HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC Minutes 102616 Attachment 1
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Orange County
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Approved Meeting Summary
October 26th, 2016
Old Orange County Courthouse
106 East King Street, Hillsborough
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Bob Ireland (Vice-Chair), Jaime Grant, Allie Mead, Art Menius, Tom Loter and
MEMBERS ABSENT: Grace White
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck
GUESTS: None
ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Ireland called the meeting to order at 7:05 pm.
ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: Staff asked for permission to add several
topics: the Annual Report and Work Plan; the Pope Farm easement; and a new cell tower
permit review off of Mt. Carmel Church Road.
ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES (August 24th): Ireland noted the omission of a word in item
#5, letter (a). Menius felt the record should show that we toured the Norwood-Jones Ofice.
Grant asked to note that Item 3 should read “Grace White” instead of Grant. Menius
moved to accept the minutes as amended; seconded by Grant; motion passed.
ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION: None
ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Membership roster/contact update (Attachment 2):
Members reviewed the roster for correctness of contact information. Members discussed
the various term lengths. The partial terms make it confusing. Staff referred to the print-
outs of the current applicants who have at least some qualifications for historic
preservation. With the pending resignation of Susan Ballard, there will be a vacancy at
some point this winter. Staff has heard from several people who might be interested in
applying.
b. Report from Book Committee:
Book committee members Ireland and Grant provided an update of their progress and the
present status of the book project. Members reviewed two possible examples of chapters
regarding the Native American history of the county and the archaeological investigations
at the former Occaneechi village sites. Members also reviewed the 1996 draft essay by
Rick Mattson, and provided their review comments to staff. These will be discussed and
reviewed at the next book committee meeting. Staff is going to prepare a general outline
for the committee to review for the architectural/historical essay. Ireland noted that the
Traywick Ward article on the Occaneechi site was written in a very readable style.
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c. Possible County Historical Marker Program and County Poor House Cemetery Marker
(Attachment 3):
Staff provided a follow up discussion about the county plan to provide a historical marker
for the old Poor House out on Efland-Cedar Grove Road. Members reviewed and
discussed the pros and cons. By most accounts, there may be as many as 200-300
burials there, but there are only 3 grave markers there now. The rest of the burials were
not marked with carved gravestones. Member felt that the program for Fairfax County
seems to provide a reasonable model to explore and learn from. Staff will review the
Fairfax County guidelines and policies, and provide a draft model for members to
consider.
ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Report back from Preservation NC Conference and CLG Training:
Ireland and staff provided an overview of the various sessions they attended at the annual
PNC conference, held in Greensboro.
b. Old Courthouse Square Cultural Landscape Assessment Project (Attachment 4):
Staff referred members to the recent memo describing the project and reported that
progress was being made, starting with getting a full detailed survey map of the
courthouse square. The county will seek proposals from qualified landscape history
experts and archaeologists this winter to get that project started.
c. Other County project updates:
Staff provided brief updates on the progress now being made on multiple projects. Work
will start soon on replacing the leaking gutters on the old courthouse. This will have to
include some restoration work on the handsome Greek Revival cornice. There is now a
contract in place to move the Hollow Rock store and set it down on a new foundation.
Gutters will also be repaired and new gutters installed at the Dickson House and Norwood
Office. At the Occaneechi Village restoration site, new cedar poles have been delivered in
preparation for the reconstruction of the village in early 2017. Rich Shaw is working on a
draft Memorandum of Agreement that will address the roles of the county and the
Occaneechi Tribal Council regarding the operation and maintenance of the site. Staff gave
a brief PowerPoint about the Capt. John Pope Farm and its recent conservation
easement, and a proposal to build a cell tower on Mt. Carmel Church Rd, in Chapel Hill.
d. Colonial Inn status update:
Staff related the current status. All are still waiting for the owner to respond to the Town’s
offer.
e. Annual Report and Work Plan:
Staff handed out copies of the 2015 Annual Report and Work Plan and referred members
to the key areas of focus: “Accomplishments” on page 1; “Identify any Activities for 2016”
at the bottom of page 4, and “Concerns and Major Issues” on page 5. Staff asked
members to review this and bring back any comments/additions/edits to the December
meeting, so that staff can make those changes in time for the Dec. 16 deadline.
f. Open Air Time for members to share information
This was skipped as the meeting had gone past 9 pm.
ITEM #7: ADJOURNMENT: Menius moved to adjourn, seconded by Loter; meeting adjourned at
9:05 pm
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Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff