GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) - The Greenville Historic Preservation Commission wants to get back in the good graces of organizations that provide grant money for historic preservation and restoration.
The commission is asking the city council to repeal changes it made in 2012 to a historic preservation ordinance. The council established geographic boundaries for a downtown historic district but included an opt-out clause to give property owners within the district freedom to make renovations outside preservation guidelines.
Historic Preservation Commissioner Walley Morse told the Delta Democrat-Times (https://bit.ly/1hyLplHC) the action stripped the commission of its Certified Local Government status. Morse said going back to the old ordinance will make it eligible again to earn grants for saving its historic places.
“We try to preserve everything that has value to it,” said Morse. “People associate us with buildings, but its culture, its music, its preserving anything that’s a part of our heritage and history.”
The commission is looking to form a joint commission with the county. The state Department of Archives and History allows for joint county/city commissions, but each entity has to be certified separately.
“Greenville has so much going for it,” said Certified Local Government Coordinator Michelle Jones. “But there are so many gaps, too, and once a structure is gone, it’s gone. That story is over.”
Greenville has several landmarks listed on the National Historic Register, including Doe’s Eat Place, the Armitage Herschell Carousel and 121 properties in downtown.
The Washington County Historic Preservation Commission is working on getting the Washington County Courthouse registered.
“Being on the National Registry means something has national significance, not just local,” Morse said. “This is a very involved process and something we take very seriously.”
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Information from: Delta Democrat-Times, https://www.ddtonline.com
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