West Newsmagazine 11-1-23

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Chesterfield looks to cut ties with
Landmark Preservation Committee
November 1, 2023
WEST NEWSMAGAZINE
I NEWS I 15
By CATHY LENNY
City staff in Chesterfield are looking to
disband the Chesterfield Historic and Landmark
Preservation Committee (CHLCP).
In lieu of its current form, CHLPC would
be disbanded, and its regulatory activities
would be assumed by the Architectural
Review Board (ARB) and Planning Commission.
Other activities such as education
and promotion would be taken over by the
Chesterfield Heritage Foundation.
This issue was discussed at the Finance
and Administration F&A Committee meeting
on Oct. 9.
City Administrator Mike Geisel said the
idea was brought up in 2018 but the ultimate
disposition at that time was for the
group to form a 501(c)(3) organization to
allow for more flexibility.
new preservation ordinance to the ARB and
planning commission.
“ARB could assume responsibility for
reviewing the certificate of appropriateness
applications and advise applicants
on appropriate treatment of their historic
structures,” Wyse said.
City Council member Barb McGuinness
(Ward 1) said she was disappointed that the
council did not have the power of review
on CHLPC projects, in particular for the
Queathem (Old House) in Hog Hollow.
In the past year, the CHLPC approved
features of the Old House such as a mural
that was painted on the home and a patio
added that were completed prior to receiving
a certificate of appropriateness.
“We’re the ones accountable and we
don’t even have the power of review,”
McGuinness said.
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Chesterfield History Museum staff and guests at the Flood of ‘93 event on Saturday, Oct.
21, 2023. (Elaine Collins photo)
So, the Chesterfield Heritage Foundation
was established and a 501(c)(3) was created
to take on traditional historical society
tasks, including the creation of a museum,
conducting educational and promotional
activities, putting on events and lectures,
and creating honorary services celebrating
Chesterfield history.
The CHLPC remained and continued as
the city’s regulatory body over designated
historic resources whether structures, districts,
or archeological sites.
Justin Wyse, director of planning, said
the primary purpose of the CHLPC was
to identify, nominate and place historic
resources on the local register, and then regulate
those designated resources through a
certificate of appropriateness process when
construction, alteration, removal, demolition
and excavation is expected that would
affect a historic resource. He said there
are only four Chesterfield properties with
the “Historic” designation and 10 Landmark
Preservation Areas within the city, a
relatively small number. At the meeting, he
was seeking direction from F&A as to what
role CHLPC should have moving forward.
He recommended disbanding CHLPC and
transferring regulatory tasks outlined in a
She made a motion to dissolve the committee;
council member Michael Moore
(Ward 3) seconded the motion.
Jane Durrell, a member of CHLCP, said
she has been preserving history for 33 years
and loves the organization.
“All of us enjoy doing what we do. We do
not want to disband but continue doing our
projects, the preservation of structures and
small things – tours, the (city’s historic) calendar
... It has brought to the city a positive
light and so much feedback. It’s an asset to
the city. I think we’ve done an extraordinary
job, raising awareness, the projects we have
worked on, (all) with our own money,” Durrell
said. “This came on us very quickly.”
She suggested a round table discussion
be held, with six to eight CHLPC members,
council members and staff, to hammer out
a workable situation.
“We’re as qualified as, or more so, than
anyone in the city,” Durrell said. “We will
continue to work with you if you let us exist.”
Geisel said the group has done invaluable
things and that this action was not
intended to dissolve the group, but to have
it move forward as a 501(c)(3) entity.
See COMMITTEE, page 18
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