HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC minutes 052417 Attachment 1
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Orange County
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Approved Meeting Summary
May 24th, 2017
Old Orange County Courthouse
106 East King Street, Hillsborough
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MEMBERS PRESENT: Todd Dickinson, Bob Ireland, Tom Loter, Allie Mead, Grace White
MEMBERS ABSENT: Jaime Grant, Art Menius
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck GUESTS: None
ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Chair Dickinson called the meeting to order at 7:02 pm.
ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: Sandbeck asked to add several discussion
items: 1) concept of forming a courthouse advisory committee of HPC, and 2)
membership. Staff also wished to add update/info items for: the Schley Grange NR
nomination, the Occaneechi Village, the cemetery workshop and the Colonial Inn.
ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES for April 26th, 2017 (Attachment 1): White moved to approve
the minutes, seconded by Ireland; motion approved.
ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION: None
ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Eno Quaker Meeting Burying Ground: Historic Resource Evaluation Exercise:
Staff provided a PowerPoint to review of status of the Quaker Burying Ground. One
important role for the HPC will be to consider this for possible designation as landmark.
Discussion followed, then HPC members proceeded to fill out their Resource Evaluation
with discussion about various matters relating to significance, integrity and the importance
of the associated archaeological remains for the old meeting house and school. Some
creativity was needed to apply a scoring system/criteria geared toward structures, but all
felt comfortable with their final ranking scores. The group average score was 70.25 which
is a very high score. Members were favorable to pursuing landmark status for this site, in
the hope that it might help ensure its preservation.
b. Old Courthouse Archaeology Program for this Fall?:
Staff provided an update of the ongoing archaeology project. The Ground Penetrating
Radar or GPR fieldwork was completed by New South Associates on May 15-16. We are
now awaiting their report. An update will be forthcoming at the June meeting. Staff then
raised the question of having the HPC host a program featuring the courthouse
archaeology and research projects, possibly this fall if all the results are in by then.
Members felt this was a positive way to share the ongoing discoveries.
c. Historic Preservation Month Update:
As part of Historic Preservation Month, staff was going to offer a tour of the Old
Courthouse to the general public on the evening of May 26, as part of the Last Friday
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event being held that night. Staff now has a conflict due to a family matter and will not be
able to host the tour. Staff has already made three public presentations for Preservation
Month, along with the “Preservation Conversation” event on the Courthouse Lawn, so
there has been some activity already. Members were OK with not having this tour.
d. CLG Training Event in Sanford on August 16, 2017:
Staff reviewed the HPC training requirements imposed by the CLG program, which asks
that staff plus two members attend at least one approved training event each year. The
next and closest venue will be the event in Sanford on August 16th. Sanford has a very
large and vibrant historic district, and is also the site of the very interesting Endor Iron
Furnace dating to the Civil War era. If members would like, a tour of the furnace can be
arranged following the workshop. Staff will be attending and so can drive the group.
e. HPC Facebook page:
County IT staff members are working on preparing a new email address for the HPC as
discussed earlier. This should be accomplished by our June meeting.
f. Membership:
Current status of membership was discussed. White has decided to rotate off and now
serve a second term. We will review current online applicants at the June meeting.
ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Blackwood Farm event on May 4th:
Participants Dickinson, Ireland and White discussed the programs they gave for the
approximately 300 4th graders who attended the DEAPR Farm to Table event at
Blackwood Farm. All worked hard and did an excellent job.
b. Schley Grange National Register Nomination project:
Staff gave a brief presentation about the significance of the Schley Grange, located on NC
57 in the Schley community. The Grange is interested in hiring a consultant to prepare a
nomination, with assistance from HPC staff.
c. Occaneechi Village Rebuilding Project:
Staff provided a brief update on the second volunteer build day. Approximately 120 poles
were installed in one morning. Another will be held during the summer.
d. Churton Street and Tuscarora Stone Walls:
Staff gave a brief presentation about citizen interest in the historic stone walls that line the
upper blocks of North Churton Street, and the elaborate stone gates to the old
Occaneechi Farm, now the entrance to Tuscarora Avenue.
e. County Poor Home Cemetery and Colonial Inn:
Staff presented a brief update about plans to conduct Ground Penetrating Radar on the
old Poor House cemetery, to determine the true number of graves. Local residents have
reported as many as 300 are buried there, but there are only 4 grave markers. The owner
of the Colonial Inn has agreed to put the Inn up for sale.
f. Open Air Time for members to share information
No items tonight.
ITEM #7: ADJOURNMENT: White moved to adjourn, seconded by Loter; meeting adjourned at 9:06
pm
Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff