THE SPECTATOR: PROTECTING BRENHAM’S DOWNTOWN

  

I believe everyone would agree that Brenham has a beautiful downtown area, something that many small Texas towns would love to have.  Brenham’s downtown is comprised of mostly historic buildings giving it a unique, hometown feel.  I believe that most everyone would agree that Brenham’s downtown needs to maintain that look and feel for generations to come.  This Thursday afternoon the Brenham City Council will hopefully take a step toward protecting our downtown and its historic buildings.

The City Council will hold a public hearing concerning the establishment of a Historic Preservation Ordinance for the downtown district.  The idea of an ordinance to protect Brenham’s unique heritage is nothing new.  Previously an ordinance was proposed in 2009, but the idea was shelved when property owners argued that it was too restrictive and not needed.  This time around, downtown property and business owners were invited to be a part of the process in developing the ordinance.  As their concerns were voiced, many issues were addressed and changes were made to make the ordinance less restrictive and less of a hindrance to property owners.  There was give and take on both sides, and in the end, most are happy with the result.

Are there still some people opposed to a Historic Preservation Ordinance for downtown Brenham?  Yes there are.  One of the main contentions is that their building is their property, and the City shouldn’t be able to dictate what they do with it.  Sounds good on the surface, but in a civilized world you can’t always do whatever you want with your property.  There are neighbors and entire communities that could be affected.  In this case, their buildings fall within Brenham’s historic downtown district….an area that our entire town considers “our” downtown.  A place where parades are held, where locals and tourists alike enjoy shopping, dining and having fun.  Downtown Brenham has come a long way from where it was just 10 years ago.  This ordinance is the first step to keep it going in a positive direction.

No one wants to see any of our unique downtown buildings torn down.  But currently there is nothing in place to stop that from happening.  There will be some people at Thursday’s meeting who oppose this ordinance.  But I encourage the Brenham City Council to not be afraid to take this step.  Both Brenham’s Main Street Advisory Board and its Planning and Zoning Commission, with downtown property owners as members, have recommended its establishment, as does the City’s comprehensive plan.  The time for a Historic Preservation Ordinance is now, before it’s too late for one of our beloved downtown buildings.

And that’s the way it looks to this Spectator.