Blessed Sacrament Church (1910-2004), 4015 Sherman, Birdsall P. Briscoe, architect [Photo by David Bush]
Blessed Sacrament? A Response to the New Preservation Ordinance
The Houston city council recently passed changes to the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The original ordinance, passed in 1995, provides far fewer protections and mechanisms than the law in other cities. David Bush, Director of Programs and Information for the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance (GHPA), responds to the changes below.
Most of the amendments to the preservation ordinance are procedural changes for the Houston Archeological and Historical Commission (HAHC) or clarifications of existing language. The fact that it took six months of intense negotiations to come to an agreement on minor changes illustrates the entrenched opposition to even perceived attempts to strengthen the historic preservation ordinance, which applies only to designated historic districts (less than 1% of the city’s 600-sq. mile land area) and fewer than 300 individually designated historic buildings.
The most significant clarification states that the application for demolition of a designated historic building cannot be filed at the same time as the application for new construction on the demolition site. If HAHC denies an application for demolition (ironically called a Certificate of Appropriateness), the preservation ordinance calls for a 90-day waiting period, after which the building can be demolished. The 90-day waiting period was meant to give City preservation staff time to find alternatives to demolition. Seeking approval of the applications for demolition and new construction at the same time makes demolition a foregone conclusion.
Most of the questions GHPA received were about the new requirement that one member of the HAHC be a registered remodeler or builder. This change could be good or bad depending on which remodeler/builder the mayor or City Council appoint to the position.
The same is true of the new requirement that at least four members of the HAHC own or reside in designated landmarks or contributing buildings in designated historic districts. Not all of the owners of significant buildings are sympathetic to preservation as proven by the ongoing demolitions in Houston’s historic districts. Whether this is a good or bad change will depend on who is appointed to fill the positions.
For the past six years, we have been fortunate to have a mayor who recognizes the value of historic preservation. The real impact of these changes won’t be felt until after the November election, when a new mayor and City Council begin appointing new members to the HAHC.
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