Texas State Legislator Targets Historic Preservation for Demolition

"Texans could find it easier to demolish historic buildings and much harder for cities to designate landmarks under a bill considered by lawmakers Tuesday to create statewide preservation standards," reports Bobby Cervantes.

The bill, House Bill 3418, was introduced last week by Republican Gary Elkins and considered by the House Committee on Urban Affairs. The committee left the bill pending without taking a vote.

If enacted, HB 3418 would "introduce major changes to the landmark process by limiting the availability of protected status as "historically important and significant" to the residences of historic figures and places where a "widely recognized" historic event occurred," according to Cervantes. Under the bill, authorities would have just 30 days to approve or deny requests to demolish or alter buildings. "The bill also would require city councils to approve any zoning changes to designate places as having historic, cultural or architectural importance with a three-fourths super-majority of all members," according to Cervantes.

The proposed legislation comes as a response to efforts to expand an ethos of preservation in cities like Houston and Dallas, where demolitions have traditionally come without warning.