Commission to research other cities' historic preservation

The city's Historic Preservation Commission will research the ordinances of nine cities in the Missouri Certified Local Governments program in an effort to improve the local ordinances regarding preservation, specifically demolition permit requests.

At the commission's regular meeting, the commissioners agreed to each research a city's historic preservation ordinances then bring the results to the January meeting.

"We've made some serious headway," said commission leader Cathy Bordner. "Other towns feel they are saving their historic resources, and we want to tap in to what they're doing."

Bordner received the list of cities with successful historic preservation ordinances through the State Historic Preservation Office.

The commission also heard from Janice McMillan, director of planning and protective services, about the review of design guidelines and overlay districts as part of the discussion caused by the Jefferson City Area Chamber of Commerce's Transformation process.

The Capitol Avenue Conservation District was proposed, based on information compiled in the Central East Side Neighborhood Redevelopment Plan several years ago.

The commission will look at the draft and make recommendations, Bordner said.

"We welcomed the opportunity to move forward on that," she said.

In other business, the commission received two demolition requests from River City Habitat for Humanity, which the commission will review further. And they elected officers: Cathy Bordner, chairwoman; Bill Case, vice chairman; and Diane Light, secretary.