Agenda - 05-16-2006-6a - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: May 16, 2006 Action Agenda Item No. ~ _q SUBJECT: National Historic Preservation Month DEPARTMENT: Environment and Resource Conservation PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 1) Resolution 2) Press Release from National Tnrst President Richard Moe on National Preservation Month INFORMATION CONTACT: Dave Stancil, 245-2590 Tina Moon, 245-2583 Cathleen Turner, 732-7741 PURPOSE: To proclaim May as National Historic Preservation Month, BACKGROUND: For years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has proclaimed a single week in May as National Historic Preservation Week. Last year, the Trust extended the program to include the entire month, On May 1, 2006, Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation launched the second annual National Preservation Month with the theme, "Sustain America -Vision, Economics, and Preservation," (See Attachment #2 for press release.) National Preservation Month offers an opportunity for Orange County and local partners to reflect on efforts to preserve the built environment and associated heritage, Historic Preservation has contributed to the County's local economic development, The most visible example is the Alexander Dickson House, which serves as the visitor center for the Town of Hillsborough and the headquarters far the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough. The new logo for the Chapel Hill visitor center and the Orange County Economic Development Commission features elements of symbolic historic buildings from the three municipalities -Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough. Other examples of preservation activity, less visible perhaps but no less important, include: • Emphasizing the importance of designing the new justice facility in a way that respects the historic fabric of downtown Hillsborough, particularly the Greek Revival courthouse attributed to John Berry and known throughout the state as an example of that style; • Establishing the Quick Response Team, a partnership between the Historic Preservation Commission (ERCD) and the Building Inspections Division (Planning & Inspections) to document buildings 50 years or older before approving a demolition permit (Orange County is likely the first county in the state to create such as program,);