Board discusses targeted Old Town guideline changes and downtown construction updates

The council used the meeting’s workshop segment to discuss how best to update the Old Town Preservation and Development guidelines. Staff recommended a series of targeted, needlepoint amendments instead of a wholesale refresh, after hearing residents raise concerns that some draft changes removed longstanding neighborhood exceptions (lot coverage, mid‑lot treatments, parking and other customary uses).

Deputy City Manager Glenn Acromoff told the board staff would notify engaged residents and bring focused items back in future workshops: "That was a very good...as good a display as I've ever seen," he said in praise of the HDC's prior workshop work and encouraged continued targeted review. Board members said targeted outreach and incremental changes would likely gain greater buy‑in than a document‑wide rewrite.

Staff also updated the board on downtown projects: Standard Marine is under active structural work (building permit, temporary right‑of‑way closures for support work) and the city is preparing weekly public project updates and contractor schedules; waterfront boardwalk and kiosk work will begin in coming weeks. The board encouraged staff to present discrete proposed guideline edits in advance so the public and HDC can focus on specific policy issues rather than debating the whole document at once.