Mayor Schember and Erie City Council jointly created the City of Erie Historic Preservation Task Force in March 2019 by Resolution Number 132-301-C. Through this resolution, the Task Force given a 24-month time frame to study, analyze, and develop a historic preservation strategy for the City of Erie that will identify community supported goals for preservation, policy recommendations, and funding opportunities.
Task Force members, who were appointed by the Mayor and Erie City Council, included David Brennan (Chair), Emily Aloiz (Secretary), Melissa Hake, Elizabeth Kelly, Melinda Meyer (Vice Chair), Chuck Scalise, and Mark Steg.
The Historic Preservation Task Force produced a report recommending the City pursue Certified Local Government designation, which involved amending Article 7 of the existing zoning code, creating a Historic Review Commission, and designating the city’s first historic overlay district, and immediately implementing the following three key projects: development of a three-year plan or strategy for the City’s newly formed historic preservation program, creation of a neighborhood preservation toolkit, and development of a citywide GIS-based historic resource survey plan methodology. To improve the capacity of the City to successfully complete these tasks, the Task Force also recommended the creation of a Preservation Planner position to be housed within the City’s Planning and Neighborhood Resources Department.
The inaugural Historic Review Commission includes voting members Melinda Meyer (chair), David Brennan, Craige Pepper, Mark Tannenbaum, and Jeff Zielonis, and two ex officio members Chris Kinder (Historic Preservation Planner) and Jason Wieczorek (Planning Commission).
Article 7 Amended as Ordinance “12-2021” (March 3, 2021)
Certified Local Government Designation Approved (May 2021)
Historic Review Commission First Meeting (July 2021)
First Historic Preservation Planner Hired (October 2021)