Aug. 7, 2003
North Lamar becomes Oxford's first historic district
Slow, deliberate strategy pays off for preservationists
by Lucy Schultze
The Oxford EAGLE
One of Mississippi's most historic towns designated its first
preservation district this week, after years of work and wishing on
the part of local preservationists.
The long-fought campaign to preserve Oxford's architectural
heritage claimed a major victory Tuesday evening when the Board of
Aldermen voted 7-0 to create the North Lamar Preservation District.
The courtroom audience, which included members of the
Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage Foundation, a preservation group,
burst into applause after city leaders' decision. Goodloe Lewis,
chairman of the Oxford Preservation Commission, wore a wide grin as
he thanked aldermen for their support.
"I was thrilled," he said later. "I think it's an important
first step in getting historic preservation going in Oxford."
Though the city has had a preservation commission for several
years, property owners' suspicions have been among the factors
keeping Oxford from establishing a preservation district.
Meanwhile, as many as 28 other Mississippi towns - many much
younger than Oxford - have begun reviewing structural changes and new
construction in older areas through preservation districts.
But unlike Oxford's city center, many of those towns'
preservation areas had been in decline, and the regulations were
needed to stabilize and renew neighborhoods.
In Oxford, an opposite problem - soaring property values and
booming development - in the end convinced holdouts that they could
live with a board's review of major changes to their houses'
exteriors, as long as their neighborhood would be protected.
The North Lamar neighbors signed a petition in favor of the
district this spring, and the few who had not been contacted about
the proposal earlier wanted to add their names in support after last
month's public hearing.
"It really was well received in the neighborhood, and I do
think it's a good example for the other streets to follow," said
Molissia Swaney, a North Lamar resident and member of the
preservation commission. Swaney visited her neighbors with Ward 1
Alderman Pat Patterson to circulate the petition and gauge residents'
support.
"Everyone was just really interested," she said of the
conversations with her neighbors.
"Some were reserved because they wanted to make sure their
hands wouldn't be tied too much. But I think the ordinance showed
people it was going to be something could live with."
The North Lamar Preservation District includes all the homes
between Adams Avenue and Price Street, including a rental property on
the corner of Price Street which aldermen included despite owner Cary
McCormick's objection.
Mayor Richard Howorth reminded aldermen they could hear
appeals on any of the preservation commission's decisions after Lewis
argued for the property's inclusion.
"The north end of the district is the gateway not only to
this district but to downtown Oxford," Lewis said. "It's integral to
that district."
The house's inclusion also prompted Dicki King, who lives
across from the house at 101 Price St., to ask aldermen to include
her family's home in the district as well.
Lewis said Price Street neighbors may wish to form their own
district, and said he hopes other neighborhoods will organize the
same way North Lamar did. That may be more likely soon, he said,
since North Lamar will give the preservation commission a chance to
build a track record in working with property owners.
"It's not a process where you're sitting high and mighty and
tell people what they can and cannot do," he said. "We will try to
get a consensus and develop and agreement with people on what they
want to do with their property."
Lewis said Oxford residents who want to learn more about
preservation may come to the commission's next meeting Tuesday at
5:30 p.m. at City Hall.
Residents may also learn about how design standards would be
applied by the preservation commission during an Aug. 16 walking tour
of historic Oxford with Todd Sanders of the Mississippi Department of
Archives. The tour is set to leave at 9 a.m. from City Hall.
- Lucy Schultze can be reached at lucyschultze@oxfordeagle.com