Council sends Historic District proposal back to drawing board

LACONIA — Any expansion of the city’s Historic District is on hold following a decision by the City Council.

The council voted 5-1 to reject a proposal from the Historic District Commission that would place the entire downtown area in the city’s Historic District. The vote came after a public hearing Monday evening during which several downtown building and business owners opposed the plan, fearing that it could place too many restrictions on what they could do with their buildings or premises.

Councilor Mark Haynes, who serves as the council's liaison to the commission, cast the one negative vote.

The commission's proposal would have expanded the district from five distinct properties to 57, and have produced a tenfold increase in the district's acreage.

The Planning Board recommended the expansion of the district by a vote of 6-3, thereby forwarding the matter to the council for action.

Some critics said they found the existing historic district ordinance too vague, and so worried that the ability to upgrade or remodel downtown buildings in the future would depend on the personal inclinations of commission members.

Commission Chair Tara Shore defended the proposal and said the concerns that were being raised were unfounded.

She said the commission had taken steps to bring about its proposal through a public process and has worked to have open communication with all interested parties.

“I keep hearing about these horror shows,” she said in reference to concerns about plans being rejected because of issues like paint color, or style of building fixtures. “All I’m hearing is negative, negative, negative.”

But Melissa McCarthy, who owns The Studio downtown, said the way the Historic District ordinance is written will result in arbitrary decisions by the commissions.

John Moriarty, who owns the building where McCarthy’s store is located, said all the buildings he owns have been renovated.

“I can’t get my head around why do we need to do this when we are already doing things well,” he told the council.

However, Charlie St. Clair who operates the Laconia Antiques Center across Main Street from Moriarty’s building at the corner of Pleasant and Main streets, spoke in favor of the proposal. He said it would provide some protection from historic buildings being demolished.

“Sometimes you need rules like this,” he said. “The wrong owner can come around and do a lot of damage.”

Mayor Andrew Hosmer called for a plan that had broader public support.

“I don’t expect unanimity, but I think we need to build a consensus,” he said.

Councilor Henry Lipman, who made the motion to defeat the proposal, said any enlargement of the Historic District “needs to strike the right balance” between preserving the downtown’s character on the one hand and the ability of building owners and businesses to make changes to ensure their economic viability on the other.

“We want preservation, but the procedures behind (the proposal to expand the district) is what people are having a problem with.” Lipman said. “We need to make it work for the city as a whole.”

He suggested the entire council become involved in coming up with an alternative plan that would have broader support.