
The resolution was not without opposition.
Business owner Kelly Spencer said he was concerned that the ordinance would handcuff developers, adding expense to their development efforts.
Spencer also questioned whether the city would charge property taxes on land that was in limbo for a year while developers gave public notice.
The plan commission doesn’t have the power to decide that, said Deputy Mayor Linda Klinck, a member of the commission.
Even with the amendment, the proposal is not a sure thing. It must survive two readings in front of the city council. This could be difficult considering the amendment enacted a longer notice time when the council asked for a shorter one, Klinck pointed out.
Williams acknowledged the ordinance might come right back to the plan commission for revision after the next city council meeting.
“It’s worth giving it a shot,” he said.
Also at the meeting Monday, commission members approved a comprehensive rezoning plan for “LB-1,” or “Neighborhood Business” districts in Logansport. This type of district is “mixed-use,” intended for residential use as well as some low intensity commercial uses, Williams said.
The change is meant to ensure that businesses in the district are indeed low-intensity and do not interfere with residential use.
Monday’s unanimous passage means that ordinance will also come before the city council at its next meeting Aug. 4.
The commission was also informed Monday of a request by Downs and the rest of the historical preservation commission to designate the Iron Horse Museum as a historic district. The proposed designation is targeted at the railroad depot on the site.
Downs said the move would “preserve the depot for future generations.”
The proposal will officially come before the plan commission at its next meeting Aug. 11.
Brian Rosenthal can be reached at (574) 732-5148, or via e-mail at Brian.Rosenthal@pharostribune.com