Guntersville council members to discuss historic zones - WSFA.com Montgomery Alabama news.

Changes could be coming to the Guntersville downtown area, as council members look to designate the area a historic district.

The goal is to encourage businesses to invest in the exterior of their buildings, making them more attractive, which in turn would be more appealing to shoppers.

The council is expected to take up the issue for the first time Monday night. The proposed historical district encompasses much of the northern downtown area.

If approved, businesses will be eligible for grant money to help with the restoration of building facades.

Officials for the historical district said once the town is designated, it will have an immediate financial benefit to businesses.

"The buildings that have some historic significance are entitled to the lowest property tax rate," said Jeff McLaughlin with the Guntersville Historic Preservation Commission. "For a lot of those businesses, it's actually going to cut their property taxes in half."

While discussion is set for Monday, formal passage is not expected until later in June.

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