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City Council Meeting <br />June 17, 2002 <br />Page 3 <br />Commission at this meeting, which will come back to the Council at a future date <br />with a recommendation for a historical district to cover a certain number of <br />blocks or area, which will be incorporated as part of the Zoning Code. He said <br />at that time, they will recommend guidelines for that district. <br />On a question by Councilman Plata regarding grants, Mr. Emrich advised there <br />were no grants available for homeowners at this time. He did say that for <br />commercial property owners in historic districts there are federal tax benefits. <br />Mr. Emrich advised that many cities across the state have created a local property <br />tax incentive to homeowners in these historic districts that give a temporary <br />property tax abatement for rehabilitation to the houses. <br />Councilwoman Neeley asked City Attorney Schenk about the relief on the basis <br />of hardship and wanted to know what that means. City Attorney Schenk advised <br />that this is an opportunity for hardship for variance from being required to <br />comply fully to the requirements. <br />Suzy Harper came forward pointing out that on page 12 of the proposed <br />ordinance that demolition permits issued pursuant to orders of the Building and <br />Standards Commission are exempted. She advised that this removes the Historic <br />Preservation Commission from any role in reviewing, commenting on or <br />delaying these demolitions and she felt that the language needs to be clarified. <br />City Attorney Schenk said that it does not do that at all. He advised that when <br />the previous ordinance was adopted creating the Building and Standards <br />Commission, there is a section in that ordinance (Section 7-50) that obligates <br />every case that the Code Inspectors bring forward to go through a preliminary <br />review process by this new commission before it can go back to the Building and <br />Standards Commission. City Attorney Schenk explained the total process <br />concerning demolition permits. <br />John Kelly, President of the Board of the Agape House Worldwide Ministries <br />which is renovating the Old Lamar County Medical Center on West Washington <br />Street, came forward. Mr. Kelley wanted to get clarification from the city of the <br />