THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 1997 TAG: 9701300352
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MEREDITH COHN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: 55 lines
More than a year after it was proposed, the City Council has yet to fill seats on a key committee formed to preserve and protect Chesapeake's historic resources.
Often thought of as modern sprawling suburbia, they city has 1,500 sites that may be worthy of historic designation, according to a 1995 survey conducted by city planners.
That survey led to the formation of the Historic Preservation Commission that would recommend to City Council how to go about protecting the sites, which range from battlefields to Victorian-style homes and shops all more than 50 years old.
But after months in official existence the advisory board remains inactive because not enough qualified citizens have volunteered to serve.
The City Council postponed the appointments until next month to allow more time to advertise, members said. The board already has six staff members from various city agencies, but residents - including a licensed architect and others with knowledge of historic preservation - could not be found.
The slow pace has frustrated some community members, particularly in areas where many of the potentially historic sites are found. Residents of South Norfolk, where more than half of the structures and areas were surveyed, say they are helpless to stop property owners from turning 100- and 200-year-old homes into apartments.
``If we'd had a historic preservation commission to set some guidelines, we could possibly have done something to have preserved the homes,'' said Gerald S. Johnson, president of the South Norfolk Civic League. ``We're seeing businesses and houses go up and a number of properties all over Chesapeake with no protections or standards for historic features.''
Johnson said he hopes the new board can get up and running soon, not just to make recommendations to council on protecting old houses, but help win funding for restoration by seeking state and federal recognition.
Currently, only four sites in Chesapeake are recognized by the state and federal governments: The Dismal Swamp Canal, the site of the Battle of Great Bridge, Wallaceton, and the South Norfolk Historic District.
Commercial sites, such as rental homes and businesses, within these areas are eligible for federal tax breaks. Residents are eligible for state tax breaks.
The advisory board could recommend areas to become local historic districts, according to city planner Mark Shea, who worked on the historic survey and plan. That designation could put them on the path for higher recognition. And while the state and federal programs make no requirements of property owners, the board could recommend restoration and construction rules.
``That could make the local designations controversial because people may not want any more regulations on their property,'' Shea said. ``We'd have to get homeowners to buy into it. But we think we can make the sell because homeowners would like to know their neighbors can't do anything wild with their old homes.''
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE CITY COUNCIL HISTORIC PRESERVATION