Three preservation experts who live and work outside of Jamestown, but reside in Western New York provided their insight into whether the city should adopt a local preservation ordinance.

On Wednesday, the Jamestown Planning Commission hosted a roundtable discussion online with the preservation professionals who believe the city needs to adopt a preservation ordinance.

Christiana Limniatis, Preservation Buffalo Niagara preservation services director, said an ordinance would be a benefit to Jamestown with its older housing stock, which has faired better than most Western New York communities. She said the new regulations would provide an additional review before changes could be made to historic structures. She added a lot of communities in Western New York have preservation ordinances.

“An (Local Preservation Ordinance) protects investment,” she said. “There are already rules and regulations on how you can handle your property. A (Local Preservation Ordinance) is nothing new.”

Clinton Brown of Clinton Brown Company Architecture of Buffalo said Jamestown officials should survey its housing stock to know what is in the city, He said city officials should then approve a preservation ordinance following the survey so they can prioritize what structures should be saved.

Brown did suggest one change to the draft ordinance the city has created. He said the ordinance currently states the preservation board that would be created would act without oversight from elected officials. He added the ordinance should be changed to have the board answer to elected officials, who are accountable to city residents via their vote.

Mary Ann Colopy, East Aurora Historic Preservation Commission chairwoman, said it’s important for all members of government to be on board before approving an ordinance or it won’t work. She said those enforcing the regulations need to understand the importance of the ordinance or owners of historic structures might not be held accountable if the building starts to dilapidated.

Comments from city officials included Greg Rabb, commission chairman, stating that the city should pass a preservation policy before approving a preservation ordinance. He said a policy would clarify priority when it comes to saving historic structures and could provide a blueprint of financial assistance for homeowners.

“A policy can look at multiple tools people can use,” he said.

Mary Maxwell, Jamestown Renaissance Corp. neighborhood coordinator, said the city needs to approve something that guides homeowners. She gave an example of how someone in the city painted their house with polka dots, which isn’t something that should be allowed.

“I don’t care if it’s an ordinance, policy or code,” she said. “Someone needs to say, ‘No that’s not what we’re trying to do here.”‘

Since April, the commission has been discussing a possible ordinance, which also included hosting two online meetings with participation from city residents.