The Lake Sentinel-Church, Preservationists come to terms over house(Tuesday,August 15, 1989)

By Steve Berry

of The Sentinel Staff

Leesburg- No one gave an inch Monday in the tug-of-war between Methodists and preservationists over the fate of the Mote-Morris home. But more was accomplished in two hours at the Leesburg City Commission meeting than in three months of angry charges and counter charges between 

and preservationists:

•  The debate over whether the home would stay on church property or be moved to make way for the church's expansion plans apparently was settled. It's going to have to be moved.
• Church officials apparently satisfied preservationists and the city commission by reiterating that they will not start swinging a wreckin ball if the city and preservationists get moving in finding a new home for the structure.
• The Methodists and preservationists said they are willing to start talking.

• The city commission decided to appoint a committee of church members and preservationists at its next meeting to determine where to put the home and how to raise money for the land,relocation and restoration. Commissioner Sanna Henderson and City Manager Rex Taylor agreed to represent the commission on it. All was not peace and tranquility. Church supporters muttered cynically at some comments of preservationists.But little of that came out at the speakers podium or at the commissioner's table. "There is a spirit of enthusiasm,"

• Commissioner Joe Knowles said. "Three weeks before there was just hostility." Jim Hill, leader of an informal preservation group called the Concerned Citizens for the Preservation of the Mote-Morris Home, met with church leader Claron "Woody" Wagner during a break in the discussion to talk about a meeting between the two groups. Earlier Hill had called for an end to the dispute. "If we can turn this around into a postive direction, we could turn this into a great gathering of support from the community." The 97-year-old home was built by E. H. Mote, one of Leesburg's early mayors.  

• A former Methodist bishop H. C. Morrison- and three generations of the Morris family lived there. The U.S. Park Service has listed it in the National Register of Historic Places.While the church has never set a deadline for removing the home, it has said repeatedly it will raze the structure if someone does not move it. Preservationists have waged a vigorous publicity campaign, including a picket during Sunday services serveral weeks ago, to pressure the church into letting the home remain on its church site next door to the church. Until Monday, preservationists have argued that the house would lose it's place on National Register, jeopardizing eligibility for state funding.

But William Thurston, state supervisor for historic preservation, told the city commission the house probably could keep its listing if it were moved to the lot across the street or to a site two blocks west. And, he assured the commission, moving the house to a similar spot would not jeopardize state funding for renovation. Although that was not quite the guarantee preservationists sought, they appeared to accept that the home would have to be moved. "The leadership of the church wants it moved," Knowles said. "That fact is final." With those issues settled, both sides and the commission are turning to the money question. Thurston, the state official, said his agency would consider paying for relocation and renovation, but the community would have to pay for the site, which could cost from $90,000 to $150,000. To get the money next year, the state Division of Historic Resources must receive the city application by Sept. 15, a deadline probably beyond reach, commissioners concluded.

City Commissioners said taxpayers will not foot the entire bill. The city cannot help with the project unless the church and preservationists support the fundraising, Knowles said. "If they can't get a commitment and show they are willing to back this, the city can't do much with it." Mayor David Connelly said in an interview that he would oppose any subtantial contribution on part of the city. "I'd love to take that kind of money down to east Leesburg and really do some renovating," he said, referring blighted areas of town. Commisssioner Charles Stickland advocated a November referendum. Hill said preservationists are prepared to cahnnel all thier funds to restoration if someone assures them the house will not be destroyed.

"We have not sought major corparate cintributions," Hill said. "But three or four have said they will make major contributions. I don't think money is the problem." In other business, the commission voted unanimously to forbid bars from located downtown unless they are an incidently part of a restaurant. The law will not affect the few bars already doing business downtown. Commissioner Bob Lovell proposed the ordiance several weeks ago to make sure furture bars keep their distance from youth who attend a new downtown teen club and Beacon College. Leesburg has had a law that prohibits bars from locating within 200 feet of a school or church. It also prohibits bars in neighborhood commerical zones. The new law extends that last prohibition to the more intensely commerical areas like central business district and parts of 14th Street.