Location: 2100 Randolph Road, Charlotte, N. C.
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Present:
Len Norman, Committee Chairman
Richard Alsop III, Committee Vice-Chairman
Matt Benson
Richard Mattson
Mike Sullivan, HLC Chairman
Dan Morrill, HLC Consulting Director
Stewart Gray, HLC Assistant Consulting Director
Mary Lynn Morrill, HLC Recording Consultant
Absent:
None
Visitors:
John Nichols (Morningside Apts. -realtor for owners)
Adam Foodman (Attorney)
Tom Grahm (Owner, Morningside Apts.)
Abby Claar (Morningside Apts. - tenant)
Mark Turner (Morningside Apts.)
Kent Jones (Morningside Apts. - attorney for owners)
Rob Pressley (Meca Properties, Morningside Apts.)
AGENDA
#1 - Welcome: Mr. Norman
Mr. Norman welcomed everyone to the meeting. He reminded those
present that decisions made by the Survey Committee this evening will be
considered by the HLC at the March 13th meeting of the HLC that begins
at 6:30 p.m.
#2 - Director’s Report: Dr. Morrill
Dr. Morrill reported that the Town of Pineville has voted to spend up
to $15,000 to process the downtown historic store buildings for local
historic landmark designation and for listing in the National Register
of Historic Places.
Mr. Stewart Gray and Ms. Hope Murphy will be working jointly on this
project if the properties are placed on the Study List.
Dr. Morrill reported that he and Mr. Gray visited the former home of
E. C. Griffith on Hempstead Place on February 1, 2006, to evaluate the
house for possible historic designation. They concluded that in their
opinions the house does not have the requisite special significance to
warrant historic landmarks designation. The Committee did not contest
Staff’s conclusion.
#3 - Study List Applications: ( Note that the current Study List
can be found onthe HLC’s website - www.cmhpf.org.)
Dr. Morrill reported that the Town of Pineville is very interested in
saving as much of the historic fabric of the center of its town as
possible. Dr. Morrill said that he met recently with the Town Board and
reviewed properties worthy of being placed on the HLC’s Study List. The
Committee discussed the properties.
DR. MATTSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. ALSOP TO RECOMMEND TO
THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT THE FOLLOWING PROPERTIES IN
PINEVILLE, N. C., BE PLACED ON THE HLC’S STUDY LIST: 319 MAIN STREET,
321 MAIN STREET, 325 MAIN STREET, 327 MAIN STREET, 331 MAIN STREET, 312
MAIN STREET, 314 MAIN STREET, 316 MAIN STREET, 318 MAIN STREET, 322 MAIN
STREET, THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE MOTION.
#4 - Policy on Processing Prospective Historic Landmarks over
Owner’s Opposition.
Dr. Morrill said that it would be helpful to HLC Staff to have a more
flexible policy than currently exists regarding the processing of
properties for prospective historic landmark designation over owner
opposition. The current policy, approved in January 1999, states "THAT
THE HLC WILL BE SENSITIVE AND RESPECTFUL OF AN OWNER’S DESIRE REGARDING
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROCESSING AN OWNER’S PROPERTY, BUT THAT THE HLC,
AFTER DELIBERATE CONSIDERATION, WILL RECOMMEND THE PROCESSING OF
PROPERTIES FOR HISTORIC DESIGNATION IF IT DEEMS THAT THE PROPERTY IS
WORTHY OF CONSIDERATION FOR DESIGNATION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE
PREVAILING GUIDELINES." Dr. Morrill explained that theretofore the HLC
had a policy which stated that no property could be processed for
historic designation over owner opposition. Dr. Morrill explained that
the HLC has many properties on its Study list with owner support and has
a limited amount of resources to process all these properties. Dr.
Morrill said that City Council and the Town Boards have been most
reluctant to designate properties as historic over owner opposition. He
also reminded the Committee members that the HLC is required by law to
issue a Certificate of Demolition to an owner who wishes to tear down a
designated historic landmark that does not have deed restrictions in
place such as those placed on properties bought and sold by the HLC. The
HLC can prevent demolition of a historic landmark for a maximum of one
year.
Committee members discussed the issue and agreed to continue to
consider the HLC’s current policy. The matter will be addressed again at
the Survey Committee’s next meeting, by which time specific language
will be developed.
#5 - Prospective Historic Landmarks
Dr. Morrill said that two issues need to be considered by the
Committee: 1) A possible recommendation to the Planning Commission Staff
regarding the preservation of the Western-most quadrangle of the
Morningside Apartments and 2) A recommendation regarding processing the
Morningside Apartments for historic landmark designation.
Mr. Norman noted that representatives of the owners and the tenants
were present. He said that both sides would be given an opportunity to
speak.
Mr. Kent Jones, attorney for the owner, said that the owners oppose
historic designation, and furthermore, that the owners do not wish to be
required to preserve any part of Morningside Apartments.
Ms. Claar, a tenant of the Morningside Apartments, said that she
continues to believe that the Morningside Apartments meet the statutory
requirements for historic landmarks.
Discussion ensued among the members of the Committee. Questions
were asked, and statements were made.
MR. SULLIVAN PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. BENSON TO RECOMMEND
TO THE HISTORIC LANDMARKS COMMISSION THAT THE MORNINGSIDE APARTMENTS NOT
BE PROCESSED FOR HISTORIC LANDMARK DESIGNATION. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED
THE MOTION WITH THE FOLLOWING VOTE: FAVOR: BENSON, NORMAN, SULLIVAN.
OPPOSE: ALSOP, MATTSON. ABSTAIN: NONE.
MR. BENSON PRESENTED A MOTION SECONDED BY MR. ALSOP THAT DR. MORRILL
NOT APPROACH THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF WITH A PRESERVATION PLAN FOR
A PORTION OF THE MORNINGSIDE APARTMENTS. THE COMMITTEE APPROVED THE
MOTION WITH THE FOLLOWING VOTE: FAVOR: ALSOP, BENSON, NORMAN, SULLIVAN.
OPPOSE: MATTSON. ABSTAIN: NONE.
Dr. Morrill asked Rob Pressley to confirm that the prospective buyer
would take record photographs of the Morningside Apartments and deposit
the photographs and negatives with the HLC. Mr. Pressley stated that the
prospective buyer was committed to this undertaking.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:00 p.m.