By Erica Solvig
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MASON - A plan to create a downtown preservation district is stalled because City Council is concerned people don't understand what it would mean.

Central to that concern are restrictions that would dictate what exterior changes could be made to downtown buildings. Property owners would have to get approval from a seven-member design board and meet federal guidelines before they could move ahead with their projects.

"They have no bloody idea what this is about, I can tell you that right now," Councilman Tom Grossmann said of downtown property owners.

Council members held off voting on the district Monday night and will reconsider the issue June 28. Meanwhile, an informational meeting will be held at 7 p.m. June 23 at the municipal center, 6000 Mason-Montgomery Road.

The district is part of an effort to revitalize downtown. The city adopted a long-term plan last year that, among other changes, envisioned small parks and an entertainment district downtown.

Council must approve the district by the end of the month if the city wants to apply for a $400,000 federal grant.

Major changes to the exteriors of "historically significant properties" would have to meet standards set by the U.S. Secretary of Interior, which include repairing rather than replacing deteriorating architectural features.

The standards focus on maintaining the original character of the buildings. Minor changes, such as a fresh coat of paint, would not need the design board's approval. Properties could also apply for some of the grant funding.

"I had not always made the connection that we were going to try to take downtown and turn it into a historic section," Councilman Steve Osborne said. "Revitalization and historic are not synonyms to me."

Longtime resident Frances Gilbert questioned how the new standards would affect the five properties she owns downtown.

"There's a lot more questions here than there are answers," Gilbert said.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com