 Plans for the evening included opening the floor to the public for questions
about the proposed downtown historic district. The city has a national historic
district for the downtown area. The new district follows the same borders, but
would be established locally for recognition by the city of Lincoln.
The meeting was also intended to conclude with a vote to establish the
district.
Two members of the public were in attendance to ask questions. Lance
Rainforth and Michael Jeisy own property on North Kickapoo Street and Chicago
Street, respectively. They were concerned about how much control the historic
district would have over renovation of their property.
Doolin and commission member Ron Keller explained that the historic district
is only concerned with those parts of a historic building that face the street
and can be seen from the street. The district does not address interior
renovations or roofs as long as the roof is not visible from the street. The
historic district is mainly concerned with maintaining the look of historic
downtown Lincoln.
Doolin also reiterated that tax incentives as well as grants may be available
to property owners who improve their buildings.
Rainforth commended the commission for their mandate of improving the quality
of downtown Lincoln without changing the look.
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After answering questions from the public, the next item on the
agenda was the final vote on establishing the district. Four members
of the seven-member commission were in attendance, which constituted
a quorum. However, two members in attendance, Doolin and Bill
Vinyard, own property in the proposed historic district. So, they
had to recuse themselves from voting.
Another meeting will be scheduled in the first two weeks of
January in order to have enough members of the commission in
attendance to vote without Doolin and Vinyard.
[By CURT FOX]
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