Hearing officer denies variance to bypass historic-preservation waiting period

Staff updated the Planning Commission on a recent hearing officer decision denying a variance application that had sought to bypass the conditional-use permit and the associated 12-month public-notice waiting period for modifying a locally designated historic structure.

The variance application would have permitted the applicant to proceed directly to a demolition permit for a structure located in one of the city’s two historic preservation zones. Staff said the hearing officer took the case under advisement after a November hearing and issued a written decision before Thanksgiving denying the variance. The applicant must now follow the conditional-use process, which includes the one-year period intended to allow public input on modifications to historic properties.

Staff said they had received no additional filings on the matter since the hearing officer’s decision.

No formal action by the Planning Commission was required at the meeting; the update was informational.