Because of the lack of clarity of the meaning of a "re-vote," after the voting at tonight's meeting I asked Michael Shaeffer of the Planning Department what, exactly, it will mean. He confirmed that it will not eliminate the designation of a historic district, but will in all likelihood result in new boundaries for the district. He also confirmed that the City will not allow a doughnut district, i.e., a carve out in the middle of the district, or even within a few blocks, for those opposed. So I think SCDesign is correct -- we will need to stay on top of this issue to see what, exactly, the re-vote will mean. As for the South District, Shaeffer confirmed that for now the properties are subject to the restrictions. When I asked what would happen if those voting for the re-vote tonight [a clear majority] appeared at City Council to oppose the designation, he agreed that it would probably not be approved. That's no guarantee, but if those in the proposed Heights South District really don't want the district designation, they should appear en masse before City Council. Otherwise, once designated a district it will be subject to the same re-vote, and the vagaries associated with it, as the rest of us in designated districts.
