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Director's Report August 9, 2004
1. The Town of Matthews has approached the Commission about participating jointly in a preservation program for the Bost House on West John St. Bryan Turner, Stewart Gray, and I visited the house; and we all agreed that it is a most significant historic structure architecturally. Bryan Turner is developing cost estimates, and this issue will be brought to the Projects Committee at one of its upcoming meetings. 2. Staff developed and distributed to the Executive Committee a draft of a letter of intent to be submitted to the realtor for the owner of the Jordan Farm on Hus McGinnis Road. The Town of Huntersville will be deciding on August 16th whether it wishes to participate with the Commission in purchasing and offering this property for development. 3. The Executive Committee has met during the past month with the realtors for the Charlotte Cotton Mills and the Oakley House. Negotiations with prospective buyers for these properties continue. 4. A prospective buyer of the S. W. Davis House has submitted a purchase contract to the realtor who represents the owner. The issue before the Commission is whether it wishes to exercise its right of first refusal to purchase. The buyers will appear before the Commission tonight to present their conceptual plans for the property. 5. There have been meetings regarding the relocation of the Bethesda School to Rural Hill Plantation. The Executive Committee, acting on behalf of the Commission, has waived its right of first refusal to purchase. The owner has signed an agreement stipulating that the Commission has until December 31, 2004, to move the structure elsewhere or allow the building to be destroyed. The Catawba Valley Scottish Society is supportive of the plan to move the schoolhouse to Rural Hill. The issue before the Commission is whether it wishes to take the funds from its revolving fund to move and restore the structure or whether it wishes to make an appeal to the Board of County Commissioners for a special allocation to fund the project. 6. The Board of County Commissioners did not act favorably on the the Citizens Capital Budget Advisory Commission's recommendation that $1.5 million be replenished to the revolving fund. I discussed this matter with County staff and they stated that the Commission could submit a betterment request in the 2005-2006 County budget. 7. Three properties have been designated by City Council as historic landmarks since your last meeting. They are: Victor Shaw House, American Legion Memorial Stadium, and the First United Presbyterian Church. At the request of the owner, Council action on the prospective designation of the Lloyd Presbyterian Church Cemetery was continued until September. 8. Please be advised that several public hearings will be scheduled this Fall. Staff will advise you of the time, place, and date when these become known. 9. Staff is aware that some owners of historic landmarks are not fully aware of their responsibilities to submit applications for Certificates of Appropriateness. Staff will be meeting with the Building Standards Department to discuss this matter and to devise remedies. 10. Owners of a substantial amount of farmland in northern Mecklenburg County have approached the Commission about processing their land for historic landmark designation and the road upon which the land borders.
Respectfully submitted,
Dan L. Morrill
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