WICHITA HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD MINUTES
27 MAY 2003
CITY HALL, 455 N. MAIN, 10TH FLOOR, COMMITTEE ROOM
3:30 P.M.


A special meeting of the Historic Preservation Board was held Tuesday, May 27, 2003 at 3:30 P.M. 
in the Metropolitan Area Planning Department's Conference Room, City Hall – Tenth Floor, 455 N. 
Main, Wichita, Kansas.  

Members Present :			Keith Lawing (Chair)
Jim Guy (Vice Chair)
					Paul Cavanaugh
Kim Edgington
					Stan Shelden
					George Platt

Members Absent :			Randal Steiner


Staff  Present :			Kathy Morgan, Historic Preservation  Planner
					Jeanne L. de Grasse, Planning Analyst 
					Donna Goltry, Principal Planner
					Doug Moshier, Law Department 					

ITEM NO. 1	ROLL CALL

The meeting was called to order and board members stated their names.

ITEM NO. 2	OLD BUSINESS

Discussion and review of demolition permit for Fidelity Title building, located at 221 N. Market.

Keith Lawing, Historic Preservation Board Chairman, restated the history of the actions taken by the board 
regarding HPC2003-0007 for the demolition of 219 and 221 N. Market for the benefit of the 
audience.  Mr. Lawing requested that the board consider requesting the applicant to provide 
an opportunity to explore alternatives to the demolition of 221 N. Market.

Dennis Wetta, President of the Wichita Bar Association, addressed the board and stated that the 
construction timeline would not allow for a delay in the demolition of the building and that the 
properties had been purchased based on the decision of the board at the January meeting 
that they would be allowed to demolish the buildings for additional parking.

Lee Woodard, representative of the Sedgwick County Law Library, recounted the usage of the facility and 
the numbers of members attending events at the facility and that the surface parking 
afforded by the demolition of the buildings is necessary to provide adequate parking space.

Greg Kite, President of the Historic Preservation Alliance of Wichita & Sedgwick County, presented 
information regarding available parking across the street and requested that the board 
rescind the demolition approval for 221 N. Market.

Additional information was provided by Wes Darnell, architect for the project regarding parking demand.

Mr. Bill Ellington provided photographs of the structure for the board to review.

Shawn Brennan, local attorney, addressed the board stating his opposition to the demolition of 221 N. 
Market for the purpose of providing surface parking.

Keith Lawing recessed the board into executive session at 4 p.m. to discuss legal issues regarding board 
action in this case.

The board returned from executive session at 4:15 p.m. and Mr. Lawing reconvened the meeting.

Motion #1    Motion was made by Lawing, 2nd by Guy to rescind the action of the board allowing for the 
demolition of 221 N. Market, known as the Fidelity Title Building.

Kathy Morgan, Historic Preservation Planner, stated that staff did not support the motion and recommended 
against the action based on the good faith purchase of the property by the applicants as a 
result of the January 13, 2003 board action approving the demolition of the properties 
located at 219 and 221 N. Market.

Motion failed in a 3-3-tie.  

Staff reminded the applicant that the photo documentation of the structure had to be submitted prior to any 
demolition, interior or exterior, taking place and that a wrecking permit would not be issued 
until the documentation had been submitted.

ITEM NO. 3	ADJOURNMENT

Meeting adjourned at 5:03 p.m.



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