The Natchitoches Historic District Commission voted at a July 28 meeting to require the removal of an art installation attached to a building at 123 St. Denis Street after determining it had been installed without first obtaining the required approval and permit.
The meeting focused on whether the installation violated city ordinances requiring Historic District Commission approval before additions are made within the Historic District.
Property owners Debbie and Henry Taylor acknowledged the installation was completed without first seeking approval from the commission. Henry apologized for not following the process, explaining that the artwork was intended to celebrate Natchitoches’ history and attract visitors. He said the project was privately funded and stated that future projects would go through the proper approval process.
Commissioners also discussed conversations held earlier this year regarding the development of proposed mural regulations that could eventually be adopted by the City Council.
Throughout the meeting, commissioners emphasized that the issue before them was not whether they liked the artwork but whether city ordinances requiring prior approval had been followed. They also discussed concerns about consistency in enforcing the rules as other mural requests have been denied.
During the public comment period, several speakers asked the commission to consider the artwork’s historical theme and community support, while others questioned how murals have been handled in the Historic District over the years. Commission members reiterated that they’re required to enforce the city’s current ordinances and that any changes to those rules would have to be approved by the City Council.
Before the vote, the commission discussed allowing the property owners time to appeal the decision to the City Council. The commission unanimously approved a motion requiring the Taylors to remove the installation within 60 days. If it is not removed within that timeframe, the matter will be referred to the city attorney for enforcement, with a $50-per-day penalty to begin after the 60-day period until the installation is removed.
Following the vote, commission officials also advised the property owners that several other projects on the property, including a sunshade and the construction of a stage, some wrought iron fencing and lamp posts installed in the park, and a small storage building will also require applications and formal approval through the Historic District Commission.
In a social media post made after the meeting, the Taylors said, “Thank you to everyone that showed up to support us and the art, also thank you to the Historic District Commission for allowing us to make this right and follow the rules.”
Discussion also included an overview of the significance of the Natchitoches Historic Landmark District and the commission’s role in preserving it. The following was presented by the commission during the meeting:
The Natchitoches Historic Landmark District
I would like to share how this Commission came into being, the Commissions purpose, and how it relates to the City of Natchitoches.
In 1973, the Louisiana Historical Preservation and Cultural Committee approved an application seeking to have a historic district established in the City and Parish of Natchitoches, Louisiana. The Historic District was approved by the US Department of Interior for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in March of 1974. On August 8, 1977, the City Council of Natchitoches passed Ordinance No. 50 creating the establishment of a particular area of the City of Natchitoches to be designated as the “Natchitoches Historic District”. In this Ordinance was the establishment of the Historic District Commission.
In 1984, after several years of working with US Senator J. Bennett Johnston and the US Department of Interior, the Natchitoches Historic Landmark District was formed under the supervision of the National Parks and Recreation Department. The US Department of Interior requires a Historic District Commission be in place to regulate all requirements and ordinances to be met under the standards set forth by the US Dept. of Interior and the City Code of Natchitoches. At that time, Natchitoches already had the establishment of the Historic District Commission to meet the Department’s requirement.
For those of you who are old enough to remember, in 1984 most of Front Street consisted of vacant storefronts. With the establishment of the Natchitoches Historic Landmark District designation, the Natchitoches downtown area was automatically added to the National Register of Historic Places, and buildings were listed on the National Registry. Having this status opened the door for businesses and property owners to apply for grants and tax credits. Over the years millions of dollars in federal and state grants have been awarded to Natchitoches because of this designation. Some of these monies are funded through our local Main Street Program, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the Natchitoches Convention and Visitors Bureau, and even Cane River Waterway Commission.
Examples of how this money was used include the preservation of The Prudhomme-Rouquier House home of the Natchitoches Service League, restoration of the Pacale’-Roque House on the downtown riverbank, the development of the downtown riverbank including the amphitheater and stage, the painting of many downtown buildings, the preservation of structures in the district, and even the restoration of the old Archer Daniels cotton gin building now the home of Flying Heart Brewery. You can see how the Natchitoches downtown area has changed since 1984 with all the improvements in the buildings and the thriving businesses because of these monies received.
Along with the privilege of receiving these grants comes the responsibility that the Natchitoches Historic Landmark District will remain true to its historic, architectural, and cultural heritage. The Natchitoches Historic Landmark District is only 1 of the 2 designated Landmark Districts in the State of Louisiana, the other being The French Quarter in New Orleans. Natchitoches is the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, which is comprised of 1/3d of the United States, dating back to 1714. The Natchitoches Historic District Commission has been charged with the preservation of this National Treasure by the preservation of all structures in the Historic District section of the City which have architectural and historical value and which should be preserved for the benefit of the people of the City of Natchitoches, the State of Louisiana, and the United States following the guidelines set forth by the US Department of the Interior and the Ordinances of the City Code of Natchitoches.