<Becky Olson wrote: More and more the HPC in Whittier lets one property "slip" and then causes many, many problems for others that goes by the rules...>
The HPC has two preservation planners (which is far too few) shouldering the burden for this entire city, and a commission, much like the City Planning Commission. It is guided by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, and has jurisdiction over all historic districts and historic/potentially historic properties in Mpls. Any exterior work to be done on such a property must either voted on by the commission in a public hearing on signed off by one of the planners (called a Certificate of No Change). Simple, yes? But-- People flout the HPC's rules all the time. Someone can make a change to a historic property without the HPC planners knowing about it (after all, two planners can't drive around the city looking for someone who might be doing something wrong). Enforcement is practically zippo, because other than levying a fine, what can you do to a property owner who has already ruined the building? Besides, they knew that they could just run to the City Council and get the HPC's ruling overturned anyway--though that may be more difficult now with the new Council. Many times it was private citizens who tipped off the HPC to underhanded goings-on. (I still do it.) Many times the HPC could stop the work; sometimes it could reverse the damage; sometimes the property owner had a lot of money and could cause a lot of delays. The HPC planners are highly motivated and talented people who just get dumped on. R.T. has gotten an earful from me about my frustrations with the job. I left that place utterly exhausted (and I was administrative!). Kristine Harley Sheridan _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
