Published: May 06, 2008 11:31 pm      

Grant OK'd for preservation guidelines

The Dalton Historic Preservation Commission approved a $13,000 contract with Atlanta-based MACTEC Engineering and Consulting to update the design guidelines for the downtown historic district.

MACTEC is also working with Whitfield County, Dalton, Varnell and Tunnel Hill to update their comprehensive plans.

“Our existing guidelines are really out of date, dating back to the late 1980s or early 1990s,” said commission chairman Cathy Snyder. “Things have changed since then. There are different kinds of practices for construction and preservation.”

Dalton City Council is expected to vote on the contract at its May 19 meeting. The city is funding the contract.

Snyder said commission members updated guidelines for historic residential districts themselves.

“But the commercial district is a little bit different. The city has committed a lot of money to downtown, with downtown development,” she said.

The planning process will begin with a public meeting that commission members tentatively scheduled for May 27 at City Hall.