LEBANON — The city is considering changes that could give new momentum to historic preservation efforts here.

        Legislation is in the works to create an architectural review board. The board would review proposed alterations to homes in the three city historic districts, and recommend landmarks and districts for the National Register of Historic Places.

        The planning commission must make a recommendation on the proposal before city council votes, so it won't go to council before July 24.

        Owners of homes in the East End, Floraville and North Broadway districts would not have different rules to follow, Planning Director Marty Kohler said, it's merely that the rules would be applied by a review board instead of the planning commission.

        Still, said the Lebanon Conservancy Foundation's Jerry Miller, that could be a big boost to preservation efforts.

        “All it's about is to help people not make mistakes,” Mr. Miller said.

        The experts to be appointed to the review board — including an architect, an attorney and a historic society member — will be better equipped to do that than the planning commission, he said.

        The city's lack of a review board is the main obstacle to being named a Certified Local Government by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. The designation would make Lebanon eligible for federal grants for education and perhaps even building restoration, Mr. Kohler said.

        For instance, the city might be able to get money to restore the Mechanic Street house, he said. Lebanon, which took the house by eminent domain, is in negotiations to lease it to the conservancy.

        Oxford, which is already a certified government, and Miami University received a grant to build a Web site that includes the Butler County city's historic buildings, how to determine whether a building is historic, and audio of old-timers recalling Oxford's past. The site is wantok.geog.muohio.edu/hirs/public/introduction. cfm

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