Residents speak at public hearing on proposed Albany Historic District expansion
Albany-Dougherty Historic Preservation Commission hears from citizens in several neighborhoods
By Jennifer Parks
ALBANY — Residents in the Arcadia, Cleveland Heights, Hilsman Heights, Palmyra Heights, Rawson Circle and Rawson Park neighborhoods had a chance Wednesday to give their input on a proposed expansion of the Albany Historic District into their area.
A survey conducted by History Inc. in Nashville, Tenn., uncovered more than 800 resources, including buildings, parks and designed landscapes, found to be at “an excellent level of historic integrity with very few modern intrusions,” a recent letter sent to the area’s residents said.
Based on that conclusion, the wheels have been set in motion to make those resources part of the city of Albany’s historic district.
Since the expansion was proposed, it has been lauded by its supporters as something that would go a long way in protecting the area’s historical integrity. Roughly a dozen people spoke at public hearing on the matter Wednesday. The meeting followed a near three-hour question/answer session held Tuesday evening.
News stories regarding the expansion dating back to 2014 were on display at the hearing, held in conjunction with the regular meeting of the Albany-Dougherty Historic Preservation Commission. Among the property owners speaking at the meeting were Scott Erickson, who initially said he was not willing to give up any liberty in regards to his property.
“The only reason I am on board is because (my wife and I) bought our property to save it,” he said. “Preserving what exists is the only reason I support this. I am willing to give up my rights. The purpose of this is not to take away rights but to protect (property).”
City officials have said that, should the expansion go through, property owners will be expected to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Preservation Commission for any project involving the exterior of the home.
Opponents of the expansion are concerned that the move might impact their homeowner rights. On the issue of property value, city officials have said values will be maintained, if not elevated, and that issues related to Code Enforcement and zoning are not impacted.
Businessman Lane Rosen was another of the speakers. While acknowledging that both sides have valid points, he noted the significance of preservation.
“Let’s save what we can. We don’t want it to get worse,” he said.
Dougherty County Commissioner Ewell Lyle and Albany City Commissioner B.J. Fletcher were also in attendance on Wednesday, and both encouraged communication between the citizens and commissioners.
Fletcher praised the Rawson Circle community for its enthusiasm, adding that such a spirit should continue, even if it means getting pushy.
“I just need to know what you want,” she said.
City officials said a meeting of the Garden District took place in October 2013, which was followed by a federal grant application process in early 2014. A kickoff meeting for the survey took place the following September. Officials from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division announced in September 2015 the completion of Phase I of the survey, with the help of an annual Historic Preservation Fund subgrant of $18,697 from the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.
In spring 2015, a second federal subgrant of $16,200 was received to start Phase II of the survey, which included the downtown Albany commercial district and the Old Westside and Old Northside neighborhoods. The second phase was completed last month.
The survey area was bounded on the north by the rear property lines on the north side of Ninth Avenue; on the south by the rear property lines on the south side of Residence Avenue; on the east by Palmyra Road, North Jefferson Street and the existing historic district along McKinley Street, and on the west by property lines adjacent to North Slappey Boulevard.
The expansion’s approval would mean the Preservation Commission would begin its role as a design review board, meeting monthly to review and consider COAs for each individual project. The designation would impact new additions, new construction or demolition, and decisions would be made based on Secretary of Interior standards and Albany design guidelines. Window and door openings would need to maintain their original design as much as possible; original roof lines would need be maintained, and most approved additions would likely be those not making an impact on the front facade.
The Historic Preservation Commission is expected to decide soon whether to propose amending the current ordinance to expand the district’s boundaries. The Albany City Commission will either adopt, amend or reject the proposal.
If the expansion is approved, it is likely a National Register designation will be pursued.
The complete survey is available at georgiashpo.org/register/survey.
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