Staff says downtown improvement grants, GIS mapping and online permitting are coming to Shelbyville

Shelbyville planning staff reported to the Historic Zoning Commission that the city is preparing a second round of downtown improvement grants tied to a certified downtown communities program and will incorporate historic-district mapping into its GIS and online permitting tools.

Mr. Bachelor said he had been named the point of contact for the certified downtown communities program and that the downtown improvement grants are expected to produce visible changes to the square. He also said staff are updating the GIS to include address points and historic-district mapping so property pages will show historic information when clicked.

"Hopefully in the next few months we'll go to an online permitting process," Mr. Bachelor said, adding that the permitting system would incorporate historic information to aid applicants. He also told the commission that he plans to propose updates to the commission's design standards in the next budget year, subject to mayor and council approval.

Stevie, the commission's certified local government coordinator (as introduced by staff), was present and noted his role supporting training and review for commission members.