PUBLIC MEETING FEBRUARY 5TH TO DISCUSS HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE IN BRENHAM
The public is invited to an upcoming meeting to discuss the potential creation of a historic preservation ordinance for the city of Brenham.
The meeting will take place Wednesday, February 5th at 5:30 p.m. at the Nancy Carol Roberts Memorial Library.
Talks on the ordinance began last year, when resident Mary Thornhill gave a presentation at August’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. At that meeting, Thornhill said she had spoken to city officials and property owners in area cities that have preservation ordinances in place, and showed a video of her conversations with them discussing why having an ordinance is beneficial. She said the ordinance is not meant to be a set of restrictions, but rather a guideline for cities to preserve a historic look and feel.
Thornhill’s video will be shown at the meeting on February 5th. There will also be a presentation on preservation ordinances and the Certified Local Government Program of the Texas Historical Commission by Program Coordinator Lorelei Willett. A timeline for establishing an ordinance will also be discussed.
City of Brenham Tourism and Marketing Director Jennifer Eckermann said ordinances of this kind are typically enacted by local governments to preserve and protect historic landmarks that reflect distinctive and important elements of a community’s heritage.
Last year, Texas legislators passed into law House Bill 2439, which prevents municipalities from regulating building materials. Eckermann said, however, the law does not pertain to properties included in a historic preservation ordinance.
Eckermann said, after the meeting, a city plan will be shared on creating a committee to discuss how an ordinance would take shape in Brenham. She said the goal would be to have a plan to present for public input sometime this summer.