METUCHEN — Borough officials are in the discussion phase of creating an historical preservation ordinance in an effort to provide a level of control for preserving historic homes in Metuchen.
Discussions by municipal officials regarding such an ordinance date to the late 1980s, but no ordinance was ever adopted.
“An historical preservation ordinance would provide some control [as simple as] just a demolition delay for time to encourage a marketing period,” said Nancy Zerbe, chairwoman of the Metuchen Historic Preservation Committee.
Zerbe said that as an individuals in the historic preservation field for more than 30 years, it is hard to see anything historic demolished.
Discussions about creating an historical preservation ordinance became heightened in March with the demolition of two 19th century homes on High Street and again in September when 59 Graham Ave., known as the David Graham Thomas home built circa 1850, was demolished.
Thomas was a prominent resident and property owner for whom Graham Avenue and Thomas Street are named.
Finding a person willing to invest is one thing, Zerbe said; however, when she heard people did not know about the homes and would have been interested in investing and preserving the historic homes after the fact, it became even harder.
Mayor Jonathan Busch called the situation complicated. He said there are various versions of historical preservation ordinances, which were discussed at a Metuchen Historic Preservation Committee meeting in March.
“Some ordinances, for example, could require residents who live in a home that has been determined to be historic to secure approvals for projects which otherwise would not (require) that level of approval,” the mayor said.
Busch said on one hand, officials want to preserve Metuchen’s historic structures and on the other hand, they do not want an ordinance that creates a burden for homeowners.
Zerbe said more than 100 of the 566 municipalities in New Jersey have adopted some type of historical preservation ordinance.
A proposed ordinance, she said, would afford a historical preservation committee an opportunity to look at and review home/building addition proposals on homes that have been deemed historic.
“People often say they oppose historical preservation ordinances because it is a designated regulation to take away property rights,” she said, countering, nationwide, there are regulations regarding clean air and wetlands.
Zerbe said she has had discussions with colleagues in Westfield and Maplewood, which have historical preservation ordinances.
She said the historical preservation bodies in those communities share and assist resources, information and opportunities with homeowners and property owners on topics such as window replacements and window treatments for their homes, which the Metuchen Historic Preservation Committee could follow.