Monday evening, Columbia's City Council asked the Civic Progress Committee to re-examine their proposed new guidelines for the Main Street Facade Program to better incorporate historic preservation.
The program provides matching funds--dollar-for-dollar up to $3,000 as funds are available--to encourage Main Street property owners to enhance their buildings' "curb appeal" with improvements such as painting, awnings, shutters, plaques, window boxes, step/sidewalk work, landscaping, planters and benches. Committee members had recently streamlined the guidelines and application, as well as reflecting recent changes in state regulations that impact such programs, and were offering the updated document for approval.
Aldermen Candace Hejna and Jim Agne asked for more--they requested that the final guidelines also address design standards that will assure historic preservation of buildings along Main Street and bring greater consistency to the built environment. While the facade program has been growing in popularity with Main Street property owners, some community members have questioned whether the point of the grants is just to promote any improvement or, rather, to enhance the consistent character of the historic central district.
Mayor Kevin Hutchinson referred their request on to the Ordinances, Planning & Zoning (OPZ) Committee for review next Monday evening.
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