When a man tore the stone facade from his home on Grove Boulevard near Baker Park, he also tore away the Historic Preservation Commission’s chance to prevent him from demolishing the house — and in the process, exposed what some describe as a flaw in city regulations.

Under a rule instituted in 2014, the commission can weigh in on any application to demolish a structure older than 50 years old in the city. The commission can propose adding a property to the city’s historic preservation overlay, which adds a layer of city control over certain changes to a building’s exterior.

See Full Page