Historic Landmarks Commission Meeting (5-11-23)

The City of Suffolk, Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission held a meeting on May 11, 2023, primarily discussing a request for a certificate of appropriateness to paint a non-contributing historic brick building at 130 Commerce Street. The commission debated the compatibility of painting the brick facade, considering the absence of an official color palette and the building's potential future contributing status to the historic district. The commission voted unanimously to continue the public hearing to the next meeting on June 8, 2023, to allow staff to work with the applicant on acceptable color options. Additionally, the commission reviewed and approved historic district guidelines with corrections to spelling and formatting errors, moving the document forward for further consideration by the Planning Commission and City Council. Updates on property maintenance violations and zoning enforcement were also provided, including potential funding for repairs and court actions for violations. The meeting included information on the city’s building rehabilitation tax credit program for qualifying properties, which incentivizes renovations by offering tax credits based on increased property value after improvements.