Commission grants Moss Landing design requests

Published 7:17 pm Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Washington’s Historic Preservation Commission, during its meeting Tuesday, gave blanket approval for nine building plans for residences at Moss Landing Harbor Homes.

The commission voted 6-1 for the approval. Commission members Ed Hodges, Cheri Vaughan, Geraldine B. McKinley, Judith Hickson, Mark Everett and William Keener voted for blanket approval, with Mary Pat Musselman voting against it.

The developers of Moss Landing Harbor Homes— Beacon Street Development Co. — and the city sought the approval, asking that the plans be considered minor works for future construction. City staff may approve minor works (projects deemed to have little or no significant impact to the historic district) without first consulting with the commission. Projects deemed as major works are brought to the commission for consideration for approval.

During its July meeting, the commission delayed action on the request, saying it wanted to investigate issues raised at that meeting. Several people, including Don Stroud and Dee Congleton, former commission members, opposed the request. Stroud questioned whether state law would allow the commission could delegate its authority to city staff members who work with the commission. Congleton, echoing Stroud’s remarks, said approving the request could set a precedent that might not be in the best interest of the city. She also questioned if other developers or people building several houses would be given blanket approval for their projects.

At that July meeting, Jerry Creech opposed the request, questioning the city’s involvement in the request. Giving blanket approval to the plans is wrong, he said.

At this month’s meeting, Congleton and Creech renewed their objections. Steve Rader also voiced concerns the commission would set a bad precedent if it agreed to the blanket approval. Those objecting to blanket approval said they like how Beacon Street is developing Moss Landing Harbor Homes.

Carol Nash, spokeswoman for Beacon Street, said the developer is not trying to circumvent the commission’s oversight duties in the historic district. City planning officials have said that blanket approval would make authorization of future construction at Moss Landing Harbor Homes “more efficient.”

Doug Mercer, a member of the City Council, told the commission he believed state law allows the commission to delegate approval of major works to city staff members, if it desires to do so. He cited a section of state law that indicates that delegation of authority is allowed.

 

About Mike Voss

Mike Voss is the contributing editor at the Washington Daily News. He has a daughter and four grandchildren. Except for nearly six years he worked at the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg, Va., in the early to mid-1990s, he has been at the Daily News since April 1986.
Journalism awards:
• Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service, 1990.
• Society of Professional Journalists: Sigma Delta Chi Award, Bronze Medallion.
• Associated Press Managing Editors’ Public Service Award.
• Investigative Reporters & Editors’ Award.
• North Carolina Press Association, First Place, Public Service Award, 1989.
• North Carolina Press Association, Second Place, Investigative Reporting, 1990.
All those were for the articles he and Betty Gray wrote about the city’s contaminated water system in 1989-1990.
• North Carolina Press Association, First Place, Investigative Reporting, 1991.
• North Carolina Press Association, Third Place, General News Reporting, 2005.
• North Carolina Press Association, Second Place, Lighter Columns, 2006.
Recently learned he will receive another award.
• North Carolina Press Association, First Place, Lighter Columns, 2010.
4. Lectured at or served on seminar panels at journalism schools at UNC-Chapel Hill, University of Maryland, Columbia University, Mary Washington University and Francis Marion University.

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