EUREKA RESIDENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT IN THE WORKS

Eureka may be getting its first ever residential historic district as early as this summer. Community Development Director Robert Wall said the city has been working with the Eureka Heritage Society to make the Clark Historic District.“We’re actually in the stage where they're going to come up with design guidelines," Wall said. The guidelines would be for the 150 properties surrounding the Jefferson School area."Well design standards are just construction guidelines and modification guidelines for properties," Eureka Heritage Society President Chuck Petty said. 60 percent of the properties would have to approve the district. However, there is a catch.“The Local Register of Historic Places which was formed in 1996 had an opt out clause.”So those properties that opted out wouldn’t have to comply with the new zoning standards that would come along with the district. "Most communities when they make a district— it's all or nothing. So this is a unique situation in Eureka," Wall said. Petty adds that this is just the beginning and there are still many steps in the process."It's considered a less desirable place to live— and this is one step closer to making it a better place," Petty said.