HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC minutes 102815ORANGE COUNTY
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
Approved Meeting Summary
October 28th, 2015
Old Orange County Courthouse
106 East King Street, Hillsborough
MEMBERS PRESENT: Susan Ballard, Todd Dickinson (Chair), Jaime Grant, and Bob Ireland
MEMBERS ABSENT: Rob Golan (excused); Grace White (excused)
STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator, DEAPR
GUESTS: Stacey and Darrell Lingle, Mimi Logothetis, Peter Yeganian
ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Chair Dickinson called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm and recognized the guests.
ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: None.
ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES (September 21St, 2015 meeting)
Ireland moved to accept the minutes, seconded by Ballard; motion passed.
ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION:
a. Consideration of Draft Landmark Aaalication for the Nicholas Corbett Hester House in
Cedar Grove (attachment 1).
Staff provided an overview explanation of the landmark criteria and approval process for
HPC members and attendees. This is our second landmark application this year, which
means we can meet our goal of designating two landmarks per year. In Orange County,
the landmark process is voluntary. Properties are determined to be eligible through the
findings of a detailed research report, which according to our ordinance must demonstrate
that the proposed property "possesses special significance to Orange County in terms of
its historical, architectural or cultural importance." Owners agree to have any proposed
future restoration or preservation work, or repairs or additions reviewed by the HPC in
return for the protection and the opportunity to take advantage of the 50% reduction in
property tax as allowed by state law and our ordinance. All work must be proposed in
writing through our Certificate of Appropriateness application and in compliance with our
published design guidelines.
Staff provided a handout with proposed language for a motion or resolution that the HPC
should make to document its "findings of fact" regarding the significance of the proposed
landmark and to move the application forward for review by the State Historic
Preservation Office (SHPO); they have 30 days to complete their review and provide any
suggested edits /revisions /comments back to us. Staff will convey those comments to the
owner's consultant, who will make any changes and return a final draft application to us.
At our next meeting, members will be asked to make a final motion to recommend that the
Board of County Commissioners adopt an ordinance to designate the Hester House as an
Orange County Local Historic Landmark. Staff showed a brief PowerPoint about the
property, including a proposed boundary map showing that the westernmost seven acres
of the larger parcel are to be included in the landmark designation. Neighboring property
owners Stacey and Darrell Lingle asked several questions about the landmark process
and its impact on the values of nearby properties. Owner Mimi Logothetis provided
additional information about the restoration and offered her agreement with the proposed
7 acre parcel, to include property west of the historic spring that runs from south to north.
Following some further discussion, Grant moved to adopt the suggested motion or "finding
of fact' language contained in the staff handout and to approve the Part 2 Application for
the Nicholas Corbett Hester House, and directed staff to submit the application to the
SHPO for their review. Ballard seconded the motion. Discussion followed. Members
passed the motion after adding wording to include the historic hedgerow along Allison
Road, and to clarify the wording about soil characteristics. The final motion is as follows:
The Orange County Historic Preservation Commission finds that the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House possesses special significance to Orange County in terms of its historical,
architectural and cultural importance. The Commission bases its decision upon the
following considerations and findings contained within the research report compiled by
consultant Jennifer Martin:
1. The Hester House is among the best - preserved vernacular Italianate -style
farmhouse surviving in Orange County, and as such, reflects the tremendous
prosperity of the enterprising tobacco farmers in the northern part of the county.
2. The Hester House retains its significant collection of historic outbuildings in an
intact rural setting, including the original c. 1850 log house which illustrates the
traditional log building practices that prevailed throughout the county from its first
settlement until the early 20th century
3. The Hester House is documented to have been built Will White, an active local
house - carpenter who practiced his art in the northern part of the county during the
post -Civil War period.
The HPC also finds that the Nicholas Corbett Hester House possesses integrity of design
setting, workmanship, materials, feeling and association as required by the HPC's
ordinance. The HPC judges that the architectural description of the historic resources and
the site description compiled by Jennifer Martin demonstrate that the Nicholas Corbett
Hester House meets this criterion. Lastly, the HPC recommends that the landmark
designation should include the western portion of the property as shown in the attached
map, including the main house, log house, corn crib, well house, well, spring, and historic
hedgerow along Allison Road. Staff is directed to submit the application to the SHPO for
their statutory review. The chair thanked the guests for their participation in the process.
b. Request to change next meeting date from Dec. 9 to Dec. 2:
Staff explained that the timing for each step for the landmark designation was tight, given
the goal of getting it passed by the BOCC by the end of the year. If it does not happen this
year, then the owner has to wait another full year before Tax Administration will allow it to
be eligible for the 50% property tax reduction. By holding our meeting on the 2nd, we can
make it all happen by the time of the BOCC's last meeting of the year, on Dec. 15th. Grant
moved to change the HPC meeting date to Dec. 2nd; seconded by Ballard; motion passed.
ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Annual Report and Work Plan due in December 2015:
Staff referred members to their copies of the 2014 work plan included in their packages
and hoped they had been able to review it. Members discussed briefly. In the interest of
time, the chair directed staff to prepare an updated draft report for their review at the next
meeting.
b. Membership Update:
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Staff reviewed possible scenarios for future membership action by the BOCC at their
upcoming Nov. 5 meeting. Back in May, the HPC asked them to consider making an
exception to their established two -term limit and reappoint Dickinson for an additional
term. Action on that request was deferred to the fall due to the spring budget process and
then the bond issue process in October. If they decide that they do not wish to make an
exception then he can continue to serve until March under the one -year "grace" period
provided by their rules and procedures. The application for Tom Loter, historic
preservation architect at UNC (Attachment 4), was recommended for appointment by the
chair and vice chair, so that should be considered and approved by the BOCC in
November.
ITEM #6: UPDATES AND INFORMATION ITEMS
a. Hackney House Landmark Application:
Staff reported that Preservation Chapel Hill has assigned a new intern to complete the
application for this property with its important association with the African American history
of the southern part of the county. We should see it come to completion soon. A field trip
would still be a good idea if members are interested.
b. Open Air Time:
No new topics were presented in the interest of time.
ITEM #7: STAFF PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION:
a. Early Log Houses in northern Cedar Grove Township:
Staff gave a PowerPoint showing views and details of two early log houses. The Tapp
House probably dates from ca. 1840 -50 and has a hall and parlor plan with wall logs
exposed on the interior, whitewashed many times, visible where the cardboard and paper
wall coverings have fallen off. The Jordan Tenant House is composed of two separate log
buildings joined by an open breezeway or dogtrot that was later enclosed. The northern
section appears to be quite early, perhaps 1800 to 1840s, with a stone chimney with brick
stack and some very early rounded wood shingles used as shims for later work. The
southern end has a stone chimney with a very unusual well- crafted stone stack still
remaining. Many of the county's early log houses are endangered through abandonment
and deterioration, or through being dismantled and rebuilt or heavily "restored."
ITEM #8: ADJOURNMENT: Ballard moved to adjourn, seconded by Ireland; motion passed. Chair
Dickinson adjourned the meeting at 8:58 pm.
Meeting summary by Peter Sandbeck, DEAPR staff
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