By Linda Byrne
Hill Country View Editor

The Historic Landmark Commission voted unanimously Aug. 5 to recommend to Boerne City Council a 90-day moratorium for issuing demolition and moving permits in an older part of the city that may contain historic structures.

Boerne City Council was to have considered the recommendation on Aug. 12, after View press time.

The moratorium would apply to “the east boundary of the Historic District to Turner Street, from River Road to East San Antonio Street, to include 303 East James St., 512 East Blanco St.; 114 Oak Park, 122 Oak Park and 134 Oak Park.”

Commissioners felt the moratorium is needed to prevent property owners in the study area “to move or demolish structures … prior to possible expansion of the (historic) district, to circumvent the city review process.”

UTSA students are conducting a historic structure inventory east of the current district that City Council authorized in June.

Ideally, some commission members would have liked a change in the Boerne city ordinance that would give the Historic Landmark Commission review authority over structures facing demolition. That’s a provision in a San Antonio ordinance some would like to see in Boerne.

However, City Planning Director Chris Turk said city attorneys were “not comfortable that the Landmark Commission could do so without consulting the property owner.”

Turk said San Antonio’s review process of potential demolitions comes to the attention of a historic preservation officer, who can forward the request to the appropriate body that designates the structure as a landmark.

According to Turk, Boerne residents currently seeking demolitions are required only to obtain a permit from code enforcement to make sure utilities are disconnected and the property is safe for demolition.

Public hearings must be held before the moratorium goes into effect. The suggested hearing schedule proposed by the city, in keeping with state law, is: Planning and Zoning hearing on Aug. 19; Boerne City Council public hearing on Aug. 21, and second reading of the moratorium ordinance at the Aug. 26 City Council meeting.

Landmark commission members are especially concerned that the Boerne Turn Verein be included in the historic district. They also were concerned about a demolition on Oak Park Street behind Subway, which some commissioners believe may have had historic significance.

The demolition was done legally, Turk said, adding the structure was in poor condition.

“It may not have passed a structural review,” he said.