Full and complete plans will be required for any proposed exterior work, to be reviewed by Montgomery to determine if permits other than a building permit are required.
One thing everyone seemed to agree on Wednesday was that changes are needed in the way the city deals with alterations on historical structures, not just the Halliburton House.
"What we have here is homeowners and a community that wants to preserve and restore this property," Mayor Pro Tem Verna Rollinger said. "It's hard for me to sit here and think we all want the same thing, but we are making it such a painful process that it is going to be hard to reach anyone's goals."
Mayor Jane Egly and council members Kelly Boyd and Elizabeth Pearson voted for the staff recommendation to remove the stop-work order.
"I am erring on the side of legal caution," Pearson said.
A closed session was held before the public meeting to discuss anticipated litigation concerning the issuance of the stop-work order on the house, for which a building permit was approved to repair damaged concrete, and demolish and replace an interior slab floor and support beam.
The removal of interior walls and cabinets in connection with the slab were previously left off the application and plans.
"We find the drawings and descriptions for the scope of work inadequate," said former Mayor Ann Christoph, summing up a well-prepared, five-part presentation. "These drawings/permits are blank checks subject to multiple interpretations."
Claims were made that the work already done exceeded the scope of the building permit.
Rollinger and Councilwoman Toni Iseman sided with speakers who urged the council to bypass the staff recommendation and require a more thorough approval process.
