Lexington City Council approved the first reading of a historic preservation ordinance that would allow the Historic Preservation Commission to take legal action against violators within the city.
Section B of the proposed ordinance would “subject the person violating the ordinance to a fine not exceeding $100 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 90 days or to both such fine and imprisonment.”
“We're basically giving the Historic Preservation Commission the same teeth as far as enforcing stuff when people snub them, as the city has with the maintenance stuff,” Lexington Mayor Craig Snow said.
Currently, the commission only has the power to fine someone once for a citation.
“If you're like, we cite you for something maintenance on one of the buildings, it can accrue $100 a day until they correct whatever,” Snow said. “That's what we're threatening Mr. Hawkins with.”
Rick Hawkins owns property at 110, 112, 114, 116 and 118 West Main Street as well as 111 N. Gilmer St. that have been in violation of city rules. Hawkins recently began to clean up his properties by clearing debris and hiring a contractor to fix the structural damage.
Linda Parish, chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, said the commission has tried to get this passed for 37 years.
“People keep ignoring the fact that there are rules and regulations and state guidelines that they have to go by in a historic district. It's a National Historic District, the city of Lexington,” Parish said. “People will just ignore … what we rule on, and just go ahead and do what they want to, and we have no recourse except to keep them on our books and try to get them to do right.”
Parish said the commission only has a say in the exterior changes on a property, such as replacing a roof, correct fencing or keeping the property clean.
Council member Jill Severn questioned if the ordinance would be used as an excuse for the commission to look for violations and fine violators.
“The violations are already in place. Nothing’s changed what the preservation code is,” city attorney Charlie Barrow said. “It gives a little more weight to how they can be enforced.”
The council approved the first reading. It will become law after the third reading has been approved.
“It's just one more step in trying to preserve the history and the buildings that we have, the land that we have, everything in the historic district,” Parish said. “There are state and federal guidelines for these things that we are supposed to be following, and people are not following them.”
In other news, the Lexington City Council:
- Approved the city of Lexington budget for the 2024-2025 year.
- Discussed paving around the courthouse. The city of Lexington has enough to cover half the cost. They have asked the board of commissioners to cover the rest, which is still in negotiation.
- Discussed complaints of tree overgrowth on West Boggs Street and Upson Street at Highway 78. The city is looking into hiring someone to remove limbs and trees to increase visibility.
- Discussed a complaint brought by Jamie Lewis, owner of the Rowdy Rooster, about the increase in sewer rates. The council said the increases are mandated by the USDA, and the council doesn’t have control over it.
- Approved the Blackwater business license. Blackwater is an equipment brokerage and will have an office located at 206 W. Main St.