Laserfiche WebLink
Charles Wilson, 1057 6th Avenue, Coordinator of some of the property owners' <br />presentations, in defense of their property rights, said he hoped to prove that this was an error. <br />He suggested that the Board not adopt staff's recommendation, but to approve Option 1, denying <br />the Petition. He also hoped to prove that this road does not meet the criteria, it is not in the best <br />interest of the County, and it would create an incredibly difficult precedent for our future. <br />Mr. Wilson said the question to ask ourselves is, why we are doing this, because <br />no one has asked for it, and no property owner in the affected area has requested that it becomes <br />historic. He argued that the original petitioner has withdrawn the Petition and what this has <br />amounted to is a governmental Petition with the government attempting to take private property <br />rights away, which is no different than eminent domain. <br />Mr. Wilson expressed that there was no other reason to have the road designated <br />historic except for the issue of alignment. He said the reason the alignment is important is <br />because there is a single very small attachment that the proponents of this proposal are using to <br />meet even the most minimum of requirements, to meet historical requirements. <br />Mr. Wilson reviewed the criteria, in particular criterion A, presented by staff and <br />provided his own analysis and conclusion. He asked staff "what is the significant character of <br />this road," and Director DeBlois said character interests that are valued as part of the historic <br />heritage, means that it has been researched to be an original alignment of Old Dixie Highway, <br />which was one of the first highways in the County and in the United States. <br />Mr. Wilson pointed out that it does not meet any aspects of the criteria presented <br />nor does it meet the national or local requirements, and it violates the open -for -business policy <br />that the County presumably should have. <br />Commissioner Wheeler inquired of staff whether the adjoining properties and the <br />designs for that road would be affected if the historic designation was granted. <br />12 <br />July 8, 2008 <br />