A funding mechanism and other major components of a historic preservation ordinance are nearly ready to be reviewed by the Rochester City Council, another step closer to a goal long in the making for the city's preservation advocates.
The city's Historic Preservation Commission met Tuesday to take its first look at draft forms of a funding program, a loan agreement and a façade easement agreement. All three would be arms of a proposed heritage preservation ordinance currently under review.
The Rochester City Council first discussed the proposed preservation ordinance at a November committee of the whole meeting. The council passed the draft to the city attorney's office to refine language and ensure the legality of the content.
The city attorney's office has completed that review, City Clerk Aaron Reeves said in an update to the commission Tuesday. The city's planning department staff is now reviewing the draft, with special consideration given to zoning incentives.
The draft should be ready for the city council to review again in early February, Reeves said.
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Jeff Allman, Heritage Preservation Commission chairman, said the commission would continue to review the funding, loan and façade drafts at the commission's next meeting. Those components would ideally be ready to include with the city council's February review of the ordinance, Reeves said.
