Different people gauge "progress" differently. There is plenty of development going on around us that I don't think qualifies as "progress"–it may be new but not an improvement. And then there is lil ole B'game that appears to be coming around to the idea that at least some of the town has some historic value if someone (i.e. the current owner) believes so. The Daily Journal piece on the draft ordinance working its way through the system noted
Now, the city has drafted a historic resource preservation ordinance. The main incentive of the program is that, under the Mills Act Historical Property Contract Program, homeowners get a substantial discount on property tax if they put together a plan for maintaining and restoring their historical property. A Mills contract is executed between the city and the property owner for a revolving 10-year term.
The timing looks like this
The proposed ordinance should be going to the City Council for vote in the next 60 days, around May or June. It will only affect downtown from Peninsula Avenue to Oak Grove Avenue and El Camino Real to California Drive, said Community Development Director Bill Meeker. If the city sees success with the downtown program, it could decide to expand it out to other areas, he said.
Can't wait! This feels like progress to me.


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