Orange County NC Website
~'i ! ~ <br />BACKGROUND: historical development, assesses the status of historical resources, and outlines the <br />(continued) historic preservation efforts that are currently underway. The Element lists specific <br />action strategies that direct the work of the Orange County Historic Preservation <br />Commission, including a program to designate County historic landmarks. <br />One of the strategies described in the Historic Preservation Element is the <br />development of a prioritized list of properties for consideration as local historic <br />landmarks. During 1996, the HPC developed a methodology for evaluating and <br />ranking the County's most significant historic resources. Priority consideration for <br />local landmark designation was given to the County's existing sites that are listed on <br />the National Register of Historic Places. <br />In August 1997, the Planning Deparunent staff prepared a detailed report on <br />implementing a local landmark designation program. The report, Preserving the <br />Orange Tradition, describes the authority for instituting such a program, describes <br />the local historic designation process, and examines the costs of the program. The <br />report includes draft ordinances for designation of Orange County's first local <br />historic landmarks. The Executive Summary of this report is attached. <br />Four (4) current National Register sites: Moorefields, Bingham School, Chatwood, <br />and the Rigsbee's Rock House, were selected by the Historic Preservation <br />Commission for consideration as Orange County's first locally designated historic <br />landmarks. The owners of these sites were notified by certified mail of the HPC's <br />intent to recommend them for local landmark designation. Each owner consented <br />to having their property designated as a local landmark (notification letters and <br />signed consent forms are attached)..' As required by the Historic Preservation <br />Ordinance, designation reports were prepared for these sites. Since the sites were <br />previously listed on the National Register, the reports consisted of a cover memo <br />describing the sites' current condition along with photographs of the structures. <br />National Register nomination forms were provided as an attachment to the reports. <br />The designation reports were reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission <br />on February 25, 1998. (The landmark designation reports and HPC comments of <br />2-25-98 are attached. National Register nomination forms are not included in this <br />agenda material but are on file in the Planning and Inspections Department. ) <br />Following the meeting, the designation reports were forwarded to the State Historic <br />Preservation Office for comment (SHPO comments are attached.) At their <br />meeting of March 25, 1998, the HPC recommended these sites for local landmark <br />designation, and requested this matter be considered at the Public Hearing on May <br />26, 1998 (HPC comments of 3-25-98 are attached). <br />Summary descriptions of the four (4) sites recommended for local landmark <br />designation follow. <br />LHD-1-98 MOOREFIELDS (National Register Site 1~0185~ <br />Moorefields is located in the Cheeks Township, at the end of an unpaved lane <br />0.4 miles from Moorefields Road (SR 1135). The entrance to the lane is <br />approximately 0.4 miles west from the northernmost junction of Dimmocks <br />Mill Road (SR 1134) and Moorefields Road. Moorefields is also described as <br />Lot 3, Cheeks Orange County Property Map 51. <br />u <br />