Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Protecting Community Character and Sense of Place
I went to a workshop this morning at the Seaford City Hall on the Preservation of Historic Community character. First let me say the Seaford City Hall has really nice broad chairs with thick cushion that you can actually sit there for three four hours with out pain, unlike those wooden folding chairs in Delmar Town Hall. Second, there was about 40 people in attendance and naturally to attend something like this they would all be interested in it, so it was like preaching to the choir. As the speakers spoke you see all the heads nodding in agreement with them.
Dan Costello, on the board of trustee for Preservation Delaware, was the moderator and Adrian Fine of the National Trust Historic Preservation; Tom Reed, lawyer; and Robin Krawitz of the Delaware State Historic Preservation office were the speakers. The discussions were about how to maintain the character of a community by maintaining the style of the houses in the neighborhoods and town. The idea being; if the neighborhood is made up of 1,200 square foot, 2 story homes built about 1930 than a 9,000 sq ft three story house would not necessarily fit in. Nor would tearing down a house built in 1800 do much for the character of town unless it was so neglected it needed to be torn down.
One of the important thing discussed was the need for a town to do a survey of the houses in the town, so when there is a request to have a house torn down or greatly modified Planning and Zoning can determine if it would be suitable to tear it down or change it without changing the character of the community.
Dan Costello, on the board of trustee for Preservation Delaware, was the moderator and Adrian Fine of the National Trust Historic Preservation; Tom Reed, lawyer; and Robin Krawitz of the Delaware State Historic Preservation office were the speakers. The discussions were about how to maintain the character of a community by maintaining the style of the houses in the neighborhoods and town. The idea being; if the neighborhood is made up of 1,200 square foot, 2 story homes built about 1930 than a 9,000 sq ft three story house would not necessarily fit in. Nor would tearing down a house built in 1800 do much for the character of town unless it was so neglected it needed to be torn down.
One of the important thing discussed was the need for a town to do a survey of the houses in the town, so when there is a request to have a house torn down or greatly modified Planning and Zoning can determine if it would be suitable to tear it down or change it without changing the character of the community.
# posted by Howard @ 2:13 PM 
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Like the show "Home makeover" where they put a 9000 sq. ft house in a neigborhood of 900 sq ft house.
# posted by 
: 3:04 PM
: 3:04 PM
Good point about the chairs.
If there was a competent purchasing department in Delmar, they could look for better chairs at auctions, business liquidations, estate sales, etc, and economically purchase comfortable and ergonomic chairs.
Howard, I believe that the Delmar governing elite are so ignorant that instead, if pressed on the comfortable chair issue and possessing the funds, they would buy brand new chairs at Staples and think it was a competent purchase.
Folding chairs at the Delmar Town Hall shows how little respect there is for the council as a place of authority determined by the citizens.
If there was a competent purchasing department in Delmar, they could look for better chairs at auctions, business liquidations, estate sales, etc, and economically purchase comfortable and ergonomic chairs.
Howard, I believe that the Delmar governing elite are so ignorant that instead, if pressed on the comfortable chair issue and possessing the funds, they would buy brand new chairs at Staples and think it was a competent purchase.
Folding chairs at the Delmar Town Hall shows how little respect there is for the council as a place of authority determined by the citizens.
Then your town hall can have a drive thru like Seaford has. What the heck is that for?
"Can I have 2 permits and a side of tax breaks please?"
"Can I have 2 permits and a side of tax breaks please?"
i was told those chairs held a historical significance whereas they belonged to the moose lodge that was on the site of town hall eons ago, is there any truth to that?
# posted by : 8:50 PM
: 8:50 PM
I have no idea if the chairs in the Delmar Town hall hold a historical significance whereas they belonged to the moose lodge that was on the site of town hall eons ago. They are certainly old looking.
Yes, there was talk about new chairs for the public to sit in when they decide they might want to attend a meeting. But at the time, it was also stated that we would catch hell for buying chairs, whether they cost 1.00 each or 100.00 each. The council was interested in the public being more comfortable, but of course, that's not what is looked at.
Some are never satisfied no matter what the Town does...must be miserable being so miserable about everything all the time.
Some are never satisfied no matter what the Town does...must be miserable being so miserable about everything all the time.
# posted by : 12:57 PM
: 12:57 PM
"But at the time, it was also stated that we would catch hell for buying chairs, whether they cost 1.00 each or 100.00 each."
Shouldn't there of been quality chairs 50 years ago which would give us now a sense of historicity? If budget was an issue then the purchasing of the chairs could have been done over several years.
What about mixed usage? That means, in this case, that a government public meeting place doubles as a church or a convention hall or movie theater or community center.
Instead, what do we get - a bunch of crappy folding lawn chairs and butt boils.
Shouldn't there of been quality chairs 50 years ago which would give us now a sense of historicity? If budget was an issue then the purchasing of the chairs could have been done over several years.
What about mixed usage? That means, in this case, that a government public meeting place doubles as a church or a convention hall or movie theater or community center.
Instead, what do we get - a bunch of crappy folding lawn chairs and butt boils.
Then Richard, why don't you stop by Town Hall and make a nice donation towards the purchase of chairs?....or...maybe they would let you bring your own chair.
And you miss the point on the budget...this year is a pretty tight year budget wise...it was not the year to be purchasing things like chairs. I think you should give credit to the Town for tightening up it's belt with the economy the way it is...but noooooooo....we can't do that!
And you miss the point on the budget...this year is a pretty tight year budget wise...it was not the year to be purchasing things like chairs. I think you should give credit to the Town for tightening up it's belt with the economy the way it is...but noooooooo....we can't do that!
# posted by : 12:09 PM
: 12:09 PM
I will agree chairs are on the bottom of the budgeting list.
But come to think of it, folks certainly could bring their own chairs. That would be a sight. Folks could bring in their recliners, love seats, couches, what have you.
In addition, if the chair was nearing its donation time or about to be slid down a gully on a Delmar back road, then the chair could simply be left at the Town Hall and imprinted with the citizen's name.
Congrats to Delmar "for tightening up it's belt with the economy the way it is..."
I have often wondered why governments tend to justify spending every single penny of taxpayer money. Should not a town accumulate reserves of cash and investments in case of hard times as every responsible family should?
So that when we are maxed out on credit cards, paying alimony, living in a zero equity house worth 10 times our salary, and the economy collapses we can rely on our local government to provide us tents to live in and to ration from a large horde of potatoes.
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But come to think of it, folks certainly could bring their own chairs. That would be a sight. Folks could bring in their recliners, love seats, couches, what have you.
In addition, if the chair was nearing its donation time or about to be slid down a gully on a Delmar back road, then the chair could simply be left at the Town Hall and imprinted with the citizen's name.
Congrats to Delmar "for tightening up it's belt with the economy the way it is..."
I have often wondered why governments tend to justify spending every single penny of taxpayer money. Should not a town accumulate reserves of cash and investments in case of hard times as every responsible family should?
So that when we are maxed out on credit cards, paying alimony, living in a zero equity house worth 10 times our salary, and the economy collapses we can rely on our local government to provide us tents to live in and to ration from a large horde of potatoes.
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