At its Sept. 23 meeting, Wylie City Council voted to widen the area considered the city’s Downtown Historic District; homes and businesses within this area are held to certain construction and renovation standards in an effort to maintain historical architectural accuracy and appearance.

City Planner Renae Ollie brought the rezoning proposal before Council. Background information provided by Ollie said the boundaries for the designated historical district will now be extended to the west along the east side of Birmingham Street to just south of Elliot Street.

The boundary then goes east to the north side of Block 3, Lot 1R, then to the east side of Jackson Street and south to Hwy. 78. “This would remove Lot 1, Block A (Inwood Bank) and Lot R1, Block 3,” the materials said.

Ollie’s summary also suggested that the city “extend the eastern boundary to include lots along the east side of 2nd Street and south to Marble Street, but excluding First Baptist Church Worship Center and parking lots.”

Ollie also asked Council to consider including vinyl siding as a material that may be used on historical buildings. Councilmember Kathy Spillyards said she is not in favor of allowing the more modern material, saying that it is not authentic and not in keeping with the spirit of the historic district.

Citizens Nathan Council and David Tyler spoke in favor of the siding. Council, who had renovated a home that “used to be a crack house,” said some houses already have vinyl siding and he has found some siding that looks like the rest. Tyler said he owns several houses in Wylie, one of which is being renovated for his daughter. He said wood is expensive and would have to be repainted every five years, whereas vinyl can be washed and looks “brand new again.”

“There are some really nice products out there,” Tyler said, adding that wood siding can become an eyesore if not kept up.

City Council voted to expand the district, but not to allow vinyl siding. The vote was four to one with Councilman David Goss voting against the amendment and Mayor Eric Hogue, Mayor pro tem Red Byboth, Councilman Merrill Young and Spillyards voting in the affirmative.

St. Paul fire-rescue service

Councilmembers voted unanimously to approve a new agreement between Wylie Fire-Rescue and the town of St. Paul.

Fire Chief Randy Corbin said that Wylie has provided fire protection for the town since 1993 for the same rate. The new contract changes how St. Paul is billed for fire protection. Currently, a flat fee of $60,000 per year is paid; under the new agreement, payments will be based on the previous year’s “personnel responses,” or the number of times Wylie firefighters actually went to St. Paul. Using this new method of fee calculation, St. Paul will pay Wylie $111,594 for 2008-’09.

The new agreement is based on the amount Wylie citizens currently pay for fire protection; Corbin said St. Paul officials have approved the new agreement.

Rowdy neighbors

Several citizens spoke in public forum about an unruly family on Third Street.

Pamela Albertson said one of the rental properties, an approximately 1,000-square-foot house, has 12 to 16 people living in the home. She said kids run up and down the street and there is a loose dog that has tried to bite other residents. “One kid is sleeping on the floor of the garage,” she said.

She was supported by Coral Watkins who said she believes drug deals are ensuing at the address and that she has had to increase her medication due to the stress of the loud neighbors who drive their cars up and down the street at all hours. Watkins said there can be anywhere from seven to 11 cars parked on the property at a given time.

Two other 3rd Street residents gave similar accounts of their frustration.

Hogue asked Police Chief Duscio to look into the allegations.