CITY OF BRENHAM BEGINNING RESEARCH ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE
The City of Brenham could soon be looking into methods to preserve historic buildings.
At Thursday’s Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, city staff were given direction to set up a future workshop session to further discuss the creation of a historic preservation ordinance for the city.
The decision came after a presentation from resident Mary Thornhill, who began researching ordinances in surrounding cities when a historic home nearby her residence on East Main Street was recently alleged to be considered for demolition. She explained the owner of the home, which was built in 1862, was frustrated after experiencing a burglary and made a comment about tearing the home down.
Thornhill said, after learning the city had no preservation ordinance in place, she began talking to city officials and property owners in Bryan, Granbury, Houston, and Seguin. She recorded her conversations with them, and presented them to the moderately-sized audience in a video, where members of each of those communities discussed the benefits of having a preservation ordinance.
Thornhill said her idea of an ordinance is meant to be a guide on how to keep a town’s historic look and feel intact.
Thornhill said the goal of the ordinance is not to be overly restrictive on property owners, as change is inevitable.
Thornhill said, if the city were interested in moving forward with the idea of a preservation ordinance, some of the officials she previously talked to have shown interest in leading a workshop in Brenham.
Commissioner Lynette Sheffield asked how the city would be able to pass an item like this when the recently passed House Bill 2439 prevents municipalities from regulating building materials. Development Services Director Stephanie Doland responded that the house bill in question does provide exceptions and exclusions for historic preservation ordinances. She added she believes this is “a great opportunity and a great time to have this conversation”.
Members of the audience appeared to be in support of the idea, as well as the commissioners present at the meeting. Commissioner Leroy Jefferson said this is “something that should have happened yesterday”.
Good. Long overdue.
I have preached the need for such ordinance for many years to thick-headed leaders of the community.
Many towns across America will not allow the razing of historic structures.
Not only that but a lot of cities also maintain repositories whereby anything removed from a historical building MUST be donated to the repository for the historic use of the community.
Ever since I was in high school in Brenham I have been saying that the day will come when Locals look around and ask: “Where did Brenham GO?!”
One of the motivating forces for me to start and volunteer hours each week to the Facebook group I run (BRENHAM: The Talk Of The Town) is to champion the awareness for the need to PRESERVE Small Town.
And, frankly, too many folk have too long looked the other way to the point that the community has lost wayyyyyy too much of its Heritage.
As Thomas Jefferson said “That government governs best that governs least”