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Director’s Report

March 12, 2001

A.  Action Items.

1.  The Trust For Public Land intends to purchase a portion of the Cedar Grove or Torrance Plantation for transfer to Mecklenburg County. For purpose of appraising the value of the property, the Trust has developed a conceptual plan for placing houses on a portion of the property. The development will never actually occur. However, the Trust wants the Commission to approve a statement saying that the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines to permit in-fill development. Staff recommends approval of this request.

B. Information Items.

1.  The Board of County Commissioners approved the designation of the McAuley House as a historic landmark. Plans are proceeding to have the house moved to the Oehler property, probably in late April or early May.

2.  The County has closed on the Oehler Farm. The next step will be identify the metes and bounds of the parcels that will constitute the land for the Oehler House and the McAuley House and have them designated, along with the houses, as historic landmarks. That will allow the Commission to move ahead with restoring the houses.

3.  The following properties are being processed for historic landmark designation so that the Commission can move ahead with the purchase and restoration of same: Richard Rozzell House, Mt. Zion Lutheran Church, Oehler House.

4.  The office has been contacted by potential buyers of the property on which the Grier-Rea House is located. The prospective buyers would like to develop a preservation solution for the property. They have agreed not to take any action before the HLC’s April meeting to demolish the house until alternatives are explored with the Commission. I was authorized in return to state that the Commission would take no action to process the property for historic landmark designation before its April meeting. I anticipate that discussions will begin in the near future.

5.  The Town Board of Huntersville and the Commission will hold a joint public hearing on April 2, 2001, to consider historic landmark designation for the John Milton Alexander House. I anticipate that the owner will oppose designation.

6.  The Charlotte City Council will hold joint public hearings with the Commission in April to consider the designation of the Coffey House and the Withers-Efird House as historic landmarks. I will give you the time and the date when they become available. I anticipate that Queens College will oppose designation of the Withers-Efird House.

7.  A Conference on the History of Rosenwald Schools will be held at Johnson C. Smith University on April 27^th and April 28^th. I have information if any Commissioners would like to see it.

8.  The Board of Trustees of Johnson C. Smith University will meet on March 15^th to decide whether it will move ahead with the Davis House project. This will be a most worthwhile project for the community.

9.  The Board of Editors of the Commission’s history journal will meet on March 15^th at 4 p.m. We have representation from the Charlotte History Museum, the Museum of the New South, UNCC, and Johnson C. Smith University. Invitations have also been sent to Queens College and to Davidson College.

10.  No word has yet been received from Historic Charlotte, Inc. about the transfer of funds for the building of the bathroom/education center for the Rural Hill Schoolhouse. As soon as the money is received, I will be moving ahead with working with the Education Committee to move the project forward.

11.  Here is an update on several projects. The Croft Schoolhouse is still for sale. Yelverton Architects is developing a site plan for the W. T. Alexander property. Plans for interior demolition at the Charlotte Cotton Mills are being prepared. The FWA Group is developing a site plan for the Palmer Fire School property, which will be used as the basis of negotiations with the Park and Recreation Department. We are moving ahead to prepare for seeking County Commission approval for the Ratcliffe-Otterbourg House.

 

Respectfully submitted