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Director's Report
January 8, 2007
1. Staff has submitted an interlocal
agreement to the County which will finalize the ability of the Commission to
function as the Historic Landmarks Commission for all outlying towns that
choose to approve the agreement. Heretofore the Commission has
depended upon a motion of the town boards so authorizing the Commission, but
the Institute of Government has ruled that an official interlocal agreement
is necessary. 2.
Staff continues to work with the State Historic Preservation Office on
revising the procedure for the State's review of prospective historic
landmarks. The State now allows the website version of the Survey and
Research Report to serve as the official report for review. The State
will also be developing a set of minimum standards for Survey and Research
Reports.
3. The Survey Committee will meet on
January 29th to consider several items, including Survey and Research
Reports on the Woodlawn Apartments, the Myrtle Square Apartments, and the
Davidson Colored School.
4. The Commission
continues to be very busy with projects, including offers to purchase the
Grand Theater and portions of the Charlotte Cotton Mills, and renovation and
repair work at the N. S. Alexander House, the Grier-Rea House, Grace A.M.E.
Zion Church, and White Oak Plantation.
5. Discussions have been held with the
County about the prospect that the County will convey the First Baptist
Church (Former), now part of Spirit Square to the Historic Landmarks
Commission. The Landmarks Commission would be assigned the task of
developing a preservation strategy. More details will be forthcoming.
6. Staff will be meeting in the
upcoming weeks with the County Budget Department to determine the
operational budget for the Commission for the upcoming year.
7. The City Economic
Development Department will be considering preservation strategies for the
former Mecklenburg Mill and the Johnston Manufacturing Company in North
Charlotte in the upcoming months. The Commission's involvement will be
limited essentially to design review of proposed changes to the site.
8. Staff has received a letter from
Comprehensive Genealogical Services asking to form a contractual
relationship with the HLC regarding County funding for the upcoming budget
cycle. I answered by letter, stating that I thought the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Public Library would be a more appropriate partner.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan L. Morrill |