READING, Pa. – Reading City Council voted Monday night to authorize delaying appointments to the Historical Architectural Review Board to reevaluate and consider the resources, capacity and management of historic preservation.
The resolution also authorized the historical preservation officer or the zoning administrator, in the absence of the historic preservation officer, to issue certificates of appropriateness for an unlimited range of construction, demolition or alteration projects.
The action is a result of a vacant HARB following the resignations of all members of the board earlier this year.
The board is an advisory citizens group composed of volunteer professionals and residents who are appointed by council.
The city has five historical districts: Centre Park, Callowhill, Prince, Penn’s Common and College Heights.
Whenever property owners in those districts wish to make any alterations to the exteriors of their buildings, they must apply to the HARB, and if any alterations are outside HARB guidelines, they must appear before the HARB during a public hearing.
During the Committee of the Whole meeting earlier in the evening, Community Development Director David Barr explained the reasoning of the resolution.
Former planner Fritz Rothermel recommended making numerous changes to Reading’s historic districts, including possibly decertifying one of them.
“The HARB resignations recently have caused us to reflect on how we’re conducting the business of historic preservation here in the city,” Barr said. “We’ve been speaking to a lot of different parties and individuals — most importantly, to the [Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission]. They have agreed to come to Reading in June for an evaluation of our program and to make recommendations within 45 days after that.”
Barr said allowing the historical preservation officer to issue the certificates of appropriateness will keep the program running in a temporary capacity.
“Our historic preservation officer has 28 years of experience in this work, and we feel that she should be authorized to conduct business at all levels until we have a new HARB or some other arrangement,” Barr added.
Councilmember Chris Miller said he is glad to hear that the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission is involved.
“I think that’s important,” Miller said. “And this is temporary; this is not permanent.”
Council President Donna Reed questioned why City Council shouldn’t sit in place of the HARB on a temporary basis.
Council solicitor Michael Gombar said that couldn’t happen since council is the body to which residents may appeal HARB decisions.
The vote to delaying appointments to the HARB will be limited to a period of 180 days, with the possibility of one 60-day extension.