July 20, 2000
Designs on the future
By Erik Burriss
Staff Writer
City Council's Law and Community Planning Commitee outlined &emdash; using a city map and a green highlighter &emdash; the area to be covered by the proposed design review ordinance Wednesday.
The ordinance's language was approved by the committee in June, but the legislation couldn't be introduced in City Council until the committee specified what part of the city was to be covered by design review.
The preservation district proposed by the committee runs west along the Sandusky River from Jefferson to Madison streets, south on Monroe Street for one lot, then follows the alley between Monroe and Washington streets to St. Joseph Church. From there, the district stretches north along the alley between Jefferson and Washington streets to Tiffin Street, then generally follows Jefferson Street to the river, although the County Annex, Tiffin-Seneca Public Library, and the area west of Rock Creek between Madison and Market streets are included as well.
Once the ordinance has been introduced, property owners have four weeks to voice their opinion on their inclusion or exclusion from the district, At-large Councilman Mark Hayes said.
Adoption of the ordinance would make the city eligible for $400,000 in grants for streetscaping and facade work within the district.
The ordinance also creates an architectural review board to approve proposed changes to properties within the district.
The meeting was the first chaired by 3rd Ward Councilman Tom Distel since his appointment as the committee's chairman by Council President Mike Grandillo at Monday's City Council meeting.