Property and homeowners are scheduled to come together to discuss plans for the Washington Historic District. Property owners and city officials will meet May 29 inside the Washington Senior Center at 7 p.m. to discuss ideas.

According to a newsletter from the Washington Historic District, the meeting is going to lay the ground-work for goals and priorities in the district.

“It’s basically an open format, but the goal is to talk to stakeholders in the historic district, which includes property owners, business owners and other community groups,” said Jennifer Brennan, community development planner for Washington. “We want them to discuss what they would like to see happen in the historic district.”

Brennan wants people to know that the city is open to ideas about working together with property owners.

“Other communities do things like revolving funds to purchase houses and fix them up,” said Brennan. “Our city can’t do that by our guidelines or bylaws, we’re not allowed to do that. That might be one of the other options that might be available. Really just talking and seeing what the community would like.”

This is a time for the people in the historic district to tell the city what they would like to see, Brennan said.

In the past, the city has given façade grants to commercial buildings, while homeowners could receive a tax credit through the state historic preservation office. Information about the tax credit can be found at www.hpo.ncdcr.gov.

“The façade grants have definitely helped,” said Brennan. “There have a number of buildings in town that have taken advantage of the façade grants. The Turnage, off the top of my head, have taken advantage of tax credits through the state.”

Brennan would like to remind owners that have exterior renovations on historic property may have to be reviewed by the historic preservation commission. Contact Brennan with questions at 252-946-0897.