HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-10-20, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011. PAGE 19. Heritage designations don’thave to be complicated: Hoy
Some people fear the restrictions
that a heritage designated building
can face, but Charlie Hoy, who
recently started the process to have
his home’s exterior designated, feels
they might be misinformed.
“A lot of people feel their hands
are tied by the process,” he said.
“But that isn’t true, the [Huron East
Heritage Committee, that Hoy is
chairman of] is there to help people
maintain their heritage buildings.”
The heritage tag can be applied to
nearly anything; a full building, the
facade of a structure, a tree, a
landmark or even interior aspects,
although the latter is something the
committee is hesitant about it.
“We don’t really focus on interior
heritage designations since they’re
usually in a private space and hard to
monitor,” Hoy said. “But you can
have pretty much anything of
significance designated.”
As to why one would consider the
heritage designation, Hoy said that
the committee, who recommends
either approval or denial of building
permits on heritage designated
buildings, as well as what aspects of
which buildings are deemed
historic, can help people with older
buildings, both with information and
with financial assistance.
“A lot of people don’t realize that,
if they have a heritage designated
building in Huron East, they can be
assisted with renovations and
repairs,” he said.
A tax rebate may be issued for up
to 50 per cent of the cost of the
project, according to Hoy, and
applied against municipal taxes.
Hoy also said that the group has
money they can lend for projects, up
to $10,000 per year, that fit the style
of the artifact being repaired.
These benefits are to help with the
higher-than-average maintenance
cost of owning an older building.
If a repair that doesn’t fit the style
of the designated heritage object
was proposed, it may not be
stopped. Projects like putting newer
windows in a heritage building
wouldn’t be prevented by the
committee, but the financial
assistance of the committee won’t
be available.
“If someone wants to put in new
windows instead of replacing the
style of window that’s there, we
can’t really help them,” he said.
“The committee realizes there has to
be a happy medium.”
And provided that the renovations
wouldn’t, or don’t, destroy the
majority of the designated item, the
change won’t result in the heritage
designation being removed.
Once a home is designated the
only major change, beside having
access to the tax rebates and
potential loans, is one extra step
when getting a building permit.
“The committee recommends
whether a building permit should be
issued or not on heritage homes,”
Hoy said. “That’s really the only
change.”
Huron East’s committee and
system is apparently one that is
enviable, as other municipalities
have adopted systems based on it.
“Our formulas are unique with
regards to the tax rebates,” he said.
“The program is a little more
creative and more appealing.”
The group also offers help to
individuals who haven’t designated
their buildings as heritage, although
they can’t offer financial help to
anyone outside the program.
Hoy said that the group has
connections and can advise people
on how to maintain and repair older
buildings.
“One example of where we helped
was involving an individual who
was going to insulate a stone
foundation basement,” Hoy said.
The committee explained to the
man that in 10 years the insulation
would cause the foundation to erode
and break.
One problem with older buildings,
older brickwork and stone
foundations is that the mortar of the
past was made with lime which was
porous and allowed water to both
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