Agenda - 03-07-2013 - 6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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Farm was worthy of consideration for local landmark designation (Attachment 4). The HPC voted unanimously to request a joint public hearing with the BOCC, as required by Section 3.7 of the Historic Preservation Ordinance (Attachment 5). In addition to the landmark designation process described above, members of the HPC endorsed a proposed National Register Nomination for the Captain John S. Pope Farm and voted unanimously to support this nomination at the January 23, 2013 regular meeting. The BOCC likewise endorsed the proposed National Register nomination for this property at the regular BOCC meeting on January 24, 2013. The Captain John S. Pope Farm was subsequently approved for final nomination to the National Register of Historic Places by the State National Register Advisory Committee and the State Historic Preservation Officer on February 14, 2013. The Pope Farm is one of the best - preserved historic agricultural complexes still surviving in northern Orange County, exemplifying a mid -sized tobacco farm of the type that prospered here from the late 19th century until the 1960s. The farm complex consists of the original two -story farmhouse, built 1870 -74 for Captain John S. Pope, and twenty outbuildings dating from the 1870s to the 1960s. The farm has remained in continuous operation by the Pope family and retains the original property acreage as well as the historic pattern of fields and forests. This is a routine public hearing required by state enabling legislation and the County's Historic Preservation Ordinance. Following this joint public hearing, the BOCC and the HPC will take into consideration any public comments in preparing the final ordinance. The HPC will then return the final version of the proposed ordinance back to the BOCC for the Board's consideration and adoption at its April 9th meeting. FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no fiscal impact associated with this public hearing. Should the Board at the April 9th meeting adopt the proposed ordinance designating the Captain John S. Pope Farm as a Local Landmark, the owner of the property would be eligible for a fifty percent (50 %) property tax deferral. The Pope farm is currently assessed as a working farm under present use valuation program. The exact amount of a potential deferral will thus be calculated based only on the valuations of the historic house and outbuildings, but not the associated farmland. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: 1) hold a joint public hearing with the Historic Preservation Commission to receive public comment on the draft designation ordinance for the Captain John S. Pope Farm, and 2) refer the designation ordinance back to the Historic Preservation Commission for its final review and recommendation.