Committee approves adding civic buildings to local preservation ordinance

A local preservation committee on Monday voted to expand the borough’s preservation ordinance to add a civic-building category that covers certain public and institutional structures built up to 1970. The chair put the circulated draft to a vote after members discussed the proposal and confirmed a quorum.

Committee members described the change as a measured way to preserve historically significant civic properties while still allowing renovation. “They were very supportive of this,” said an attendee who reported outreach with state preservation officials and local stakeholders. Members emphasized the change would make demolition administratively more difficult but would not prohibit adaptive reuse or necessary upgrades.

Speakers noted potential benefits for redevelopment financing: a committee member explained that listing a building in a local historic district can make a property eligible for state and federal rehabilitation tax credits, subject to State Historic Preservation Office and federal review and meeting Secretary of the Interior standards. Discussion included examples of state credit programs and combined federal-state incentives used in other projects.

The committee agreed to send the approved language and a cover letter to counsel and to circulate the materials to the council, as requested by the stakeholders who proposed the change. The committee recorded assent from members present and said staff will prepare the formal referral and notifications.

The committee did not adopt any additional ordinance text changes at the meeting; members said further ordinance tweaks and follow-up outreach will be handled as next steps.