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Show Sprinkler ordinance could force demolition of historic buildings "' " . ! . i ( . - i ' ' '- by Christopher Smart A dilemma has forced city officials tp reconsider a retroactive sprinkler ordinance that is designed to bring Old Town buildings into compliance with the Dangerous Building Code: The ordinance could convince property owners to demolish historic structures rather than renovate them. According to Park City's Chief Building Official Ron Ivie, many buildings in Old Town have simply "outlived their economic lives." Listing safety hazards that currently exist in many historic structures here, Ivie told the city council April 11, "They're (the buildings) garbage. gar-bage. I don't know how else to put it." Ivie now is working to develop a sprinkler ordinance to reduce what he perceives to be a dangerous fire hazard in Old Town. "If we had a breeze and a fire on Main Street, we'd really be in trouble." Ivie also presented the council with a pictorial demonstration showing rotten timbers and sagging roof beams that exist through Old Town structures. In many instances, Ivie said, he doesn't know what is keeping the buildings from falling down. When the expense of renovating the buildings or making such improvements as sprinklers is i s government. The federal government govern-ment currently allows a 25 percent tax credit on the renovation of some historic buildings. In addition, the city could offer tax abatements that would hold property taxes at pre-renovation rates so owners wouldn't be penalized for improving buildings, he said. The municipality also could make possible low-interest industrial revenue re-venue bonds for renovations, and a revolving fund for renovation loan money could be created through such channels as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Ligety added. As the council continues to struggle with the ordinance that could force historic building owners, in the words of City Attorney Tom Clyde, "into compliance or demolition," demoli-tion," City Councilman Tom Shel-lenberger Shel-lenberger came out strongly for preservation of historic structures. But while he asked Ivie and ligety to find some "middle ground," Shel-lenberger Shel-lenberger said he believed some action should be taken. "If you leave it up to most property owners, they'll never renovate." The municipality receives about 10 demolition requests annually. Presently, Pre-sently, property owners must wait three months after filing a demolition demoli-tion application before they can begin to tear down historic structures. struc-tures. , Ron Ivie, chief of the Park City Building Department, works for change in city sprinkler ordinance. conclusion in many cases is to demolish the buildings." But Park City Planning Director Bill Ligety maintains every old building is significant to the historic nature of the town and efforts should be made to save them. Among other things, historic preservation is important to tourism, he said. "But people have trouble seeing that one . building at a time." To make renovation economically feasible for property owners, Ligety suggested to the council that - incentives be established by the city |