SHELBY — Clark Avenue is the only brick-laid street remaining in Shelby.
But city lawmakers unanimously declined Monday to approve a motion to designate Clark Avenue’s brick street, along with its stone curbs, as a local landmark.
The Shelby Historic Preservation Commission brought the proposal to council.
Mary Durkin, a member of the commission, said the Clark Avenue brick was laid in 1914.
“The bricks and the curbs are a reminder of Shelby’s architectural past and its history,” she said. “With minimum maintenance, it has lasted already more than 100 years.”
Durkin asked council to accept the nomination to designate the brick street and stone curbs as a local landmark.
At-large Councilman Steve McLaughlin was absent from Monday’s meeting.
Councilman Charlie Roub was the first to explain why he could not support the motion.
Roub asked Durkin if anything pertaining to the motion had been discussed with residents living along Clark Avenue.
Durkin responded that the commission had organized public hearings on the issue, none of which any residents attended, she said. She also said she had not personally approached any Clark Avenue residents personally to discuss the proposed designation.
“So we don’t know how they (Clark Avenue residents) feel about the street and the condition it’s in?” Roub said.
The councilman said his biggest concern is the continuation of the maintenance of Clark Avenue and the process the city would need to undertake for any repairs if the brick street was designated as a local landmark.
The commission requires a Certificate of Appropriateness to be submitted for review prior to any changes to designated historic landmarks.
Durkin said working with the commission on COAs when it comes to repairs would not be an issue — for anything short of tearing all the brick up.
“We just want it preserved. We want it to be there,” she said.
Council thinking to the future
Councilman Nathan Martin said he did not object to the idea of doing repairs to the historic brick street.
But he questioned the necessity to declare the portion of Clark Avenue as a local landmark in order to continue maintaining the street as they city has done.
“I am very sympathetic to Mr. Roub’s reasoning,” Martin said. “I hate doing things as a council that are going to lock in future generations to something that is convenient for us to do now, because we don’t know what the future holds there.”
The councilman mentioned the city is currently planning a $16,000 repair project to the brick portion of Clark Avenue.
“I think we should go forward with the repairs as priced out,” he said. “I just don’t want to hamstring future generations to something, at the end of the day, is merely a feel-good measure.”
Councilmen Eric Cutlip and Derrin Roberts echoed similar feelings.
Cutlip said if future generations don’t view the brick street as viable and want to rip it up, it should be their decision.
Roberts asked if there are any existing utilities located below the bricks. John Ensman, the city’s director of utilities, said there are none, but there are four water service lines which run under the road.
Martin reassured Durkin that council is not seeking to “rip up the bricks and put in asphalt.”
“The question is, is it deserving of a landmark status? That we just can’t predict the future of,” he said.
In other action Monday, City Council:
— adjusted the reconnection charge and application fee for electricity customers.
— amended sewer charges to recover the cost for propane used in the manufacturing process at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
— approved the transfer of $100,000 in appropriations from the Shelby Police Department’s wage line item to the city’s fire department ($85,000 to wages) ($15,000 to hospitalization) in order to cover the department’s wages through the end of the year. Finance Director Brian Crum said the $100,000 in appropriations is excess and won’t effect the police department.
— approved a contract change order with Simonson Construction Services for an additional $12,062.05 as part of the Curtis Drive sanitary sewer project.
— entered into an agreement with Midwest Consulting & Management, LLC, for the remodel of an existing building. Click here to learn more.
— declared the intent of council to vacate a portion of an alley running parallel between West Tucker Avenue and Earl Avenue.
— authorized and directed the mayor to execute the Richland County Joint Comprehensive Land Use Plan Agreement and to provide all information and documentation required.
— approved an application for financial assistance for MARCS Radio Equipment fees.