Evansville preservation commissioners table district recommendation after legal-description errors found
November 12, 2025 | Evansville City, Vanderburgh County, Indiana
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The Evansville Historic Preservation Commission on Nov. 12, 2025 tabled a resolution recommending that the City of Evansville designate the Bellemeade Baird Park area as a first-phase historic preservation district, citing inconsistencies between the ordinance’s written legal description and the map attached to the proposal.
The resolution (introduced as proposed resolution 2025-01) would have recommended that the Common Council designate the Bellemeade Baird Park Historic District, referencing the National Register-listed Bayard Park Historic District and an NRHP-eligible Bellemeade Avenue area and invoking authority under Indiana Code chapter 36-7-11 and the Evansville Municipal Code (section 2.106.010(b)(8)). The chair read sections 1–3 of the draft resolution, which describe the proposed boundaries and a three-year first-phase designation under Indiana Code §36-7-11-19.
During public comment, Angie Bullock, a member of the Bellemeade Baird Park neighborhood task force, told the commission that “it seems like some of the address ranges might be off,” citing specific examples where the written address ranges omitted properties the map shows, including the 900 block on Powell Avenue. Preservation staff responded that the pictorial map is correct and that the written description likely contains typographical omissions.
Legal counsel questioned whether the written paragraph had been lifted from the National Register nomination and cautioned that if the municipal ordinance’s verbal description does not match the map or the statutes and nominations it references, the discrepancy could create ambiguity or conflict in the record. Counsel recommended correcting the written legal description to match the map or postponing action until staff can produce a verified legal description.
A motion to table the resolution until December passed by acclamation so staff can correct the verbal legal description to match the pictorial depiction. The commission recorded the outcome as a formal tabling to the December meeting; no vote tally by individual names was recorded in the public proceeding.
The tabling delays any formal recommendation to the Common Council while staff prepares a corrected legal description; commissioners said they preferred certainty in the written language before making anything binding.
Next steps: the commission scheduled the item for December after staff verifies and corrects the written legal description to match the attached map.
The resolution (introduced as proposed resolution 2025-01) would have recommended that the Common Council designate the Bellemeade Baird Park Historic District, referencing the National Register-listed Bayard Park Historic District and an NRHP-eligible Bellemeade Avenue area and invoking authority under Indiana Code chapter 36-7-11 and the Evansville Municipal Code (section 2.106.010(b)(8)). The chair read sections 1–3 of the draft resolution, which describe the proposed boundaries and a three-year first-phase designation under Indiana Code §36-7-11-19.
During public comment, Angie Bullock, a member of the Bellemeade Baird Park neighborhood task force, told the commission that “it seems like some of the address ranges might be off,” citing specific examples where the written address ranges omitted properties the map shows, including the 900 block on Powell Avenue. Preservation staff responded that the pictorial map is correct and that the written description likely contains typographical omissions.
Legal counsel questioned whether the written paragraph had been lifted from the National Register nomination and cautioned that if the municipal ordinance’s verbal description does not match the map or the statutes and nominations it references, the discrepancy could create ambiguity or conflict in the record. Counsel recommended correcting the written legal description to match the map or postponing action until staff can produce a verified legal description.
A motion to table the resolution until December passed by acclamation so staff can correct the verbal legal description to match the pictorial depiction. The commission recorded the outcome as a formal tabling to the December meeting; no vote tally by individual names was recorded in the public proceeding.
The tabling delays any formal recommendation to the Common Council while staff prepares a corrected legal description; commissioners said they preferred certainty in the written language before making anything binding.
Next steps: the commission scheduled the item for December after staff verifies and corrects the written legal description to match the attached map.
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