Sept. 4 - 10, 2015
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Bill proposes ‘opt-out’ to historic districts Rep. Mark Brody sponsors House Bill 799 by GERRI HUNT RALEIGH – A piece of legislation in the North Carolina House, sponsored by Rep. Mark Brody (R-Union), stands to have a major impact not only in Oak Ridge, but across the state, as it proposes to enable individual properties to be removed from a historic district. House Bill 799, titled “Zoning/Changes to Historic Preservation Procedures,” was changed the evening before it was to be heard by the House Finance Committee on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Brody says the optout provision has been in the bill for some time; however, there is no evidence of the provision in earlier versions of the bill. The opt-out provision would let an owner of property within a designated historic district petition for removal from the district. A local historic preservation commission (HPC) would have 10 days to
submit the owner’s petition to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for review, which in turn would have 30 days to make a recommendation to the HPC. The HPC would hold a public hearing, and then make a recommendation to the local municipal government (i.e. the town council) – which would make the final decision on whether to allow the property to be pulled from the historic district.
founded in 1939 to promote and protect historic buildings, landscapes and sites.
“The opt-out provision probably won’t result in that many exemptions, but it will require [historic] commissions and city councils to deal individually with everyone who has a beef with the historic district process,” said Howard. “I can imagine disgruntled property owners who have been denied COAs [Certificates of Appropriateness], and The opt-out contractors wanting Ann Schneider, Oak Ridge Historic provision “is kind to do teardowns, filPreservation Commission chair of benign” being for removal from cause the state’s the district – gumopinion on the petition “is not binding,” ming up the work of commissions and said Brody. creating a steady drumbeat of discontent with city councils.” J. Myrick Howard agrees. He’s presi-
This is bad for Oak Ridge, bad for the historic district, bad for any town with a similar district – and a dangerous precedent for all zoning requirements.”
dent of Preservation NC, a nonprofit
Ann Schneider, chair of Oak Ridge
Northern Guilford (0-1) will host Northwest Guilford (2-0) this Friday, Sept. 4 at 7:30 p.m. The football game will be played in the Johnny Roscoe Stadium, 7101 Spencer Dixon Road in Greensboro. Admission tickets are $6, and can be purchased in advance at both schools during lunch hours.
HPC, echoes Howard. “This provision would be incredibly burdensome for our historic preservation commission and town council. It’s also completely inappropriate because changes to the historic district should be initiated only by HPC, working with town council, not by individuals who want to be in the historic district but want a pass on its special zoning requirements,” she said. “This is bad for Oak Ridge, bad for the historic district, bad for any town with a similar district – and a dangerous precedent for all zoning requirements. We have all run into zoning requirements that we don’t like – but we comply,” Schneider continued. “I don’t think any of us want
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IN THIS ISSUE News in brief................................3 Your Questions ............................4 Business Notes ............................5 Celebration .................................5 Bits & Pieces ................................6 Pets & Critters ..............................7 Hedgehogs make spiky pets ....8 Community Calendar .............. 10 Crime/Incident Report ............. 11 High School Sports ................... 15 From frontlines to sidelines ...... 16 Student Profiles ......................... 17 Grins & Gripes ........................... 18 Classifieds ................................. 19 Index of Advertisers .................23