Public Notice – Draft Zoning Ordinance Amendments Article 7 – Historical Resource Protection

Since the launch of Erie’s Historic Preservation Program in 2022, the Department of Planning and Neighborhood Resources has been actively working to ensure the program’s policies, practices, and procedures align with the needs of the community. This effort has involved gathering community input, staff insights, recommendations from commissioners, legal guidance from city attorneys, and best practices from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for Certified Local Governments. Informed by these insights, the City’s Historic Review Commission voted to revise Article 7 of Erie’s Historic Preservation law to improve transparency, accessibility, and clarity across the program.  

Article 7 of the City of Erie Zoning Ordinance has undergone an extensive amendment process over the last several months. The proposed changes primarily address topics related to historic preservation, including but not limited to: an expanded listing of definitions regarding preservation vocabulary; the expansion of the City of Erie’s Historic Review Commission from five members to seven; updates to the criteria for historic resource designations; the review process and timeline for historic resource designations; and the review process for Certificates of Appropriateness. 

The recommended language and amendments will promote efficiency and equitable practices within the City’s historic preservation program, in addition to creating a functional and modern set of policies that will govern the preservation of the City’s unique heritage and enable a consistent and fair process for designating historic resources.  

Public comments will be received for 20 days from 5/22/25 until close of business (COB) on 6/10/25.

Please submit all public comments and questions to Jacqueline Spry, Director of Planning and Neighborhood Resources, at jspry@erie.pa.us or by phone at (814) 870-1287.