Preservation ordinance delayed a month Preservation ordinance delayed a month (September 03, 2004)

A last-minute letter submitted by a lawyer for the Mountain View Preservation Alliance helped delay the final passage of the city's controversial historic preservation ordinance. The council was scheduled to vote Tuesday night on the final wording of the ordinance after almost two-and-a-half years of discussion.

Susan Brandt-Hawley, a lawyer with a practice focusing on preservation issues, warned the council that its voluntary ordinance was "vague and unintelligible" and could be in violation of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

City Attorney Michael Martello said the public needs more time to review new changes to the ordinance, the text of which was first available last Friday. The issue was rescheduled for the Sept. 28 council agenda.

The original ordinance was approved in concept on Aug. 16, with Rosemary Stasek and Mary Lou Zoglin in opposition. The council also voted to require a pre-demolition discussion with owners who pull their buildings off the historic register.

-- Jon Wiener

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