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Statement
August 7, 2007
Statement of Belinda Gergel
August 7, 2007
This news conference is called to address the serious problems facing our in-town neighborhoods as a result of aggressive and inadequately regulated development activities, which threaten the very character of these neighborhoods. I am encouraged by City Council's action in identifying this issue as a matter of important concern and its apparent willingness to consider proposals to protect and preserve our in-town neighborhoods. I propose today a five-point plan as a blue print for the City to protect the integrity of our in-town neighborhoods and to guarantee public input.
In Columbia, we have come to measure our quality of life by the character of our in-town neighborhoods. When our neighborhoods erode, our city crumbles; when our city crumbles, citizens abandon what they know they have lost. The reverse is equally true. When neighborhoods thrive and their built environments are preserved, a city grows in quality and attracts investment that builds on its uniqueness and benefits us all. Sound "Smart Growth" principles compel us to strengthen our in-town neighborhoods to ensure their sustainability as distinctive communities with a "sense of place" that will draw new residents in the future.
Columbia is unusually blessed with historic and vibrant in-town neighborhoods, many with distinct designs and architectural styles reflective of their era. A number are in the process of exploring applications for historic designation to protect and preserve their distinctive character. While these neighbor to neighbor deliberations on designation are ongoing across the city, several of our in-town neighborhoods confront considerable stress from developers who are undertaking projects which threaten their distinctive character.
Columbia's revitalization has attracted developers to several of our established neighborhoods, who have sought to profit by subdividing established residential lots and building new residences essentially in the backyards of existing homes. Others have set about to demolish or move historic structures, most of which are not protected in neighborhoods that do not have historic designation. Still others have constructed massive new homes, dubbed "McMansions", which are out of scale with their surroundings and incompatible with the distinctive styles of the established neighborhoods. The time is now for the City to allow our established in-town neighborhoods some breathing space, a period to catch their breath, while they consider the merits of historic designation. We must prevent developers from destroying the distinctiveness of these neighborhoods by "beating the clock" on historic designation.
With a period of active discussion and consideration, neighborhood residents will have an opportunity to decide if they wish to pursue historic designation. Some may opt to forego this protected status. What is important, however, is that residents and neighborhood leaders have an appropriate period of time to make good sound judgments about their future. The decision about the redefining of the future character of Columbia's neighborhoods must be in the hands of those residents who live there and not in the actions of a few real estate developers whose have little regard for the long term consequences of their development strategies.
It is important for our City leaders to act boldly and promptly to preserve the historical character of our neighborhoods. I make today the following proposals to create a subdivision moratorium, establish new permit guidelines and modify the city's review processes, while in-town neighborhoods eligible for historic designation determine if they wish to pursue the designation and have the opportunity to complete the application process. This is not bureaucratic obstructionism; this is about taking the time to put in place a fair and thoughtful process to which all parties can contribute.
This is my plan:
1. The City of Columbia should immediately implement a 6 month subdivision moratorium for our in-town neighborhoods that are eligible for historic designation while those neighborhoods decide whether or not they wish to apply for historic designation. This moratorium would apply to the demolition or movement of structures greater than 50 years of age, the subdivision of lots and the creation of new subdivisions within those neighborhoods eligible for historic designation. The City's Design Development Review Commission (DDRC) would have the authority to grant a waiver to the moratorium in those limited circumstances where DDRC standards were fully satisfied and an undue burden was placed on the property owner by delay.
2. The review of existing and potentially new development related ordinances that City staff is conducting in response to City Council's request last week should include drafting of proposed ordinances to accomplish the following: a) extending DDRC jurisdiction to the subdivision of all lots and the creation of all new subdivisions within areas of historic designation; b) prohibiting "demolition by neglect"; c) placing size limitations on structures where excessive size is incompatible with the character and style of the neighborhood ("McMansions"); d) making the subdivision of established residential lots in neighborhoods without historic designation subject to review by the City's Planning Commission; and e) protecting neighborhoods without historic designation with design overlays that would preserve neighborhood integrity and ensure public input in the determination of new construction. These design overlays would establish review criteria that would include factors such as architectural style, scale and topography.
3. The City should provide staff and other appropriate resources to assist neighborhood councils in their deliberations about historic designation and, if so desired, facilitate the application process. To the extent that City historic preservation office is not adequately staffed or funded to provide timely expertise to each of the in-town neighborhoods, the city should increase its staff and/or temporarily retain consultants or independent contractors to provide this important service.
4. The City should designate the application of any in town neighborhood eligible for historic designation as an "Ordinance in Progress" under the State's Pending Ordinance Doctrine. With this status, the DDRC would acquire, while the application for historic designation was pending, jurisdiction over any proposal within the neighborhood to build, demolish or move any structure, subdivide any lot, create any new sub-division or take any action within the purview of DDRC in neighborhoods already in receipt if historic designation.
5. The City should promptly implement a two-week public posting of application requests for the movement or demolition of structures 50 years old and older in historic neighborhoods and a two-week posting on requests for structures on the Historic Columbia Foundation's List of Historic Structures presented to City Council in 2004.
I believe this proposal is reasonable, clear and fair. I have faith that our residents will make good sound decisions about the future character and the integrity of their neighborhoods. It is time for Columbia to begin a new period of enlightened civic engagement about the future of our city