(Estherville)– The Estherville City Council Monday evening approved the first reading for some proposed changes to standards for commercial buildings. City Administrator Penny Clayton says the revisions are intended to make the ordinance easier to understand…
“So we took out all of the requirements for this kind of material or that kind of material, all of those are gone in the commercial section, and then just submit a plan. The council gets to review that plan and provide comment and either approve or deny the plan as presented, or talk to the owner when they’re here about changing a piece of it.”
Clayton says it also contains a provision that maintains original architectural features on the sides of buildings that face a street…
“So for existing buildings in the general business district they would for exterior walls facing a public street, they shall be brick or the original construction material if it happens to be other than brick. And then doors and windows shall fill the original opening and shall not be constructed of wood and not boarded up. So the wood component is just because they’re high maintenance that way and so we’re trying to minimize the effects of time on these buildings. It doesn’t do anything for the sides and the rear unless the side happens to face a street.”
Clayton says accessory use buildings and interior remodeling of commercial buildings would be exempt from construction plan review, but would still be subject to requirements spelled out in the building permit.
The matter will come back to the council for further consideration at its next meeting.
