The deadline is 5 p.m. Wednesday for commenting on the proposed Jefferson City ordinance to demolish historic buildings - especially in the East Capitol area east of downtown and near the old Missouri State Penitentiary grounds.
The proposal modifies an existing city ordinance, adding some procedures for dealing with houses at least 50 years old and with potential historic significance.
"We just want people to understand that Jefferson City is a historic and unique city in America," Historic Preservation Commission Chairman Art Hernandez told the News Tribune after Tuesday's commission meeting. "It is the first capital west of the Mississippi."
Hernandez told commissioners comments the city already has received generally can be placed in two categories - support for the ordinance by preservationists, many associated with the Historic City of Jefferson group, and opposition from Realtors and other real estate specialists.
Some of those opponents are concerned deciding what is "historic" really is a subjective idea, differing from one person to the next.
The commission voted unanimously Tuesday to add to the demolition application the list of criteria it uses in considering demolition requests.
"I think it just gives the applicant a perspective of what we're looking for with regard to your property, in order to make a decision, moving forward, on the application," Hernandez explained.
He said he understands opponents' concerns, "and that's why I'm hoping that amending the application itself will assuage some of that concern - given that their primary concern is property values and the ability to allow property owners to make decisions on their own about their own properties."
The process is focused especially on properties in the East Capitol area, where a number of older homes have been acquired but not maintained.
Working with the Housing Authority, city officials have developed a process where some of those properties could be condemned and acquired with compensation if the property owners don't repair the mostly-abandoned structures.
"We certainly don't want to be taking any property from anybody, or discouraging people from applying for demolitions," Hernandez said. "To just dismiss some of these buildings on East Capitol Avenue without a review by people (on the historic commission) - who are tasked under our current city ordinance to review those properties - would do those properties a disservice."
He said the commission's only job is reviewing demolition applications; the City Council makes the final decision unless a property owner appeals the council's decision to the circuit court.
"We don't have the luxury of doing a site survey on our own," Hernandez said. "What we do is rely on the information provided in the application packet to make those decisions."
He said the city's Planning and Protective Services department staff will begin reviewing the proposed ordinance changes next week.
Eventually, the proposal will go to the City Council, and Hernandez hopes it will be approved next month or in June.