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Orange County <br /> HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION <br /> Approved Meeting Summary <br /> December 10', 2025 <br /> Bonnie Davis Center, 1020 US 70 West, Hillsborough <br /> MEMBERS PRESENT: Eric Deetz, Rob Golan, Carol Ann Lewald, Art Menius, Cecelia Moore, Anne <br /> Whisnant <br /> MEMBERS ABSENT: Todd Dickinson <br /> STAFF PRESENT: Peter Sandbeck, Cultural Resources Coordinator <br /> GUESTS: None <br /> ITEM #1: CALL TO ORDER: Chair Menius called the meeting to order at 6:31 pm. <br /> ITEM #2: CHANGES OR ADDITIONS TO AGENDA: Staff suggested moving the "open air time" <br /> item from the end to the beginning, just to mix things up for a change. Members shared <br /> items of interest. Topics included: the history of the property at the Bluestem site in the <br /> northern part of the county and how that supports the preservation of the land there; and <br /> the status of the Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House on the bluffs above the Eno. Staff noted <br /> that the HPC will have to hold a public hearing at our January 281" meeting for the updated <br /> National Register nomination for Moorefields, then we make our recommendation to the <br /> BOCC at the Feb. 3 meeting. <br /> ITEM #3: APPROVAL OF MINUTES for October 22"d, 2025, meeting: <br /> Lewald moved to approve, seconded by Eric; motion carried. <br /> ITEM #4: ITEMS FOR DECISION: <br /> a. Approval of proposed HPC calendar for 2026: members reviewed the proposed new <br /> dates. Deetz moved to approve, seconded by Whisnant; motion carried. <br /> ITEM #5: DISCUSSION ITEMS <br /> a. HPC Draft Annual Report and Work Plan: Staff presented a draft of the updated plan, to <br /> reflect our accomplishments in 2025 and our goals for 2026. As HPC chair, Menius will <br /> present our plan to the BOCC, probably in February. Discussion followed to point out <br /> some suggestions for edits and additions. Staff noted that it seemed challenging to find <br /> ways to link the HPC's activities to the County's strategic plan goals and objectives. <br /> Members identified several additional ways to build those connections, for example, our <br /> work with the book, interpretive signs and our support for the lynching memorial marker <br /> program all align with learning and educational goals and lifelong learning. The same <br /> applies to our collaboration with the Human Relations Commission to develop permanent <br /> memorial markers and interpretive signs for the Blackwood, which is collaborative work on <br /> informal education. We should take the same approach for our activities listed for 2026. <br /> b. HPC Role in state/federal review process: proposed cell towers: Staff provided an <br /> overview of the HPC's role in the various federal and state review processes for assessing <br /> the impact of projects on properties or sites listed on the Register or that are determined <br /> to be eligible. Our state cultural resource review process includes local HPC's and HDC's <br /> as what is called a "consulting party." Staff then presented two proposed 5G towers that <br /> are being proposed for neighborhoods in Chapel Hill, so technically these lie outside of <br /> 1 <br />