[00:00:01]
ALL THESE FOLKS TAKE A SEAT.I CALLED TO ORDER THE SPECIAL MEETING TO CON, HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE PROPOSED DESIGNS, UH, PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS FOR THE NEWBORN HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMM.
EXCUSE ME, MR. SHELLEY, WOULD YOU DO A ROLL CALL, PLEASE? YES, SIR.
YOU, WE HAVE A FULL HOUSE TODAY, SO WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
WE WILL NOT BE VOTING ON ANYTHING, AS I SAID.
AND AGAIN, THE PURPOSES OF THE MEETING IS JUST TO REALLY GET YOUR COMMENTS ON THE PROPOSED DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS THAT WERE POSTED ON THE WEBSITE.
THEY'LL CONTINUE TO BE POSTED.
UH, THERE YOU CAN CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THEM.
AND ALSO WE'LL CONTINUE TO KICK COMMENTS ON THE EMAIL, UH, ADDRESS THAT WAS LISTED THERE AS WELL.
[3. Presentation on proposed revisions to the Design Principles and Standards]
SO WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DEVELOPING SERVICES DIRECTOR JESSICA RU, WHO WILL TALK ABOUT THE UPDATE PROCESS.WE ARE GOING NOT TALK TO BE TALKING ABOUT A PROJECT WE'VE ALL BEEN WORKING ON FOR ABOUT THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE HPC COMMISSIONERS.
THEY HAVE PUT IN A LOT OF TIME, ATTENDED A LOT OF SPECIAL MEETINGS, AND I THINK IT'LL BECOME EVIDENT THROUGHOUT THIS PRESENTATION THIS EVENING.
THEY HAVE DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND OUR STAFF IN THE CITY IS VERY APPRECIATIVE FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.
WE'RE GONNA START THIS MORNING OR THIS MORNING.
GOSH, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY THIS EVENING, UH, WITH A PURPOSE AND INTENT, AND I DON'T TYPICALLY CARE FOR READING AT MEETINGS.
HOWEVER, THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS PURPOSE IS AND INTENT IS THE REASON WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION TONIGHT.
IT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVE THE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES AND WHY THIS BOARD DOES WHAT IT DOES.
THIS TEXT HAS NOT CHANGED THROUGH A VARIETY OF AMENDMENTS AND UPDATES.
IT SORT OF ACTS LIKE THE CONSTITUTION AND IS STILL RELEVANT TODAY.
THE PURPOSE OF THE NEW BERN HISTORIC DISTRICT DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS IS TO ALLOW COMPLIMENTARY CHANGES TO THE ARCHITECTURAL FABRIC WHILE PRESERVING THE HISTORIC CHARACTER OF NEW BERN'S HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND DISTRICTS DEFINE THE CHARACTER OF NEW BERN AND SHAPE ITS PRESENT IDENTITY WHILE CREATING A LINK TO HISTORY OF NEW BERN'S PEOPLE, EVENTS AND ARCHITECTURE.
THE ATTEMPT IS NOT TO PREVENT PHYSICAL CHANGE OR IMPOSE PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL STYLES, BUT TO MODERATE THE CHANGES WHILE PROTECTING CONTRIBUTING HISTORIC STRUCTURES AND REDUCING DISLOCATION CAUSED BY A RANDOM CHANGE.
HISTORIC STANDARDS ARE THE COMMON THREADS THAT MAINTAIN NEW BERN'S SENSE OF PLACE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
WE ARE TALKING ABOUT OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND WE TALK ABOUT THE TEXT OF THE DOCUMENT THIS EVENING.
THE APPLICABLE AREAS WOULD BE THE RIVERSIDE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND OUR DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT.
BECAUSE THESE ARE LOCAL DISTRICTS, WE ARE ALLOWED TO IMPOSE ADDITIONAL DESIGN STANDARDS THAT THE STATE HAS REMOVED FROM MOST OTHER AREAS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN DEGRA AND REED PARK AND IN GENT.
THEY ARE NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, BUT ARE NOT LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND THEY ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THESE STANDARDS FOR THAT REASON.
TYPICALLY, LAND USE ORDINANCES IF YOU PAY A PEN.
I'VE SAID THIS THROUGHOUT OUR LAND USE ORDINANCE UPDATE.
THEY GET LOOKED AT COMPREHENSIVELY AND UPDATED ABOUT EVERY 10 YEARS.
AND SO WE'RE ABOUT DUE FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
OUR HPC WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1980 ON APRIL 22ND.
SO WE ARE APPROACHING 50 YEARS OF AN HPC PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF NEW BERN.
THAT IS EASY FOR ME TO REMEMBER BECAUSE I AM TWO DAYS OLDER THAN THE HPC
MULTIPLE UPDATES HAVE OCCURRED SINCE THAT TIME.
THAT WAS PRIMARILY WORKED ON IN 2015 AND 2016, AND THEN ADOPTED EARLY THAT YEAR INTO THAT ITERATION OF THESE GUIDELINES, FOUR SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND I'M GOING TO WALK THROUGH A HISTORY OF WHY WE ARE HERE AND WHAT WE HAVE DONE OVER THE LAST YEAR.
LAST SUMMER, WE WERE RECEIVING A LOT OF FEEDBACK ABOUT SOME OF OUR DEFINITIONS, INTERPRETATIONS IN OUR DOCUMENT, AND ALSO ABOUT FRUSTRATION WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE IN TOWN UNABLE TO USE
[00:05:01]
MORE MODERNIZED MATERIALS WHEN RENOVATING THEIR HOMES.AND THIS PROMPTED THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN TO DIRECT THIS BOARD TO LOOK AT OUR GUIDELINES AND, AND DO SOME RESEARCH.
WE STARTED WITH A SURVEY THAT RAN IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR.
AND AROUND THAT SAME TIME IN EARLY NOVEMBER, WE HOSTED TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS.
A LITTLE FURTHER IN THE PRESENTATION, I'LL BE TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THOSE TWO EVENTS.
WE TOOK THE DATA FROM THOSE, UH, TWO EVENTS AND WE REVIEWED IT.
WE LOOKED AT IT AND WE REALIZED THAT THE CHANGES THAT THE PUBLIC WAS WANTING TO SEE REALLY DID NOT WARRANT A LARGE SCALE UPDATE OF THIS ORDINANCE LIKE WE ARE DOING WITH OUR LAND JUICE ORDINANCE.
AND WE MADE THE DECISION THAT WE WOULD DO THIS WORK IN-HOUSE WITHOUT USING A CONSULTANT.
THIS WAS AN HPC DRIVEN UPDATE.
AND WHEN I SAY THAT THE WORK AND THE PROPOSALS CHANGED, ALL HAVE BEEN REVIEWED BY THIS BOARD AND THIS BODY RESEARCHED DISCUSSED, AND BEFORE IT WENT INTO THIS DRAFT, WE GOT AT LEAST, UH, A MAJORITY AGREE THAT THIS, THEY WANTED THIS CHANGE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE DRAFT.
WE ACCOMPLISHED THIS BY HAVING FOR THE LAST SIX OR SEVEN MONTHS, WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH STAFF, OFTEN WITH ONE OR TWO HPC MEMBERS.
WE WOULD GO THROUGH TOPICS, WE WOULD GIVE OUT SOME HOMEWORK, WE WOULD DO RESEARCH, WE'D DO SOME DRAFTING.
WE'D COME BACK, WE'D MEET AGAIN.
AND WE DID THAT CYCLICALLY UNTIL WE GOT THROUGH THE ORDINANCE.
WE LOOKED AT WHAT A LOT OF OUR SISTER CITIES ARE DOING.
WE LOOKED AT THE LOOK AND FEEL OF THEIR DOCUMENTS.
WE HELD THREE SPECIAL MEETINGS THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS WHERE WE ALL RECONVENED.
WE WENT THROUGH THE WORK THAT HAD BEEN DONE INDIVIDUALLY.
AND THAT IS IN THE DRAFT THAT IS BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE MADE SEVERAL OTHER PROCEDURAL MODERNIZATIONS TO THE WAY OUR HPC OPERATES, AND WE'LL SUMMARIZE THOSE LATER IN THE PRESENTATION.
AND WHEN WE GOT TO A WORKING DRAFT, WE WENT AND WE SCHEDULED THIS MEETING AND WE MAILED NOTICE TO ALL 1033 PROPERTY OWNERS IN OUR LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
NO NOTIFYING THEM OF THESE CHANGES AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK ON THEM, AS WELL AS SETTING UP, UH, AN EMAIL ADDRESS FOR, FOR FOLKS TO SUBMIT PUBLIC COMMENTS.
I HAVE RECEIVED TWO VERBAL COMMENTS ON MISSPELLED NAMES, ONE QUESTION ON WHERE TO FIND SOME INFORMATION.
AND THEN JUST TODAY, TWO MORE IN-DEPTH COMMENTS.
SO THE COMMENTS ARE COMING IN VERY SLOWLY ON WEEK THREE OF THE DRAFT BEING RELEASED, AND NOW WE'RE HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING, OUR RULES REQUIRE THAT AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC HEARING IS HELD BY THE HPC WHEN THEY ARE PROPOSING CHANGES TO THESE GUIDELINES.
UM, AND SO WE WILL EVALUATE WHAT COMES OUT OF THIS EVENING, AND THIS MAY OR MAY NOT BE THE ONLY PUBLIC HEARING AT THIS LEVEL, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT NEXT STEPS WHEN WE, ONCE WE GET THROUGH THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION THIS EVENING.
SO THE SURVEY AND THE CHARETTES, AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE CHARETTE, UH, IT, IT IS AN INTERACTIVE MEETING.
WE HELD ONE DURING THE DAYTIME AND ONE DURING THE EVENING ABOUT 50 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED.
WE ALSO, UM, GLEANED SOME OF THIS INFORMATION FROM OUR SURVEY, BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT THAT WAS LOUD AND CLEAR WAS THAT HAVING AN HPC AND HAVING DESIGN STANDARDS IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY OF NEWBURGH.
WE ALSO LEARNED THAT MANY PEOPLE, THE MAJORITY THOUGHT THE DESIGN STANDARDS SHOULD BE UPDATED.
AND THIS WAS FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, BUT THE PRIMARY ONES LISTED WERE CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS, UM, SOME THINGS ABOUT PAINT AND A LOT OF PROCESSES.
THE NEXT THING THAT WE LEARNED WAS THAT THEY COULD LOOK BETTER AND BE MORE USER FRIENDLY.
I COULD NOT AGREE MORE, AND THAT IS A LATER STEP IN THIS PROJECT.
THE REVIEW PROCESS AND THE HBC MEETINGS ARE TOO LONG.
UM, WE HAVE MADE SOME MODIFICATIONS I'LL TALK ABOUT LATER TONIGHT ABOUT THAT WE ARE BOUND BY QUASI-JUDICIAL PROCEDURES LAID OUT IN STATE STATUTES.
AND SO BY THAT VERY NATURE, SOMETIMES REVIEW PROCESSES FOR THIS BOARD AND THE BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT DO TAKE LONGER THAN OTHER BOARDS.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT INFILL PROJECTS COULD FIT BETTER INTO THE HISTORIC DISTRICT AND THAT THERE SHOULD BE A MORE ROBUST ENFORCEMENT
[00:10:01]
PROGRAM, WHICH IS ALSO ON OUR LIST OF TASKS TO GET THAT.WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO CHAIRMAN MORRISON, WHO IS GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW SLIDES THAT HIGHLIGHT ALL OF THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAD AND ALSO SOME OF THE ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND ULTIMATELY WHERE THEY LANDED ON RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
UH, YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE A NUMBER OF TOPICS, ISSUES, SOME WHICH WERE BROUGHT BY COMMISSIONERS, SOME WHICH WERE BROUGHT BY THE PUBLIC.
OTHERS WE GLEANED FROM OTHER CITIES, BOTH LARGE AND SMALL, BUT DEALING WITH CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS, WHICH IS EVERYTHING THAT'S NOT WOOD OR METAL BASICALLY.
AND SO WE TALKED ABOUT INFILL PROPERTIES BECAUSE THERE'VE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT DESIGNS OF NEW PROPERTIES IN NEW BERN.
WE'VE TALKED TO THE CITY STAFF ABOUT WHAT COULD BE DONE TO ENHANCE THAT.
WE HAVE A PROJECT COMING IF IT GETS APPROVED TO ACCOMMODATE TRENT COURT REDEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WHAT WILL OCCUR THERE WILL BE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TYPE OF PROPERTY THAN WHAT WE HAVE ELSEWHERE.
IT'S NOT INDIVIDUAL HOUSES WITH FRONT YARDS.
THEY ALSO HAVE TO DEAL WITH FLOOD, UH, MINOR THINGS ABOUT LANDSCAPING TREE REMOVAL.
BUT WE REALLY SPENT SOME TIME ON ADDITIONS AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AND STAIN AND PAINT PRODUCTS.
WE'VE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH, UH, MASONRY BEING PAINTED, WHICH IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS BEFORE WE CAN STOP IT.
AND WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON PRE PREVENTION OF DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT, WHERE WE IDENTIFY A PROPERTY THAT DOES NEED HELP.
AND WE WORK WITH THE OWNER SOMETIMES WITH THEIR COOPERATION.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE NOT COOPERATING.
AND SO WE MIGHT ENCOUNTER IN ONE CASE I KNOW OF SINCE I WAS ON THE HPC BACK IN 2012 AND 13, THE SAME CUSTOMER THAT WE DEALT WITH BACK THEN IS STILL AN ISSUE, BUT THAT ONE, LUCKILY WE RESOLVED THIS PAST FALL.
SO IT TAKES A LONG TIME SOMETIMES, BUT IT IS WORTH PURSUING BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT A PREMIER HISTORIC HOME OR STRUCTURE AND FALL INTO DISREPAIR.
AND IT'S NOT EASY TO FIX ONCE IT GOES BEYOND A CERTAIN STAGE.
RECENTLY WHAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, ARTWORK, MURALS, EXTERIOR COLORS, AND THEN THE ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY.
WE UNDERSTAND IT CAN BE EXPENSIVE, BUT YOU ALSO HAVE A, A, A REAL GEM IN YOUR PROPERTY.
UH, SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PRESERVED FOR A LONG TIME.
IT MIGHT BE A HUNDRED OR 150 YEARS OLD NOW.
THERE'S PROBABLY NO REASON IT CAN'T LAST ANOTHER 150 YEARS WITH PROPER CARE.
ON THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS, OUR ACTIVITIES, WE REVIEWED ALL THOSE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
HPC MEMBERS HAD A LOT OF INPUT TO THIS.
WE HAD DISCUSSIONS, OPEN DISCUSSIONS AT OUR DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS WHERE WE TRIED TO REACH A CONSENSUS.
WE'D TALK ABOUT THE GOOD AND THE BAD OF CERTAIN IDEAS AND THEN COME UP WITH A CONSENSUS.
UH, WE RESEARCHED OTHER CITIES HBC DESIGN STANDARDS.
AND THIS WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE CHAIRMAN, EXCUSE ME, FORMER CHAIRMAN THOMPSON AND I BOTH LOOKED BACK AT THINGS WE LOOKED AT IN 2016 AND 2017, AND WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE SAME DATA UP TO DATE TO SEE WHAT THOSE OTHER CITIES IN NORTH CAROLINA HAD DONE.
THERE ARE OTHERS LIKE OURS, NONE WITH THE NUMBER OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, I'D RECOMMEND YOU LOOK AT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRESERVATION BRIEFS IF YOU ARE A OWNER OF A HISTORIC STRUCTURE BECAUSE THEY HAVE A WEALTH OF INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR PROPERTY AND HOW TO DEAL WITH ISSUES.
WE ALSO LOOKED AT THAT BECAUSE THEY PUT OUT A NEW PRESERVATION BRIEF, NUMBER 16, THAT DEALT ENTIRELY WITH SUBSTITUTE OR CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS ON HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND WE WERE VERY EAGER TO EXPLORE THAT.
WE'VE DONE WHAT WE CAN WITH THAT, AND I THINK YOU'LL FIND THAT'S SOME BIG CHANGES FOR NEW BURNS GUIDELINES FOR STANDARDS.
UH, WE WENT TO A NUMBER OF WEBINARS, SEMINARS, UH, ALL ONLINE, NO TRAVEL, UH, AND WE HAD MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS WITH OURSELVES AGAIN.
AND FINALLY, THANKS TO PARTICULARLY COMMISSIONER THOMPSON, WE WERE ABLE TO
[00:15:01]
DRAFT ALL THESE STANDARDS INTO A FORMAT THAT CURRENTLY MIMICS WHAT WAS OUT THERE BEFORE.BUT AS JESSE SAID, IT'S NOT GOING TO LOOK THAT LIKE THAT IN THE FUTURE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A MUCH MORE MODERN UP-TO-DATE, VISUALLY PLEASING DESIGN.
BACK IN 2017, THIS WAS BASICALLY WHAT YOU GOT.
BUT WE'VE SEEN SOME OTHER CITIES, PARTICULARLY WILMINGTON AND UH, SALISBURY, THAT HAVE A VERY ATTRACTIVE EYE-CATCHING SET OF STANDARDS.
AND THE GOAL IS IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING, WE WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT PAGE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SOME OF THE NOTEWORTHY CHANGES THAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE DRAFT STANDARDS FIRST IS ADDITIONS TO CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES, AND THAT'S CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES OF THOSE OVER 50 YEARS OLD.
ADDITIONS TO CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES MAY USE CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS WHICH VISUALLY EMULATE THE HISTORIC MATERIALS.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS COMPOSITE WINDOWS AND CEMENTATION SIDING WITH APPROPRIATE DIMENSIONS AND APPEARANCE IS ABLE TO HELP DIFFERENTIATE THE NEW FROM OLD WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER.
IN THE PAST, WHEN YOU DID AN ADDITION, WE EXPECTED YOU TO CONTINUE THE PALLET OF MATERIALS THAT WAS ON YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW, WHERE THIS NOW ALLOWS YOU TO USE CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS ON THAT ADDITION.
AS LONG AS THEY ARE REASONABLY IN LINE WITH WHAT THE REST OF THE HOUSE LOOKS LIKE ON DECKS, NEW DECKS, CONTEMPORARY FLOORING WILL NOW BE ALLOWED.
UH, WE RECOGNIZE THAT WHILE REPAIR OF HISTORIC FABRIC AND HISTORIC FABRIC IS YOUR SIDING, YOUR WINDOWS, EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT HOUSE THAT IS ORIGINAL IS ALWAYS THE DESIRED OUTCOME.
SO WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO ASK YOU TO REPAIR FIRST, BUT ONCE YOU REMOVE HISTORIC, BECAUSE ONCE YOU REMOVE HISTORIC FABRIC, IT IS GONE FOREVER.
YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET THAT OLD WOOD BACK.
YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET THAT WHOLE WINDOW BACK.
THERE ARE SITUATIONS, HOWEVER, WHEN THE LEVEL OF DETERIORATION MAKES LOCALIZED REPAIRS, INFEASIBLE AND HISTORIC MATERIAL HAS TO BE REPLACED.
REPLACEMENT WITH CONTEMPORARY MATERIAL WILL BE REVIEWED ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS AND WILL CONSIDER GUIDANCE IN THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PRESERVATION BRIEF 16, WHICH CLARIFIES SITUATIONS AND SOLUTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT AND THE HPC REVIEW.
AND BY HAVING THAT DOCUMENT, INSTEAD OF COMING TO AN HPC MEETING AND, AND US SAYING, WELL, DID YOU CONSIDER THIS? DID YOU CONSIDER THAT? WE HOPE YOU'LL GO TO THAT DOCUMENT FIRST AND YOU'LL KNOW WHAT WE ARE GOING TO CONSIDER.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOUR EVIDENCE IN LINE WITH WHAT THOSE CRITERIA ARE, THAT PERHAPS YOU DO QUALIFY TO USE THAT CONTEMPORARY MATERIAL.
IN REPLACING HISTORIC FABRIC, LANDSCAPING IS NOW FOCUSED ON TREES AND SIGNIFICANT LANDSCAPING, NOT NORMAL PLANTING AND MAINTENANCE OF GARDENS.
ROOF COLOR WAS A CONCERN PRIOR, PREVIOUSLY, WE ASKED ASPHALT SHINGLES TO HAVE A DARKER HUE.
NOW YOU CAN CHOOSE A COLOR YOU WOULD LIKE FOR YOUR ROOF, AND COMMISSIONER PARSONS OFTEN POINTS OUT WHEN THE FIRST METAL ROOFS WERE DONE IN NEWBURN, THEY WERE ALL RED.
SO THERE IS VARIETY IN THE HISTORY OF NEWBURN.
A NEW DEVELOPMENT PATTERNS PER PATTERN FOR TRENT COURT IS, UH, PROPOSED IN THE, THE, UH, STANDARDS STACKED PODIUM IS THE NAME, WHICH ISN'T, DOESN'T SLIDE OFF THE TONGUE VERY WELL, BUT PODIUM REFERS TO AN ELEVATED PLATFORM.
AND SOME OF THOSE BUILDINGS IN THAT DISTRICT WILL HAVE TO HAVE ELEVATED PLATFORMS IN ORDER TO AVOID FLOOD PRO FLOOD PROBLEMS. PAINT AND COATINGS INFORMATION IS ENHANCED FOR BOTH PLANNING NEW PROJECTS AND PRESERVING HISTORIC FABRIC.
WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT AND THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL AVAILABLE ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT YOUR WOOD, YOUR MASONRY, ET CETERA, THAT IS HISTORIC WITHOUT DAMAGING IT.
LETTING IT BREATHE BASICALLY IS THE GOAL.
AND THEN WE TOOK A HARD LOOK AT EXACT REPLACEMENT IN KIND, WHICH HAS ALWAYS CAUSED OUR ADMINISTRATOR SOME ISSUES.
WE'RE ONLY GONNA DEAL WITH ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES ON REPLACEMENT IN KIND LIKE YOUR DOORS, YOUR WINDOWS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
EXACT REPLACEMENT IN KIND IS WHAT IT MEANS.
IT NEEDS TO MIMIC EXACTLY WHAT WAS THERE.
IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO COME TO HBC, BUT YOU HAVE TO EXACTLY REPLACE IT.
WHAT IT DOESN'T INCLUDE IS REPLACEMENT OF MECHANICAL UNITS IN THEIR SAME LOCATION.
FOR INSTANCE, YOU GET A NEW HEAT PUMP COMPRESSOR OUTSIDE.
WE DON'T REALLY CARE IF IT'S SIX INCHES HIGHER THAN THE OLD ONE, AS LONG AS IT'S IN THE SAME PLACE.
AND AS ALWAYS, YOU NEED TO SCREEN ANY MECHANICAL UNITS THAT ARE OUTSIDE ON
[00:20:01]
SOME THINGS WE DIDN'T CONSIDER OR WE CONSIDERED AND DIDN'T INCLUDE EXTERIOR COLORS.THERE WAS SOME INTEREST IN WE WANT TO SEE YOU CONTROL EXTERIOR COLORS, DON'T LET ANYBODY PAINT THEIR HOUSE PINK, ET CETERA.
WE DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD, UH, IDEA FOR NEW BERN AND ALSO MURALS.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THE, IN THE CONTENT OF A MURAL.
ALL WE ASK IS THAT NO ONE PAINT A NEW MASONIC MA MASONRY STRUCTURE TO PUT A MURAL UP BECAUSE PAINT WILL DESTROY THE HISTORIC BRICKS.
AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO CONSIDER USING SUBSTITUTE OR CONTEMPORARY MATERIALS ON THE PRIMARY AREA OF VISUAL CONCERN, WHICH IS THE FRONT OF THE HISTORIC PROPERTY.
AND LASTLY, WE'RE NOT GONNA CONSIDER SUBSTITUTE MATERIALS FOR FENCES.
HAD LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT, BUT, UH, WOOD METAL IS STILL SUGGESTED.
WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO COMMISSIONER THOMPSON.
HE HAS TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE IN HBC.
HE'S ALSO HANDS-ON WITH HIS OWN HOMES, AND I'D LIKE HIM TO TELL YOU WHAT HE BELIEVES THAT HBC NEEDS TO CONSIDER TO KEEP NEWBURN SPECIAL CHARACTER.
I THINK I'M THE ONLY ONE ON THE COMMISSION THAT, UH, HAS LIVED IN THE TWO LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
UH, I HAD A HOUSE, I BELIEVE GREG.
I HAVE, UH, YES, GREGORY YOU HAVE AS WELL.
UH, SO I, AND WE HAVE A BIT OF A, UH, I THINK A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE IN THE SENSE I I SEE SOME FOLKS FROM RIVERSIDE, CERTAINLY SOME FOLKS FROM FROM DOWNTOWN.
UH, BOTH HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE, ARE IMPORTANT TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
UH, AS WE, AS WE HAD VARIOUS MEETINGS, UH, LAST FALL, I HEARD, UM, SOME COMMENTS.
PEOPLE, PEOPLE, SEVERAL PEOPLE SAID, WELL, NEW BERN'S NOT WILLIAMSBURG OR, OR NEW BERN IS NOT CHARLESTON.
WELL, I'D FLIP THAT AROUND AND SAY THAT WILLIAMSBURG IS NOT NEWBURN AND CHARLESTON IS NOT NEW BERN BECAUSE WE, WE ALL HAVE OUR UNIQUE SENSE OF PLACE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE, KIND OF THE HISTORY OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, UH, IN 1927, NEWTON WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST INTACT HISTORIC SOUTHERN CITIES ON THE EAST COAST.
WHEN WE GET TO THE 1950S, UH, BROAD STREET GOT WIDENS SO MAGNIFICENT MAGNOLIA TREES GOT CUT DOWN TO ALLOW THAT WIDENING.
A LOT OF MAGNIFICENT HISTORIC STRUCTURES THAT WERE ON CORNERS GOT DEMOLISHED IN ORDER TO BUILD GAS STATIONS.
SO BY THE 1980S, NEWBURN, SALISBURY, EDENTON, BEAUFORT, WASHINGTON AND WELLINGTON REALLY STARTED CONCENTRATING ON TRYING TO PRESERVE THIS, THIS BUILT HISTORY THAT WE HAVE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE, UH, TODAY, NEWBURN STILL, DESPITE, DESPITE LOSING HUNDREDS OF STRUCTURES BETWEEN 1950 AND PROBABLY 1990, NEWBURN STILL HAS PROBABLY ONE OF THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATIONS OF 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY STRUCTURES IN THE ENTIRE STATE.
I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE HOUSES IN NEWBURN, THAT WERE BUILT IN ENGLAND BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT WERE BUILT BEFORE 1776
UH, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT, WE'VE GOT TRYING PALACE.
YES, THAT'S A RECREATION WITH TRY AND PALACE REPRESENTS WHAT REALLY WAS THE DRIVER BEHIND MAKING NEWMAN WHAT IT IS TODAY.
IT IS, IT IS JUST A MAGNIFICENT STRUCTURE.
IT WAS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FINEST MASONIC LODGES, UH, IN THE NATION WHEN IT WAS BUILT.
WE'VE GOT KING SOLOMON'S MASONIC LODGE THAT IS THE OLDEST BLACK MASONIC LODGE STRUCTURE IN THE STATE, PROBABLY IN THE SOUTH, PROBABLY IN THE NATION.
UH, ALL OF THEIR, ALL OF THESE OTHER STRUCTURES, EVEN IF YOU, EVEN IF YOU DON'T LIVE IN ONE OF THE FINEST HOUSES, EVEN IF YOU LIVE IN ONE OF THESE VERNACULAR STRUCTURES, UH, THEY ALL PLAY A SUPPORTING CAST.
IT ALL CREATES THIS, THIS, UH, SENSE OF PLACE THAT WE HAVE HERE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE PUT IN THE GUIDELINES IN 2016, IT'S STILL THERE TODAY, AND IT'S ON PAGE ONE.
IT SAYS THAT YOU'RE NOT JUST A PROPERTY OWNER, YOU'RE A STEWARD OF A PIECE OF NEW BRUIN'S HISTORY.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TRY TO STRESS TO PEOPLE, UH, AS THEY'RE, AS THEY'RE PROPOSING TO MODIFY SOME OF THESE HISTORIC STRUCTURES.
[00:25:01]
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH THESE DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND WHAT THE HPC IS TASKED WITH DOING IS TRYING TO PRESERVE THIS SENSE OF PLACE THAT WE HAVE IN VER THAT EXISTS NOWHERE ELSE.SO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE, THESE UPDATES AS AS YOU'RE MAKING YOUR COMMENTS AND, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE FINAL PRODUCT IS THAT WE COME UP WITH, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE'RE TRYING TO OBSERVE THIS SENSE OF PLACE IN NEWTON.
AND JESSE, YOU READY? ALRIGHT.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC HEARING, I AM GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW OTHER THINGS.
UH, THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON RECENTLY.
WE HAVE MADE CHANGES TO OUR MINOR WORKS LIST, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT THE HPC CAN DO THEMSELVES.
UH, WE HAVE OF COURSE BEEN OPERATING UNDER A SYSTEM WHERE MINOR WORKS.
IF IT IS NOT DEFINED IN A MINOR WORKS LIST, IT BECOMES A MAJOR WORK WHICH KICKS IN A MUCH MORE INTENSE REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESS.
AND SO WE HAVE BEEN ADDING COMMONSENSICAL THINGS ONTO THE MEYER WORKS LIST AT ALMOST EVERY MEETING RECENTLY AND HAVE FOUR OR FIVE SLATED TO BE CONSIDERED AGAIN NEXT WEDNESDAY AT OUR REGULAR MEETING.
WE HAVE MODIFIED OUR SUBMISSION DATES AND ALSO MODIFIED THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT YOU ARE SUBMITTING, WHICH HAS ADDED EFFICIENCY IN STAFF PROCESSING THESE APPLICATIONS.
WE HAVE INITIATED WEEKLY MEETINGS AND INCREASED THE COMMUNICATION FLOW BETWEEN THE HPC AND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF.
AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE ESTABLISHED AN AWARDS PROGRAM, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WAS HIGHLY SUPPORTED IN OUR SURVEY.
WE HAVE APPLIED FOR A CLG GRANT.
WE SHOULD HEAR ABOUT AT ANY TIME TO FUND UPDATING THE HISTORIC RIVERSIDE INVENTORY.
WE HAVE STARTED HOLDING OUR DESIGN REVIEW MEETINGS IN THIS ROOM, AND THEY ARE BROADCAST AND RECORDED FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY.
AND WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING AROUND WITH REQUIRING APPLICANTS TO PRESENT FAR MORE DETAILS OF THEIR PROJECTS THEMSELVES AND ALSO, RATHER THAN READING ENTIRE REPORTS AND ENTIRE SECTIONS OF THE CODE, SIMPLY USING REFERENCES.
SO THOSE ARE SOME CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE IN ADDITION TO THE GUIDELINES THAT WE'RE HAVING A PUBLIC HEARING ON THIS EVENING.
AND I'LL JUST ADD ONE, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A MINOR WORK, THAT MEANS THAT MR. SHELLEY CAN APPROVE IT AT HIS DESK.
IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COME TO A HEARING WHERE A MAJOR WORKS DO HAVE TO COME TO A HEARING.
[4. Conduct a public hearing on the proposed revisions to the Design Principles and Standards]
WE'RE READY TO OPEN THE PUBLIC FLOOR AND I'LL LET YOU COME UP AS YOU CHOOSE.IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT TO MAKE OR I'LL GIVE THEIR NAME, PLEASE.
YEAH, IF YOU, JUST AS YOU COME UP, IF YOU'D GIVE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE.
I LIVE AT 1507 NORTH PASTURE IN THE RIVERSIDE DISTRICT.
I HAVE BEEN A PROPERTY OWNER AND RESIDENT FOR 44 YEARS, SINCE 1982.
SO I JUST MISSED THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UH, WHAT WE HAVE HERE AND WHAT WE'RE REALLY TALKING ABOUT IN MY VIEW AND MY ASSOCIATION WITHIN NEWBURN IS SOMETHING OF VALUE AND TRYING TO MAINTAIN THAT VALUE, BUT ALSO TO TRY TO MAINTAIN, INTRODUCE COMFORT, CONVENIENCE, AND MODERN LIFESTYLES THAT ARE ADAPTABLE TO OUR OLDER STRUCTURES.
NUMBER ONE YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT INFILL.
I THINK WE ALL WELCOME AND I THINK EVERYBODY HERE WOULD WELCOME.
AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS, I THINK EVERYBODY HERE APPRECIATES WHAT YOU DO.
AS A FORMER ALDERMAN AND PRESIDENT OF PRESERVATION FOUNDATION, THE JOB YOU DO IS VERY DIFFICULT, TIME CONSUMING.
BUT THE FOLKS HERE AND MYSELF INCLUDED, WOULD WELCOME INFILL BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE STRUCTURES THAT ARE NO LONGER ON PROPERTIES.
WHEN I FIRST CAME TO NEWMAN, IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE MOVING A HOUSE OR STRUCTURE DOWN THE STREET TO SOME OTHER LOCATION PRETTY REGULARLY.
UM, WE'VE KIND OF GOTTEN BEYOND THAT AND PRESERVATION FOUNDATION, AS MR. PARSON KNOWS, DID A NUMBER OF THOSE TYPE OF, OF PROPERTY RELOCATIONS.
BUT WITH THE INFILL, WE SEEM TO HAVE A DICHOTOMY OF SORTS WHERE WE HAVE A MODERN STANDARD FOR CONSTRUCTION AND TRIM AND ASSOCIATED, PARTICULARLY EXTERIOR STUFF, UM, THAT IS NOT AS EXPENSIVE AND MUCH MORE READILY AVAILABLE.
AND THE COMMENTS THAT I'VE HEARD FROM FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS IS THAT SOMETIMES THAT RUBS THE WRONG WAY.
IF YOU'RE ACROSS THE STREET FROM SOMEBODY THAT'S GOT A, A HOUSE THAT'S 150
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YEARS OLD, YOU PUT NEW, WE WELCOME THAT.BUT I THINK IN THE, IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF MAINTAINING SOMETHING OF VALUE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ENCOMPASSING EVERYBODY IN TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER IN TERMS OF THE MATERIALS.
THE SECOND POINT THAT I WOULD MAKE, AS MANY OF US KNOW, THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH PRESERVATION FOR YEARS, THE AVAILABILITY OF QUALITY MATERIALS TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE AND RENOVATE OLD STRUCTURES IS NOT WHAT IT WAS 20 YEARS AGO.
I'VE HAD FOLKS THAT HAVE WORKED WITH ME 15, 20 YEARS AGO, THEY ARE NO LONGER AROUND THAT.
THOSE TECHNIQUES, THOSE SPECIAL SKILLS, EVEN THE EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT WAS A LATHE OR A, SOME SORT OF MILLING MACHINE OR OR WHATNOT, A LOT OF THAT'S GONE.
SO FOR THOSE THAT HAVE OLDER HOMES, IT'S MORE EXPENSIVE, IT'S MORE DIFFICULT, AND IT'S TRYING.
I'VE EVEN GONE TO RICHMOND TO CA CAR BODIES TO TRY TO FIND STUFF THAT I COULD USE ON A HOUSE HERE.
UM, SO I THINK THOSE ARE TWO THINGS, AND I'M JUST TALKING IN A MACRO WAY, NOT GETTING INTO THE DETAILS, UH, THAT WHAT YOU DO MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE, WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
UM, BUT WE ALL NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IN THAT REGARD.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M THE OWNER OF 8 0 5 QUEEN STREET BARBERSHOP.
UM, I HAVE OWNED THIS PROPERTY.
WE'VE BEEN IN THIS PROPERTY ALL OF OUR LIVES.
ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS HAD IT.
BUT THE ISSUE THAT WE RUN UP AGAINST IS FUNDING.
UH, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH FOLLOWING THE RULES.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MAKING IT LOOK NICE BECAUSE I GREW UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND I KNOW WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE.
BUT THE PROBLEM IS TRYING TO GET FUNDING AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE DISTRICT IT, YOU HAVE IT SET UP THAT IT'S COMMERCIAL, RESIDENTIAL, IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO EVEN WANT GIVE YOU FUNDING FOR THAT.
SO, UM, MY DAUGHTER AND I WOULD GO AHEAD.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE THE WAY THAT IT'S STRUCTURED, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ACCESS FUNDS.
AND LIKE MY MOTHER SAID, IT'S A HOME THAT WAS CREATED.
IT WAS BUILT IN WHAT, 1917, LIKE 18.
LIKE IT HAS YEARS AND YEARS OF HISTORY.
SO WE'RE NOT DEBATING THE VALUE OF THE HISTORY.
THE DEBATE FOR US WOULD BE THE ACCESS TO FUNDING.
AND THEN EVERY TIME WE GO TO ACCESS FUNDS, THEY'RE EITHER EXHAUSTED AND THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.
SO IT'S JUST MAKING THOSE THINGS A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE OR ACCESSIBLE FOR REHABILITATION.
BECAUSE WE ARE THE OWNERS OF AN EXTREMELY OLD HOME.
AND LIKE THIS YOUNG MAN HAS SAID, WE WOULD LOVE TO KEEP, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO EVEN ACCESS THE MATERIALS, YOU KNOW, AND ALL THESE STIPULATIONS AROUND THOSE THREE THINGS.
THAT'S ACTUALLY A RESIDENT, BUT IT'S ALSO COMMERCIAL, BUT IT'S ALSO HISTORICAL.
SO IT'S JUST LIKE EVERYTHING IS STACKED UP AGAINST US.
AND BECAUSE YEARS AGO MY DAD WAS A CONTRACTOR WITHIN THE CITY OF NEW VERN.
HE DID ALL THE WORK THAT WE NEEDED AT 8 0 5 QUEEN STREET AND WHAT WE NEEDED AT THE BARBER SHOP.
BUT LIKE, LIKE HE JUST SAID, THOSE PEOPLE ARE GONE.
THOSE, THOSE, THOSE SITUATIONS ARE EXHAUSTED.
SO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD'VE GOTTEN TO DO IT, THAT KNEW THE HISTORY OF THE PROPERTY AND COULD PUT IT, RESTORE IT THE WAY THAT IT IS, IT'S HARD TO FIND.
SO, I'M SORRY, COULD, COULD YOU GIVE YOUR NAME HER MOWING? MCC.
ANYONE ELSE? I'M ROSE WILLIAMS. I LIVE AT TWO 20 METCALF STREET.
AND TO KIND OF PIGGYBACK ON WHAT THEY'RE SAYING, YES, WE'VE ALL GONE THROUGH THAT.
UH, THERE ARE FEWER CONTRACTORS THAT HAVE THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES.
UH, GETTING MATERIALS IS MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT.
YOU, YOU'VE GONE OUT OF TOWN, YOU'VE GONE OUT OF STATE, YOU'VE DONE WHATEVER YOU HAD TO, TO GET WHATEVER THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE.
BUT IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE PRESERVATION COMMISSION COULD HAVE A LIST OF CONTRACTORS THAT WAS AVAILABLE, UH, THAT YOU KNEW THAT THOSE PEOPLE HAD SKILLS AND ABILITIES.
SO SOMEONE ISN'T JUST RANDOMLY TRYING, UH, TO FIND SOMEONE.
AND EVEN WORSE, YOU HIRE SOMEONE THAT THEY'VE CONVINCED YOU THEY'VE GOT SKILLS AND ABILITIES, AND THEN YOU RELUCTANTLY FIND OUT THEY DO NOT.
UH, THAT'S EVEN WORSE BECAUSE THEN IT HAS TO BE DONE A SECOND TIME, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE COSTLY.
UM, AND PERHAPS THERE'S EVEN SOME WAY THAT THERE COULD BE, UH, A CERTIFICATION APPLIED TO CERTAIN PEOPLE SO THAT YOU WOULD KNOW THEY HAD THE SKILLS AND ABILITIES TO DO MAINTENANCE, WHETHER IT'S INTERIOR OR EXTERIOR.
UH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL
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TO HAVE A LIST OF PEOPLE THAT YOU COULD CALL.COULD YOU JUST SAY YOUR NAME AND, AND ADDRESS? GRETCHEN DEPE IS AT TWO 17 P*****K STREET.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A LOT INVOLVED IN IT, AND THANK YOU FOR THAT WORK.
I WOULD SAY THAT YOU'RE NOT DONE YET, AND THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERING IN REVISING THESE GUIDELINES.
JUST WANTED TO READ A QUOTATION HERE FOR YOU.
IN 1966, THE NATIONAL PRESERVATION ACT WAS APPROVED.
IT IS THE POLICY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO USE MEASURES INCLUDING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO FOSTER CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH OUR MODERN SOCIETY AND HISTORIC PROPERTY CAN EXIST IN PRODUCTIVE HARMONY AND FULFILL THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF PRESENCE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSIONS TODAY.
A QUOTE FROM LADY BIRD JOHNSON SAYS, PRESERVATION DOES NOT MEAN MERELY SETTING ASIDE THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS AS MUSEUM PIECES.
IT MEANS RETAINING THE CULTURALLY VALUABLE STRUCTURES AS USEFUL OBJECTS, A HOME IN WHICH HUMAN BEINGS LIVE A BUILDING IN THE SERVICE OF SOME COMMERCIAL OR COMMUNITY PURPOSE.
SUCH PRESERVATION ENSURES STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY, RELATES THE PRESERVED OBJECT TO THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND IT AND NOT LEASED AND MAKES PRESERVATION A SOURCE OF POSITIVE FINANCIAL GAIN RATHER THAN ANOTHER EXPENSE.
I THINK THE, THE, THE VOICES I'M HEARING TODAY, AND THAT MANY OF US WOULD AGREE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT HOW WE CAN MAKE STEWARDSHIP MORE AFFORDABLE FOR HOMEOWNERS.
UM, AND THAT BEING A PART OF HOW THE GUIDELINES ARE THEN BEING ADDRESSED.
A COUPLE OF OTHER COMMENTS JUST FROM AN EDITOR IN ME.
LOOK AT THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU'RE USING.
YOU TALKED ABOUT NORMAL IN TERMS OF GARDENING AND PLANTING.
NORMAL CAN MEAN ONE THING TO ME AND SOMETHING ELSE TO SOMEONE ELSE.
CAN MEAN ONE THING TO SOMEBODY ANOTHER.
I WOULD SUGGEST YOU LOOK AT CLARIFYING YOUR LANGUAGE, UH, FIRST AND FOREMOST IN SOME OF THOSE, AND REALLY LOOKING AT, UM, HOW WE CAN MAKE THINGS MORE AFFORDABLE.
UM, I DID LOOK AT THE, UM, PROJECT'S, UH, PRESERVATION BRIEF 16 AS WELL AS THE 2024 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
AND YOU HAVE PICKED UP ON A LOT OF THAT, BUT I NOTICED YOU'VE MADE IT A LITTLE BIT MORE STRINGENT THAN THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS DID.
SO I'D ASK YOU TO REVIEW THAT, UM, AGAIN, TO MAKE US WORKING TOGETHER TO BE STEWARDS OF THESE PROPERTIES NOT, UM, WORKING COUNTER TO EACH OTHER.
AND WHAT WAS THE SECOND ONE YOU MENTIONED? THE SECOND REFERENCE THAT DIDN'T GET IT DOWN, THE 2024 DOCUMENT, THEY, THE ADVISORY COUNCIL AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION PRODUCED A REPORT IN 2024 REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF FEDERAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION STANDARDS.
AND THEY SPECIFICALLY DID TALK ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING WITH USING MODERN MATERIALS.
I LIVE AT TWO 18 P*****K STREET, AND I WAS AMONG YOU FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS AS I REMEMBER.
AND I BELIEVE THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION IS CRITICAL TO NEW BERN.
AND ONE OF THE, MY FIRST COMMENT, I HAVE TWO, MY FIRST COMMENT IS, ONCE UPON A TIME, THE PERSON WHO WAS THE PRIMARY STAFF PERSON FOR THE HPC, NOW IT'S MATTHEW, OKAY.
HAD AN ASSISTANT WHO SPENT A LOT OF TIME WANDERING THE STREETS, SEEING WHAT WAS BEING DONE AND WHAT WASN'T BEING DONE.
AND IT'S TROUBLED ME THAT IT SEEMS TO ALL FALL ON HIS SHOULDERS NOW, WHICH MAKES IT CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE THE GUIDELINES.
AND THAT THAT'S A BIG FRUSTRATION THAT IF THE CITY REALLY THINKS THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT, THEY NEED TO FUND IT.
AND PART OF THAT MEANS PERSONNEL.
THE OTHER OBSERVATION IS I RECENTLY WENT THROUGH AN APPLICATION TO GET AN ADDITION DONE.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DISCOVERED IS THAT THE ZONING DEPARTMENT REALLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE HPC RULES, AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE HPC RULES.
AND THIS CREATES PHENOMENAL FRUSTRATION FOR THE HOMEOWNER.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT MY FRONT DOOR HAD TO OPEN OUT INSTEAD OF IN, WELL, I HAVE AN HISTORIC HOME.
AND THEY WEREN'T AWARE OF THE HISTORIC RULES AND REGULATIONS.
THE ZONING DEPARTMENT CITED RULES THAT DON'T EXIST, MAYBE IN
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ANOTHER STATE OR MAYBE SOME OTHER CITY IN THIS STATE, BUT THEY DIDN'T EXIST IN NEWBURN.AND I WAS TOLD I HAD TO FOLLOW THOSE RULES DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T EXIST.
I MEAN, THINGS EVENTUALLY WORK OUT, BUT THE FRUSTRATION IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.
COMMUNICATION AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS IS TERRIBLE.
WHEN I WENT TO GET PERMITS TO DO THE ADDITION, I WAS TOLD BY A MEMBER OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT THAT THE ADDITION I WAS PUTTING ON MY HOUSE NEEDED TO HAVE A KITCHEN THAT'S NOT ALLOWED.
WHY DIDN'T HE KNOW THAT? I MEAN, THAT'S A PERSON WHO'S BEEN WORKING FOR THE CITY FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND I FIND THAT JUST UNBELIEVABLE.
AND I'M SURE IT DOESN'T HAPPEN JUST TO ME.
SO I MEAN, THAT TO ME THAT'S A BIG ISSUE IS COMMUNICATION AMONG THE DEPARTMENTS NEEDS TO BE DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE LOTS OF FRUSTRATIONS.
COULD, UM, TRACY DEZA TWO 17, UH, P*****K STREET.
UM, A COUPLE QUESTIONS AND OBSERVATIONS.
FIRST, UH, THANK YOU FOR PUBLISHING YOUR PROPOSED CHANGES.
UM, HOWEVER, HOW COME THERE WAS NOT A RED LINE VERSION AVAILABLE? IS THAT GOING TO BE MADE AVAILABLE? I UNDERSTAND IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE IF YOU COME AND ASK IN PERSON FOR IT.
IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DETERMINE FOR, FOR US CITIZENS, EASIER FOR US TO DETERMINE WHAT CHANGES YOU'VE ACTUALLY MADE THAN HAVING A SUMMARY CHART DID CHANGES.
I'D ACTUALLY LIKE TO SEE THE ACTUAL CHANGES REDLINED AND THAT DOCUMENT AVAILABLE BEFORE ANY DECISIONS ARE MADE THAT IT'D HAVE TO BE SOMETHING THAT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES CAME UP WITH.
IT'S IN EVERYTHING BUT THE COVER PAGE WITH NAMES ON IT IS WHAT TIM SENT ME, AND IT'S SET UP LIKE THAT.
SO NOT I'LL, I'LL GET YOU THAT COPY IN A LITTLE.
WELL JUST MAKE SURE IT'S AVAILABLE ONLINE.
UM, AND ALSO THE DOCUMENT WAS NOT AVAILABLE THIS AFTERNOON.
WAS IT 4 0 4? IT'S BEEN UP FOR THREE WEEKS.
IT'S ON THE FRONT OF THE WEB DEVELOPMENT SERVICES.
WELL IF YOU, IF YOU CLICK ON THAT WAY, UM, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
HOPEFULLY ONE OF YOU CAN ANSWER IT.
SO WHAT DOES RESILIENCE MEAN TO YOU WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND EXTREME WEATHER IN REGARDS TO ROOFS AND WINDOWS AND DOORS? YEAH, I, I WILL REMIND YOU WE'RE NOT ENGAGING WITH, WE'RE LISTENING.
SO IN OTHER WORDS, YOU, YOU DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION FOR RESILIENCE.
WE'RE NOT IN THE, WE'RE NOT ENGAGING.
UM, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE GRANT PROGRAM THAT THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IS PROVIDING TO HOMEOWNERS, UM, ALONG THE COAST TO HAVE A FORTIFIED ROOF? NO.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S BUNCH OF BLANK STAIRS.
SO AGAIN, YOU'RE ASKING QUESTIONS.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO RESPOND, BUT IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT ABOUT IT.
SO THE INSURANCE, NORTH CAROLINA IS PROVIDING GRANTS FOR HOMEOWNERS ALONG THE COAST WHO WILL, CAN PUT AN FORTIFIED ROOF AND THEY CAN GET A $6,000 GRANT.
OKAY? I WOULD LIKE FOR Y'ALL TO DEFINE WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR, YOUR GUIDELINES ON ROOFS THAT YOU IDENTIFY WHETHER YOUR, THOSE GUIDELINES WILL SUPPORT FORTIFIED ROOF STRUCTURE, WHICH IS A SYSTEM, IT'S NOT JUST FLAT PANEL ROOF.
IT'S THE DECKING, IT'S THE DRIP EDGE, IT'S THE ROOF CAPS, UM, IT'S THE SEAL, IT'S THE WAY, UM, THE, UM, DECK IS NAILED DOWN.
IT'S THE WAY THE PANELS ARE CLIPPED TOGETHER, OKAY? THE CURRENT GUIDELINE DOES NOT EVEN RECOGNIZE FORTIFIED ROOF ARCHITECTURE OR FORTIFIED ROOF ENGINEERING AT ALL.
SO IF IT DOESN'T, THAT MEANS YOU'RE PUTTING ALL OF US HOMEOWNERS AT A DISADVANTAGE BECAUSE WE CANNOT APPLY FOR THESE GRANTS.
OKAY? I'D ALSO LIKE CLARIFICATION.
SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT IN THE GUIDELINES, WHETHER OR NOT YOU SUPPORT A PROGRAM THAT THE STATE IS PROVIDING TO HOMEOWNERS.
THE OTHER THING IS, WHY DOES A FLAT PANEL METAL ROOF HAVE TO BE FLAT? IS, IS THERE A REASON FOR THAT? I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE FLAT PANEL ROOFS THAT WE HAVE TODAY, THEY'RE ALL OIL CANNING.
[00:45:01]
WHY ARE THEY OIL CANNING? BECAUSE OF THE HEAT AND THE CONTRACTION OF THE METAL PANELS.OKAY? WHEN A METAL PANEL, UM, OIL CANS FOR TOO MANY YEARS, WHAT HAPPENS? THE COATING, THE PAINT FAILS AND THE HOMEOWNER HAS TO GO AND PAINT OR REDO THAT COATING.
BUT YOUR GUIDELINE SAYS IT HAS TO BE FLAT PANEL.
WHY ON OUR STRIATED ROOFS IN CONSIDERATION, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE GUIDELINES ADDRESS WHY A FLAT PANEL ROOF IS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE AND NOT A STRIATED ROOF.
WE DID 3 0 1 HANCOCK, AS MANY OF Y'ALL AWARE OF, AND WE HAVE 1203 NATIONAL AVENUE.
I MADE IT IN FRONT OF THE, UH, COMMITTEE BEFORE.
A LOT OF, AND I DON'T KNOW IF Y'ALL STILL HAVE THE BACKLOG THAT YOU HAVE WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH YOUR LIST.
SOME PEOPLE HAVEN'T DONE THIS, THIS, AND THIS AND THIS.
IS THAT STILL THERE, MATT? THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE REALTORS GIVE THE NEW HOMEOWNERS THE GUIDELINES.
NEW HOMEOWNERS DON'T LOOK AT THE GUIDELINES.
AND I'VE MADE THIS SUGGESTION BEFORE, DON'T LET PEOPLE MAKE CHANGES AND THEN GO AFTER THE FACT AND SAY THE CHANGE IS INCORRECT.
DEVELOP SOME TYPE OF PROTOCOL WITH THE REALTORS THAT THEY NOTIFY YOU OF A SALE OF A HOME IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND YOU SEND A LETTER TO THAT PERSON STATING, WE ARE AWARE, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT THE PACKET, BUT IF YOU MAKE ANY EXTERIOR CHANGES TO THAT HOME, YOU NEED TO CONTACT US FIRST.
I DON'T KNOW WHY Y'ALL AREN'T DOING THAT, BUT IT CREATES SITUATIONS WHERE YOU'RE HAVING TO GO BACK AND TELL PEOPLE TO TEAR STUFF OUT, PUT ALL THE STUFF IN, AND IT'S UNNECESSARY TO DO THAT.
IF Y'ALL WOULD COORDINATE WITH THE REALTORS AS FAR AS WHO IS BUYING WHAT, WHEN, AND GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THOSE FOLKS AND SEND THEM A LETTER, 84 CENTS, I THINK WHATEVER THE MAIL IS, 84 90 4 CENTS IS A HECK OF A LOT CHEAPER TO DO THAT THAN GO AFTER THE FACT.
BUT I ENJOYED WORKING WITH THIS.
UH, THEY WERE CERTAINLY BENEFICIAL FOR ME AND HELPFUL TO ME, AND I KNOW Y'ALL DO SOME SOLID WORK, BUT I, THAT IS A SUGGESTION I'D MAKE.
UM, WE ARE RENOVATING FIVE 16 P*****K STREET.
I HEARD A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FINANCIAL STRAIN OF OWNING, UM, A HOME AND REDOING IT.
AND I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT 'CAUSE WE'RE KNEE DEEP IN THAT.
BUT I ALSO WANNA LOOK AT THE REVERSE OF THE FINANCE IN SAYING FROM MY HUSBAND AND I, WHEN WE HAVE FINANCIAL RESOURCES THAT WE'VE EARNED, WE'VE TRUSTED SOMEBODY IN THE SECURITIES FIELD TO MANAGE AND PROTECT THEM BECAUSE IT'S NOT OUR EXPERTISE.
AND I THINK I FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THIS.
I HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS ABOUT HOW I WANTED MY HOUSE TO LOOK AND IF I DIDN'T HAVE SOMEBODY HERE, A BOARD OF PEOPLE TO TELL ME, UM, HOW TO MANAGE THAT AND PROTECT THAT TO KEEP THIS TOWN HISTORIC.
I CAN IMAGINE JUST WHAT KIND OF HARM I COULD HAVE DONE.
UM, NOT HAVING THE INTELLECT OR THE, I GUESS THE, UM, THE WISDOM THAT YOU GUYS HAVE.
SO, UM, I LOOK AT YOU GUYS LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT I TRUST MY FINANCES TO, BECAUSE FOR ALL OF US, THIS HOME IS NOT ONLY OUR HOME, IT'S AN INVESTMENT.
AND IF WE ALLOW THINGS TO USE A LOT OF MATERIALS THAT MAKE THEM LOOK MAYBE NOT HISTORICAL, ALL OF OUR PROPERTY VALUES, I THINK COULD GO DOWN.
SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF YOU HERE THAT WE ARE ENTRUSTING OUR HOMES TO YOU, REALLY.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE GUIDANCE THAT YOU GIVE.
WE CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING, I GUESS.
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PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.[5. Discussion about proposed revisions to the Design Principles and Standards]
NEXT, WE'LL, JUST ANY DISCUSSION WE'D LIKE TO HAVE.I THINK WE JUST NEED TO DIGEST ALL THIS.
I HAVE THE, THE MEETING'S NOT OVER YET, BUT YOU'RE WELCOME TO GO
DO YOU WANNA KEEP GOING ON THAT? YEAH.
DO YOU WANNA DO THE NEXT STEPS? 16.
DO YOU WANNA SAY THE MEETING? SAY THE MEETINGS STILL GOING SO WE CAN TURN OFF A DOCUMENT.
AS WE START TO WRAP OUR MEETING UP AND SOME PEOPLE, UM, EXIT, I JUST WANNA GO OVER OUR IMMEDIATE NEXT STEPS FOR THIS PROJECT.
WE ARE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE COMMENTS RECEIVED ON OUR EMAIL ADDRESS SET UP AND ALSO THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED THIS EVENING.
I THOUGHT WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD IDEAS SHARED TONIGHT AND INCORPORATE SOME FURTHER CHANGES, UH, BASED ON SOME OF THE COMMENTS HEARD.
ONCE THOSE ARE INCORPORATED, THERE'LL BE A NEW DRAFT POSTED.
THIS, THIS DRAFT WILL BE REVIEWED BY OUR LEGAL PARTNERS.
IT WILL ALSO BE SENT TO SHIPPO FOR A 30 DAY REVIEW.
AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE'LL TAKE IT FOR AN OFFICIAL ADOPTION.
THE HPC HAS TO OFFICIALLY ADOPT THIS DOCUMENT.
AND THEN THE SUBSEQUENT STEPS ARE A RECOMMENDATION BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, BECAUSE THIS DOES FALL IN THE STATE STATUTES THAT REQUIRE THAT IN ONE 60 D.
AND THEN ULTIMATELY WE'LL CALL AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING WHILE YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME SPEAK AGAIN, UH, PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OR, OR POSSIBLY NOT ADOPTION BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMAN.
OTHER FORTHCOMING ACTIVITIES AS PART OF THIS PROCESS INCLUDE UPDATING OUR RULES OF PROCEDURE, PARTNERING WITH A CONSULTANT TO MAKE THIS SEARCHABLE MORE USABLE, AND ENHANCE THE GRAPHICS AND BE MORE ILLUSTRATIVE.
ONCE THAT HAS HAPPENED, WE WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AGAIN TO INCORPORATE THE NEW PICTURES AND THE NEW TEXT LAYOUT.
WE'LL ALSO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE ANY TWEAKS OR CHANGES THAT WE MIGHT REALIZE WERE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, OR WE SHOULD HAVE GONE A LITTLE FURTHER OR GONE A LITTLE LESS.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE COMMISSION IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON SOME USER GUIDES TO MAKE NAVIGATING THE DOCUMENT EASIER.
WE'LL BE UPDATING OUR WEBSITE AND WE HAVE HEARD YOU, UH, BOTH LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO MODIFY AND ENHANCE OUR ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM.
UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I WILL NOTE THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER POSTCARD MAILING.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS, MONITOR THE CITY OF NEW BERN'S FACEBOOK AND MONITOR OUR AGENDAS AND OUR WEBSITE.
THAT'S WHERE FORTHCOMING INFORMATION WILL BE PLACED FOR THAT.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIRMAN FOR ANY CLOSING REMARKS.
ANY COMMISSIONERS HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO MAKE FOR THE GENERAL GOOD? SO, UH, JUST AS A, AS A PROCEDURAL MR. CHAIR, SO WE'VE GOT A HANDFUL OF OF COMMENTS, THINGS TO THINK ABOUT, AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SINCE THE DRAFT WENT OUT THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT.
ARE YOU PLANNING ON PERHAPS MAKING THAT PART OF THE NEXT DESIGN REVIEW OR NEXT MEETING OR WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? I THINK, UH, FIRST WE, THAT'D BE MEET WITH JESSICA AND THEN THE THREE OF US THAT DRAFTED THE THING.
UH, SPENT SOME TIME ON IT AND THEN COME BACK TO THE REST OF THE COMMISSIONERS WITH A RECOMMENDATION, LET'S SAY, AS OPPOSED TO EVERYBODY TOSSING OUT WHAT THEY THINK.
HOWEVER, I WOULD THINK THAT IF, IF PEOPLE HAD SOME THOUGHTS, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE COMMENTS, YOU KNOW, PUT 'EM TOGETHER AND, AND, AND GIVE, GET 'EM TO THE CHAIR.
YEAH, JUST SEND ME ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, AFTER THE MEETING, JUST SEND IT TO ME, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW, THE OTHER THING THAT, THAT I WOULD NOTE, AND I KNOW THAT'S JUST A, A PROBLEM WITH HAVING THIS KIND OF A HEARING, WHICH I KNOW WE'RE, WE'RE KIND OF THE, THE COMMENT, IT IS DIFFICULT TO JUST HEAR COMMENTS WITHOUT HAVING ABILITY TO FOLLOW UP AND ASK QUESTIONS AND, AND KIND OF EXPLAIN THINGS.
IT, IT'S A BIT STILTED, I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IT DOES PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO, UM, TO GET A HANDLE EXACTLY WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT.
YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER
[00:55:01]
COMMENTS AND DISCUSS OR ASK ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS IN THAT PERIOD THIS EVENING IF YOU WOULD LIKE.WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT COME THAT, THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE LEFT WHO, WHO REALLY WERE DOING THAT, BUT I THINK THAT DOES I, WELL I THINK WE ALL TOOK SOME COPIOUS NOTES AND I THINK THAT THE GIST IS THERE.
UM, IT'S JUST AN INTERESTING PROJECT PROCESS FOR THIS PROJECT.
WITH THAT, THERE'D BE NOTHING ELSE.