Agenda - 05-15-2012 - 4a - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 2007, the National Trust selected the Town of Hillsborough as one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, and in 2011 the Trust selected the Town of Chapel Hill for the same honor. Of the five North Carolina municipalities that have received this honor, two are in Orange County. Orange County's current historic preservation activities include the following: • Convening a Historic Preservation Summit on May 3, 2012 for historic preservation organizations to share information and collaborate on projects of mutual interest; • Setting up a booth at the Town of Hillsborough's Last Friday's event on May 25 with materials on the County's Local Landmark Program, an honorary designation program for local properties with historic and architectural significance; • Funding a cultural and archaeological survey of the future Hollow Rock Access Area, with a matching grant from the NC Department of Cultural Resources; • Maintaining many historic and culturally-significant buildings at County park sites, demonstrating the County's commitment to historic resource stewardship and recognizing that many of these buildings are irreplaceable assets; and • Including a chapter on cultural and historic resources in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. These examples represent a sample of the County's efforts to promote the importance of cultural heritage and to use history as well as preservation for local economic development, such as tourism, coalition building and making Orange County a destination. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with approval of the proclamation. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) approve the proclamation designating the month of May as National Historic Preservation Month with the theme, "Discover America's Hidden Gems"; and 2) extend an invitation to the public to learn about the many important historic sites located throughout Orange County.