photo by: Jackson Barton

The Douglas County Courthouse and downtown Lawrence are pictured in an aerial photo Saturday, July 13, 2019.

The rules governing historic preservation in Lawrence are set for some significant changes, and the City of Lawrence wants to know what Lawrence residents think of what’s proposed.

The city is in the process of revising Chapter 22 of the city code, which lays out rules related to the conservation of historic properties. The proposed changes loosen some requirements for the area around historic properties, known as the “environs,” and make various other changes regarding how development is allowed to occur on or near historic properties. The city will host three meetings on Wednesday to discuss the proposed changes.

Chapter 22 created the Lawrence Register of Historic Places, the city’s official list of historically significant properties, and sets design standards and criteria for the review of building and demolition permits on those properties or properties within 250 feet of registered properties, or the environs, according to a city news release. The chapter also creates the Historic Resources Commission, or the city’s historic preservation board, which reviews project plans to ensure they align with the code.

The code has been a key aspect of historic preservation in Lawrence, but has also been criticized by some developers in the past as lacking clarity in some areas. For instance, adherence to Chapter 22, as well as to the downtown design guidelines, was a factor in the City Commission’s 2019 rejection of a controversial project proposed for 11th and Massachusetts streets called the Hub on Campus.

Lynne Braddock Zollner, the city’s historic resources administrator, provided the Journal-World with an explanation of a few of the most significant changes to the code, and a full list of changes is available on the city’s website. Chapter 22 was originally adopted in 1988, and Braddock Zollner said the overarching goal of the proposed changes was to reflect the current conditions and development of historic properties in the city.

•Removing the environs component of the existing chapter: The environs component was historically aligned with a state law that provided for the review of projects within 500 feet of properties listed on the historic register. The state law no longer exists. The city’s local environs review was 250 feet as opposed to the state law of 500 feet.

•Adding a context area review: The context review has been added to replace the environs review. The context review is less stringent than the environs review and only reviews projects that are within 250 feet of the listed property and visible from the public right of way. To prevent delays for projects, the context review will be done at an administrative level (currently the review goes through the HRC).

•Adding new standards and guidelines for review of projects: Previously the standards for review were the same for both listed properties and properties in the environs, but there will now be separate sets of rules for each situation. The standards for review for projects on listed properties will now follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, which better aligns with the State Historic Preservation Law. The standards and design criteria for the context area have been defined and are separate from the standards for listed properties. In the context area, contemporary design for new construction and additions is not discouraged, and demolition of structures may be approved if the structures do not contribute to the context area and a replacement structure is proposed.

•New article for emergency procedures: The section outlines the process that can be used when a structure is unsafe or dangerous and the proposed demolition cannot wait until the next Historic Resources Commission meeting.

Residents may attend any of the three meetings on Wednesday, which will take place at 7:30 a.m., noon and 6 p.m. in the City Commission room at City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St. Residents may also attend virtually via Zoom. More information on the proposed changes and a link to register for the Zoom meeting is available on the city’s website, lawrenceks.org/pds/historic_resources.