City amends HPC ordinance

ALBANY, Ga. — A thorn in the side of businesses in the historic district was plucked last week by the city commission after the board voted to change a provision in its ordinance dealing with historic preservation to speed up the process to get signage approved.

The measure was offered by Ward III Commissioner Christopher Pike at a meeting earlier this month.

Essentially, the city is amending its policies so that when a business in the historic district decides to install or replace signage, it needs only the approval of the historic preservation commission and not the full approval of the city commission.

In discussion of the change during the commission’s pre-briefing Tuesday, City Manager James Taylor said that the change could significantly speed up the time businesses can get signs approved and be ready to open.

“It’s a significant hassle as it stands, for businesses to have to have to wait weeks to get approval from the commission,” Taylor said.

“This should streamline the process and help get them open faster.”

Because many businesses in the historic district are deemed to have some degree of historical significance, the city and county work through the historic preservation commission to preserve the historical integrity and feel of the district.

But that degree of regulation often forces business owners to jump through cumbersome beaurocratic hoops just to open their businesses.