The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

When an advisory ballot was sent to property owners in Dayton's Southside Historic District this spring asking whether they support disbanding the district or keeping it, about two out of three respondents voted for the former. Results were similar for the smaller Washington Street Historic District.

But despite the overwhelming wishes of those property owners, the Dayton Historic Preservation Commission voted last week against passing that recommendation on the City Council. (See story on Page 1.)

I am co-owner of a rental house which sits within the boundaries of the Southside district, and...