The installation of a piece of New Orleans’ French Quarter aesthetic will continue to be debated at City Hall.

City Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously decided to delay voting on a request for a wrought-iron archway in front of Jazz, a Louisiana-inspired Cajun and creole restaurant that opened in October at 1012 Massachusetts St.

City planners and the city’s Historic Resources Commission previously denied the request. Planners said the arch — used as the entrance to the restaurant’s sidewalk dining area — did not meet the city’s Downtown Design Guidelines, which call for railings and barriers to “reflect the character of the area.”

“When individuals look down Massachusetts Street, they don’t want to think about going to the French Quarter, they want them to think about going to downtown Lawrence and our unique downtown area,” said Lynne Braddock Zollner, the city’s historic resources administrator.

The arch also did not meet a stipulation that the height of railings and barriers be 36 to 42 inches tall.

@LJWorld The Archway would simply connect to each side of the wrought iron fence creating a decorative entrance. pic.twitter.com/L4bnK2itEA

— Jazz Kitchen on Mass (@jazzinlawrence) December 1, 2015

In an appeal, Vic Allred, president of the incorporation that owns Jazz, argued the arch was a “piece of art,” part of the restaurant’s concept and would provide an appropriate gateway.

He also said because it’s an arch that is in question, the city’s rules for barriers and railings should not apply.

Allred had iron workers temporarily install the archway earlier this fall. He took a photo of it to show the City Commission, which is tasked with making a final decision.

Commissioners Matthew Herbert and Lisa Larsen said they would vote to allow the archway. Commissioner Stuart Boley said he would go along with the Historic Resources Commission’s decision to deny the arch, and Vice Mayor Leslie Soden said she would vote against it because it could “create a precedent” that other downtown businesses would follow.

Scott McCullough, the city’s planning director, said that an approval of the arch would guide city staff to interpret the Downtown Design Guidelines differently than it has in the past. With future requests, staff would be directed to view entryways as separate from railings and barriers, he said.

“I think this tells staff, ‘Let’s start approving those permit requests,'” McCullough said. “We have real concern you will start seeing a different character downtown than what we have consistently practiced.”

Mayor Mike Amyx asked to defer the vote until the Dec. 8 City Commission meeting so he could further study the issue.

“I have to think about this,” Amyx said. “I don’t want to create a monster for our staff, but this gentleman should be able to have some form of an artsy arch. I believe that.”