Old Mill property owners apply to demolish historic structure; planning commission to review for at least one year

City staff told the Feb. 3 work session that owners of the Old Mill have applied to demolish the structure. The owner supplied engineering and feasibility studies from 2022 and 2024; the city hired an outside firm (Calder Richards) to review the submissions and plans to solicit a third‑party engineer to provide an independent assessment.

Community development director James Fung explained the two parallel review tracks: a planning commission conditional‑use review that must be pending at least one year before a decision, and a later certificate of appropriateness review (for demolition of a historic structure) that the council must decide within a 90‑day window if the applicant applies. Staff said the planning commission will continue public engagement during the review year and will next consider the application at its March 4 meeting; planning packets and applicant studies are posted online.

Council members expressed interest in a city‑commissioned independent engineering review to corroborate or challenge applicant studies and staff said they would issue an RFP or otherwise procure a qualified impartial engineer to verify structural and mitigation claims.

The matter remains in the planning commission process; no council action on demolition has occurred.