Letter to City Planning
The War Streets Preservation Committee and neighborhood residents met with City of Pittsburgh on Oct. 30 to discuss revisions to the historic guidelines.
Committee Chair Gary Lilly sent the following letter to City Planning, contesting the City’s assertion that there are two separate historic districts in the War Streets.
Subject: Opposition to Separate Guidelines
From: Gary D. Lilly, Chair, Local Review Committee, Mexican War Streets Society
To: Kevin Kunak, City Planning Commission
CC: Nazia Tarannum, Julianne Hluska, Jordyn Gilliard, Sarah Quinn, Sharon Spooner, Jessica Stuck, Bobby Wilson, Lindsey Aquino-Robles
On behalf of the Mexican War Streets Society, I am writing to inform you that we do not support the creation of separate guidelines for the for the area currently labeled the Mexican War Streets Historic District Expansion for the following reasons:
• New guidelines that are specific to the MWS Expansion is unnecessary – the Extension was never approved by Pittsburgh City Council. Nor was a separate district contemplated or referred to by the applicants or the courts when they overturned Council’s vote denying expansion.
• The MWS Expansion is no more or less “Bohemian” (eclectic, economically diverse?) than the MWS District.
• The question of displacement of economically disadvantaged individuals can be dealt with through existing and future programs such as grandfathering, façade renovation grants and zoning exclusions.
• The promulgation of two sets of guidelines may generate legal issues. When more lenient guidelines are applied to the Expansion, the MWS owners could reasonably demand the same.
• Marketing and branding issues may arise when homeowners sell their property.
• The Mexican War Streets Society will have to revise their by-laws in that it is a requirement that all officers and board members reside in the Mexican War Streets District. Several Board members reside in the Expansion.
Our position is twofold. First, that the City Planning Commission should abide by the Commonwealth Court’s decision that the MWS Expansion be treated as part of the Mexican War Streets Historic district. Secondly, that the City Planning Commission direct the Consultants to revise and update the guidelines with input from all the District’s residents.
We realize that time is of the essence in that the consultants are actively working so we expect a prompt response to our memorandum. We look forward to working with the City Planning Commission and the Consultants to create a single set of districtwide guidelines that meet the needs of all the residents in the District while at the same time preserving the historic character of the District.