Updates set design standards, 7-member board established

Two ordinances dealing with Ironton’s central business district given readings at the last Ironton City Council meetings will update the design standards needed to receive Community Development Block Grants.

Given first readings were Ordinance 16-20, which amends previous Ordinance 90-22, adopting the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s standards for rehabilitation standards within Ironton’s central business district and re-establishes a rehabilitation review board to review rehabilitation plans, and Ordinance 16-21, which amends previous Ordinance 90-79, adopting building guidelines to implement façade improvements and construction standards within Ironton’s central business district.

“These ordinances are updates and allow us to adopt the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s standards in order to get Community Development Block Grant funding,” Ironton Mayor Katrina Keith said.

“We’re expanding the area from the river to Fourth and Adams to Railroad because we want to include the Ninth Street project and call it a central business district rather than a downtown district. CDBG funding would offer money for sidewalk repairs, streetscaping and other improvements like that. It would put money into the business district.”

The seven-member design review board implemented by Ordinance 16-20 includes a council member, Beth Rist; a business owner within the designated central business district appointed by the mayor, which is still to be determined; Susan Dooley, of the city public services department/building code office; a director of the recognized downtown organization, Sam Heighton, who is the executive director of Ironton aLive; another Ironton aLive member appointed by Heighton; the community development director, which will be either Cindy Anderson or Ralph Kline, both of the Ironton-Lawrence County CAO; and a representative from the local historical society appointed by historical society president Peggy Karshner, which is still to be determined.

The board will review the standards, make recommendations and make sure everything is in compliance with the U.S. Secretary of Interior’s standards.