Dozens of Lehi residents voiced divided opinions about the future of Lehi's historic downtown at a city open house on Wednesday evening.

The city is proposing a conservation district which could impose "a unique set of regulations and controls" to require "new construction and remodeling projects to 'fit' into the existing character of the neighborhood," according to a city information sheet given to residents at the meeting.

Councilman Mark Johnson said residents must decide whether the city should implement a legal conservation district. Hearings and proposals on the issue could take months or years, he said.

"I would love it if the residents of the area would get together and decide what they want to do," he said.

The district would include 60 blocks north of 100 North and south of 100 South, and overlay nearly 500 homes and other buildings, many dating back to the 19th century, according to the city.

Each visitor on Wednesday was given a page-long questionnaire asking if they favored creating a conservation district, and how restrictive the requirements of the district should be. Residents were asked what elements should be regulated, including "building height and size, front additions, roof lines, building footprints, sense of entry, front yard setbacks, materials and colors, garages and street trees."

City staffers and council members sat at tables with residents, answering questions and listening to comments.

Sheila Webb, a resident of the historic downtown who has lived in the city for 66 years, said she is afraid the city will eventually use eminent domain to force people from their homes. The city has purchased almost a dozen homes in the historic area around City Hall for future expansion of the municipal campus.

When city planner Kim Struthers said the city is only working with "willing buyers and willing sellers," Webb said that plan can only go on so long.

"What if they are not willingfi" she said. "Are they going to work around themfi That is not going to work. It sounds like people are eventually going to lose their homes."

Nila Hughes, who also lives in the historic district, said the city should "let Main Street die. The transfusions are getting more and more expensive."

"What is being done to keep the Main Street businesses alivefi" said Blaine Anderson, a resident of Lehi for 75 years. "Because now, if they move onto Main Street, it seems like a death mark."

"I don't go there because I can't get back on Main Street when I park," said Hughes.

"If you want to revitalize downtown, you knock down the historic buildings and widen the road," said Dee Fowler, a resident for more than 70 years. "You put up a monument saying a historic building used to be there. If they tore the buildings down and put up commercial development, the price of the property would go up five times."

"You can't modernize and keep the historic parts," Hughes said.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page C3.