A public hearing will be presented in March by the Marietta City Council to determine whether there will be a Church-Cherokee Historic District, encompassing 124 properties and even including one property over the owner’s objection.
That property is Ivy Grove at 473 Cherokee St., built in 1845, and owned since last month by Marietta Councilman Philip Goldstein. During Wednesday’s meeting when the City Council voted to proceed with this process, Goldstein said he does not want the four parcels of Ivy Grove, totaling nearly five acres, in the district since he does not want to be told what to do with its appearance by the city. Goldstein said the precedent was set when various property owners were permitted to opt out of being included in the Kennesaw Avenue Historic District - two of those being historic houses built in 1838 and 1849.
The next step is for the Marietta Historic Preservation Commission to hold a public hearing at 5:45 p.m. Feb. 29 at City Hall, Fourth Floor Conference Room, 205 Lawrence St. on the design guidelines. Once the guidelines are adopted, then the city staff will send ballots to the 124 property owners to return within 60 days.
If there is 60 percent approval, another public hearing will be held by the commission before the final decision. The commission will draw the draft of the map and the City Council can change the draft guidelines.
Information: www.mariettaga.gov, search Historic Preservation Commission.
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