Images from the proposed Uptown Design Guide, which includes examples of acceptable designs, are pictured above.
(Graphic submitted)
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As Plain City officials continue to consider how changes to the Uptown will be governed, they are hoping for more civil discussion.
“We created a product to just be presented and discussed,” Village Administrator Haley Lupton said during council’s work session. “Dissent is always welcome, but minimizing efforts, intentions, values of staff is not.”
In November, council voted to table the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would delete Chapter 1327, which establishes and governs the Uptown Plain City Historic District, from the village’s codified ordinances.
Instead, a zoning overlay district would be adopted that would aim to keep the historic look and feel of the area but remove the historic design guidelines and Design Review Board.
The overlay includes a written code that details design standards and guidelines to be followed within the area. It is accompanied by a “style guide” that includes photo examples of the types of building designs and features that have been approved by the village.
“Plain and simple, we’re not trying to demolish any buildings, we’re not trying to build a glass skyrise at Main and Chillicothe,” Lupton said. “The goal is to retain the historic character of the district, help get rid of some of the red tape of the process (and) continue to promote investment in the area.”
Lupton also urged council members to separate the conversation surrounding the future of the Design Review Board from whether to pursue Certified Local Government status.
Council member John Rucker has also previously noted that the village’s DRB was initially created because it is required to pursue CLG status.
Lupton, however, said she stands by her desire not to pursue it.
“It’s costly and time-consuming to the village,” she said.
She said she spoke with the Ohio Historical Connection, which advised her that only $98,000 is available in grant funding statewide, each year for CLGs.
If awarded, that funding can only be used for historical restoration, not to bring buildings up to code or for other renovations.
Additionally, the village would be required to act as the grant administrator and those awarded would have to go through a competitive bid process for their projects. Lupton said, in talking to local business owners, it does not seem as though those who are operating on aggressive timelines and have contractors they trust would want to open competitive bids.
During the November meeting at which the zoning overlay – called Chapter 1185.06 – was first presented to council, Council member Frank Reed voiced strong opposition.
He continued to oppose the measure this week.
Reed stood by his comments that he feels the ordinance would remove council’s oversight of the Uptown district.
Since the overlay would eliminate DRB, major exterior modifications would go before the Planning and Zoning Commission to ensure they are compatible with surrounding buildings. Minor changes would be reviewed by staff and approved or denied administratively.
Reed said he feels it is “to get council out of the way.”
“There’s no good reason other than it’s a lot of work for staff and they want to make it easier for developers,” he said.
While Reed was the only council member to publicly comment on the proposal in November, he faced intense pushback during work session.
“Mr. Reed, you are wrong, flat-out wrong,” Council member Jim Eudaily said.
Council member Michael Terry also disagreed with Reed’s statements.
“You consider everyone else’s (comments) an opinion and yours a fact,” Terry told Reed.
Terry said it is unreasonable to claim that the zoning overlay would eliminate council’s oversight. He said council members will continue to vote on appointments to the Planning and Zoning Commission, and could even fire the village administrator or village planner if they so desired.
Still, Reed said he feels the overlay would result in Plain City “targeting mediocre.”
“This ordinance will have a profoundly negative economic impact on Plain City,” Reed said.
Plain City Police Department Chief Dale McKee disagreed.
He cited this year’s Christmas Under the Clock as evidence that the Uptown is moving in a positive direction. McKee said he had never seen that many people at the event.
Even when he is outside of the village, he said people tell him “downtown is gorgeous.”
“It’s developing beautifully downtown,” McKee said.
Council will continue to discuss the proposed ordinance during its January work session.
Lupton said she apologized to staff members whose intentions she felt were questioned during the November meeting for not speaking up at that time.
“I want to move on from that conversation and continue the good discussion, and I think we’ll end up in a productive place,” she said.