HomeMy WebLinkAboutHPC minutes 042711Historic Preservation Commission Minutes April 27, 2011 Page 1
MINUTES
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
April 27, 2011
MEMBERS PRESENT: Todd Dickinson, Tom Allison, Steve Rankin, Statler Gilfillen and Rob Golan
MEMBERS ABSENT or EXCUSED: Alice Remini
GUESTS PRESENT:
STAFF: Tina Moon, Department of Environment, Agriculture, Parks and Recreation
ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER
Chair Dickinson called the meeting to order at 7:05 p.m.
ITEM #2: ROLL CALL
Dickinson requested that staff call the roll; five HPC members were in attendance.
ITEM #3: INTRODUCTIONS OF GUESTS/VISITORS
None.
ITEM #4: CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONS TO AGENDA
None.
ITEM #5: APPROVAL OF MINUTES
a. March 23, 2011
Golan requested a minor correction. Gilfillen motioned to approve the minutes as corrected. Allison seconded
the motion. The HPC voted unanimously to approve the minutes from the March 23, 2011 meeting.
ITEM #6: REPORTS
a. Murphey School
Moon reported that the Board of County Commissioners adopted the ordinance to designate Murphey School
as an Orange County Local Historic Landmark.
b. Unified Development Ordinance
Staff provided updates on the Unified Development Ordinance, and referred members to the Planning
Department’s website for additional information.
c. Quick Response Team Activity
Allison reported on the last few properties that he had recorded as part of the Quick Response Team (QRT)
program. Members asked a number of questions about the program, and how it related to demolition by
response programs. Members asked if Allison had recommended owners trying to save or salvage material
instead or before demolishing a house. Allison reported that, to date, he had not. Members suggested
developing a list of potential salvage firms to deconstruct/sell salvage materials. Members also suggested
trying to identify groups such as Preservation North Carolina, who might be able to help sell an at risk house to
a target audience.
Members also asked about demolition by neglect ordinances. Moon noted that demolition by neglect programs
are usually linked to local designation status, most commonly for properties within local historic districts. Moon
also noted that it could be difficult to enforce a demolition by neglect program a county as opposed to a district.
Members asked staff to investigate options related to demolition by neglect programs for a future meeting.
ITEM #7: PUBLIC HEARINGS
None.
ITEM #8: ITEMS FOR DECISION
a. Preservation Month Activities
Historic Preservation Commission Minutes April 27, 2011 2
Dickinson asked Rankin for an update on his efforts to obtain WPA photos of rural Orange County sites for
display during National Preservation Month in May. Rankin reported that the portion of the collection at UNC did
not appear to include photos of Orange County buildings. It appeared that downloading the photos from the
Internet would also be more complicated and costly than originally anticipated. Reluctantly, members agreed to
postpone the WPA photo display for next year.
Moon provided an update on the Photo Contest, the presentation of the proclamation to the Board of County
Commissioners and the Last Friday’s event. Dickinson agreed to attend the Board’s meeting and help present
the proclamation. All HPC members agreed to help man the Last Friday’s booth.
ITEM #9: DISCUSSION ITEMS
a. Draft Letter Work Plan (Building Stewardship)
Members read through the letter that Dickinson prepared regarding the HPC’s interest in becoming more
involved with the care of county-owned properties of historic significance. Staff suggested a few minor tweaks
to address some of the department reorganization/name changes that had occurred during the past few years.
Gilfillen motioned to approve the letter as corrected; Rankin seconded the motion. The HPC voted
unanimously to approve the letter as corrected and directed staff to forward the letter to the DEAPR
Department Head to be submitted to the Management.
b. Draft Memorandums for Work Plan (Local Landmark Program & ETJs)
Members read through a similar type document regarding the HPC’s interest that the County restart its
conversation with the Town of Hillsborough to pursue options for offering local landmark status to appropriate
properties within the Town of Hillsborough’s ETJ. Members suggested minor corrections.
Gilfillen motioned to approve the memorandum as corrected; Rankin seconded the motion. The HPC voted
unanimously to approve the memorandum as corrected and directed staff to forward the memorandum to the
DEAPR Department Head to be submitted to the Management.
c. Membership
During the review of the meeting minutes, Golan spoke of the potential HPC candidate in the White Cross
area. Rankin agreed to try again to contact this person and see if she would be interested in joining the HPC.
Staff mentioned an applicant for the Agricultural Preservation Board that also met the criteria for the HPC.
Dickinson offered to call the applicant, who is a landscape architect, and ask if she might be interested in
applying for the HPC instead.
d. Work Plan for 2011 - Monthly Update & Progress Check
Dickinson reviewed the items listed on the work plan chart assigned to the March meetings. Members
discussed their various projects and scheduled them for the upcoming meetings. Dickinson suggested
reviewing the items from the 2009 Preservation Summit at the HPC’s May meeting. Staff provided a brief
update on potential archaeology work at future park site, work that may need to be staged over the course of
several years. HPC members expressed interest using their expertise to help develop a plan for such work.
ITEM #10: INFORMATIONAL ITEMS and handouts at meeting
ITEM #11: ADJOURNMENT
Gilfillen motioned to adjourn the meeting at 8:20 p.m. Golan seconded the motion. Next meeting scheduled
for May 25, 2011.