City to consider historic building demolition ban
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Steamboat Springs — City officials next week will consider a temporary ban on demolition permits for historic structures.
The Steamboat Springs City Council voted, 5-1, Tuesday night to consider a 90-day ban, or moratorium, on building and demolition permits that involve historic structures. A moratorium would allow time for consideration of historic preservation issues raised by a passionate crowd at Centennial Hall. City attorney Tony Lettunich will prepare two separate moratoriums - an "emergency" moratorium that the City Council could enact immediately, and a standard moratorium that would require two public hearings - for City Council review next Tuesday. Lettunich said existing city regulations designate any building that is 50 years old or older as historic.
The discussion about historic preservation arose during presentations by the city's Historic Preservation Advisory Commission and a community group called Partners in Preservation. Both groups cited an increasing vulnerability of Steamboat Springs' heritage in the face of widespread growth and development.
"We've already had eight demolition requests this year, which is more than double previous years," said Pam Duckworth of the Advisory Commission.
Duckworth also is a member of the preservation group, which cites a lack of city-regulated protection for historic buildings.
"The Lyons Drug building could be sold tomorrow to new owners who could demolish it," Duckworth said, referring to the Maxwell Building on Eighth Street and Lincoln Avenue in downtown Steamboat. "Community character, once lost, can never be regained."
City Councilmen Towny Anderson and Ken Brenner strongly supported the quick implementation of more stringent historic preservation regulations.
"If we do nothing, the market will define community character," Brenner said. "If we take action now, we will at least have the option of preserving what we have."
But City Councilman Steve Ivancie, who cast the lone vote against consideration of a moratorium next week, said such an ordinance would restrict the rights of property owners to change and develop historic homes or buildings on their land.
"What is wrong with a property owner protecting their options?" Ivancie said.
"There is a huge investment that's made by somebody in their property," added City Council President Susan Dellinger. "I'm hoping we can see both sides to this story."
Comments
id04sp 5 years, 9 months ago
Thank God this came in time to save the Harbor Hotel!
gravity 5 years, 9 months ago
Please, please, please let's not be hasty. A 90 day moratorium does nothing to stop a development plan, a developer can just include it in their timeline, and it puts impediments to bring some of the older houses in town into safer and move environmentally friendly condition. Better would be incentives to save the character of old town, help people to write grants to preserve what we have, or give tax credit to those that build in character with their neigborhood. Credit is already givin for 'green' building so why not work in that direction.
gravity 5 years, 9 months ago
Tax credits are available on your fedral taxs if you show an energy efficent construction. Steamboat Area plan does have many recommendations for historic preservation, but they are only recommendations, with no teeth, and i'm not sure I want to give teeth to bunch of already settled and monied residents so that they can tell me that I can't put a foundation under my house, or update my wiring, plumbing or windows cause it would be unhistoric. By the way the world isn't flat.
Brad Craig 5 years, 9 months ago
City and state tax credits are available for historic properties. We utilized them in a remodel. Applications are available at the city offices.
JazzSlave 5 years, 9 months ago
Ever looked into the costs associated with bringing a decades-old building up to current code? Tax credits or no, they're insane. Character, shmaracter. Knock it down & rebuild. Good riddance to the eyesores that were the Harbor Hotel & Night's Rest.
JazzSlave 5 years, 9 months ago
knowitall (not)
I've been here 5 years. How much longer before I am no longer an out of towner? Just curious.
You couldn't be more off the mark regarding my employer, but thanks for playing!
Vince arroyo 5 years, 9 months ago
Lets see. The way I see It . Houses that are 50 years old do pose a safety threat ? (Harbor hotel as an example ) rules at this point do have to be put in place. I also see it as the haves and have not's. We do have property rights. We , as this valley are at a point that. We can steer what our future holds! Work together, problem solve. Lets hear your opinions. Lets hear both sides of the issues.
inmate2007 5 years, 9 months ago
What I want to know is when is City Council going to preserve structures on the Mountain? In 5 years there is going to be no example of "Early Resort" left.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 9 months ago
yes, we should have preserved the old guard shack that was never used, and certainly the octagone buildings so somebody could get killed in those beautiful structures, I love the good old ways of danger and obsolesense. Get real about this historic stuff, if you want to preserve it, buy it and do what you want, enough of this bs complaining about Jim Cook, grow up will you, buy it and do what you want with it, and no I don't work for the guy either.............
another_local 5 years, 9 months ago
50 years historic? Get real. Some old buildings are just..... old.
The Harbor was a post war (WW11) eyesore.
With that said, a 90 day hold is no big deal while this is sorted out.
thecondoguy1 5 years, 9 months ago
I am home, sorry...........
Matthew Stoddard 5 years, 9 months ago
Knowitall- Come on, dude! You can do better than "condodork" as an insult, right? I mean, most kids can surpass that just by stealing old Don Rickles material. Surely a "knowitall" has more creativity than "condodork." It doesn't even take full advantage of simple rhyming techniques.
If you need help, just ask, and I'm sure we can all show you how to insult properly. Now finish your vegetables or no dessert for you.
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