Thread by @shayshinecastle

Next up: Part 2 of the Boulder-Dushanbe teahouse landmarking. You can read about that here: boulderbeat.news/2020/10/17/bou…

Council continued this hearing from last time bc they couldn't agree on how to landmark the interior, given that it's never been done before, and the city owns the building/land anyway so no one can really change it without city OK.

Tonight's language includes a landmarking of the interior. www-static.bouldercolorado.gov/docs/Item_5B_1…

From the packet: “B.R.C. 1981 shall be interpreted to apply to the exterior and interior of the building, excluding the interior of the utilitarian addition."

BRC = Boulder Revised Code (city laws)

"The definition of “alteration” in 9-16-1, “Definitions,” B.R.C. 1981 shall be interpreted to apply to the interior of the Pavilion portion of the Teahouse, to include any application of paint ..."

" and shall not be limited with regard to whether alterations are visible from the public right-of-way."

One of the arguments against an interior landmark is that it could set a precedent. Boulder's historic preservation laws have never been interpreted to cover the inside of buildings, city attorney Tom Carr said.

Council addressed that with this language in the ordinance:
"The City Council recognizes the unique features and circumstances of the Teahouse that are identified in this ordinance and does not intend to create a precedent for the landmarking of interiors in future cases.”

Not sure if that will be strong enough, but I guess it's there for the record if some reporter needs to research this in 5-10 years.

The counter-argument to the precedent point is that the city owns this building and land, so it's not the same as landmarking the interior over the objections of a property owner (which has occurred a half-dozen times with the exterior of buildings).

We've already had a public hearing on this, so it will move fairly quickly. threadreaderapp.com/thread/1318755…

Yates: "I know it's unprecedented and we may never face a case where we need to landmark the interior of a building." But the teahouse is so special, and the city owns it, so "I think it's warranted."

Wallach: "To a great extent, this is a one-off. ... It may never come up again, but this is a building that should be protected."

Whatever your feelings on landmarking, this is one I enjoyed reading about because DAMN the teahouse is so cool. And all the story behind it is just A++

Unanimous vote to landmark the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse, including the city's first interior landmark.

Other cities preserve interiors, fwiw.

@threadreaderapp please unroll. Thank you!