Planner Lauren Blackburn shows the Town Board a map of the proposed Davidson Historic District. (David Boraks photo)

The Town Board Tuesday unanimously endorsed the creation of a Davidson Historic District in the old part of town, from North Main Street to the West Side to South and Walnut Streets to Concord Road. Town officials said the designation is mainly an honor and carries no regulations or restrictions for property owners, except when federal money is being used in renovation or construction projects.

The board also approved a revised sign ordinance, gave the Davidson Farmers Market the go ahead to open for a second season downtown and joined other area town boards in asking the DOT for safety improvements at the treacherous intersection of Black Farms and Mayes roads with N.C. 73 east of town.

Here’s a summary of the board’s key actions Tuesday:

• Voted 5-0 to endorse the proposal to create a Davidson Historic District. (More below)
• Approved 5-0 a series of town sign ordinance amendments and related definitions. Town Planners said previous rules were designed for the downtown area. New rules accommodate new types of development and signage, such as shopping and office complexes in the Exit 30 area. (Details below)
• Approved a new agreement that allows the Davidson Farmers Market to operate next to Town Hall for another season (See separate item).
• Authorized Mayor John Woods to join counterparts in Huntersville and Cornelius in signing a letter asking the state Department of Transportation to make safety improvements at the intersection of Black Farms and Mayes Roads, and N.C. 73. The intersection has been the scene of several recent deadly traffic accidents. Citing a likely increase in traffic from the new high school under construction nearby on Bailey Road in Cornelius, the mayors are asking the DOT’s division engineer in Albemarle for “spot safety improvement funding” for the intersection. The letter asks for the improvements before the opening of Bailey High School in August 2010. (Download a copy of the letter, PDF)
• Elected new members to a variety of town boards and committees, including the Planning Board, Design Review Board, Recreation Advisory Board, and Greenway, Bikeways and Trails Board.
• Heard an update on the planned Villages at South Main, a 39-unit townhome development off South Main Street, and approved the town planning director’s final determination of payments required by the developer under the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO).
• Listened to an update on the MI-Connection cable and internet system, which Davidson owns with Mooresville. The system is continuing to face competition from satellite TV and other cable and internet providers, such as Time-Warner and AT&T. Junior Miller, MI-Connection general manager, said the company is on track to complete a system upgrade that will allow for more analog and digital TV channels, faster internet speeds, and new products, such as telephone service over cable lines. Commissioner Evan Webster, who chairs the MI-Connection board, said the system lost $2.475 million in its first year. But in response to a question, he noted that the system is continuing to cover its expenses and has not cost taxpayers anything. The cable system is expected to release full year-end figures later this month.

HISTORIC DISTRICT BACKED

The historic district vote came in advance of a public meeting Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. in one of the town’s oldest buildings, Eumenian Hall at Davidson College, off Main Street. There property owners will have a chance to comment and ask questions about the historic district designation, said Town Planner Lauren Blackburn, who has been working on the district proposal for three years.

“This is going to be a big gold ribbon for Davidson, statewide and nationally speaking,” Ms. Blackburn.

Are you in the district?

Download a map of the Davidson Historic District (1.8 mb PDF). CLICK HERE>

About 580 properties built before 1959 would be included in the district, which would be listed on the U.S. Interior Department’s National Register of Historic Places. Those properties would become eligible for tax credits for approved renovation and restoration work. Buildings would not be subject to any new restrictions on renovations or development, unless a project is using federal funds. Then it would be required to follow federal historic restoration guidelines.

Four old buildings in town already are listed individually on the National Register: Philanthropic and Eumenean halls at Davidson College, Chairman Blake House at 318 Chairman Blake Lane (behind the CVS) and Beaver Dam Plantation House, off Davidson-Concord Road. A small existing historic area covers about three blocks of Main Street.

Commissioner Margo Williams asked Ms. Blackburn and Planning Director Kris Krider if there was any downside to approving the historic district. They replied that it creates no new standards for renovations, paint color any other characteristics of homes older than 50 years. And homeowners would have a chance to opt out.

“We really do see this as a win-win situation. There’s tax credits that would be available in this district,” Ms. Blackburn told the Town Board before Tuesday’s vote. She said Davidson’s district would be large for towns of Davidson’s size, though it is about half the size of the historic district in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte.

“This is primarily an honorarium and hopefully we’ll be able to put a sign out on the interstate that recognizes the historic district,” Mr. Krider said. He also said that listing on the National Register could help prevent demolition of historic structures.

The district includes homes, commercial buildings, churches and buildings at Davidson College that face public town streets. Ms. Blackburn said the town reached an agreement with the college to exclude buildings on the interior of campus.

Owners of properties included in the district will be notified in letters being mailed today (Wednesday) of the Jan. 29 meeting. Download a copy of the  letter (PDF).

The state Historic Preservation Office will consider the Davidson district for approval in February. If all goes according to plan, the federal Interior Department would formally list the Davidson Historic District this summer, Ms. Blackburn told town board members Tuesday.

SIGN CHANGES

A public hearing early in Tuesday’s meeting reviewed a series of definitions to be added to the Planning Ordinance related to the sign rules. They include such terms as LED (light emitting diode), “sign package,” and various sign types. For a list, CLICK HERE> (PDF format) No business owners or citizens commented during the hearing.

The board also held a public hearing on Dec. 9 about the main text of the proposed sign ordinance changes. There were no public comments during that hearing.

The revisions, developed through nearly two years of discussions among town planners and other town officials, citizens, and representatives of the business community, are aimed at updating the ordinance to allow for new types of signs not covered in the existing rules, Town Planner Parviz Moosavi said.

The revised ordinance also spells out the sign permit process. And it would disallow some signs currently seen in town, such as ground-mounted signs or plastic A-frames and other sidewalk signs. Download a copy of the ordinance (Adobe Reader software required), CLICK HERE>

FARMERS MARKET RETURNS

The board adopted without discussion a new agreement with the Davidson Farmers Market, which was founded in 2008 and plans a second year beginning this spring. The market is Saturday mornings next to Town Hall and behind Summit Coffee, off Main Street. Market organizers said in a written report to the board that between 250 and 350 customers per week used the market last year. Twelve farmers and vendors signed up in March, and the number increased to 24 in mid-July to meet demand.

The market finished the year with revenues about $2,000 ahead of budget. The market ended the season with a surplus of $1,150. A total of 200 people volunteered time during the market season.

The town agreed to let the market continue using town-owned land next to Town Hall. In addition, the group will be allowed to leave 3 to 6 large tents standing throughout the season. Last year one was left permanently.

VILLAGES AT SOUTH MAIN BACK ON TRACK?

Mr.Krider told commissioners Corinthian Development has asked the town how much it owes under the adequate public facilities ordinance for its planned 39-unit Villages at South Main project.  The APFO  tries to ensure that new developments help cover the cost of increases in public services and facilities needed because of growth, such as public safety or town amenities.

Corinthian is assessed $66,130 for the whole project, though it will pay that in phases as construction proceeds, Mr. Krider said. The determination of the payment amounts was actually made in 2006, at the time the preliminary plat was approved. Mr. Krider said the APFO assessment should have been brought to the board previously, but was not because of an “administrative error.”

The assessment is being calculated based on town facility needs from 2006, and not 2009. Mr. Krider said the developers contacted the town to resolve the payment issue because they are planning to seek approval of the plans for the first 12 units on the site. The first payment would be the pro-rated portion of the total for the initial units.

The development is off South Main Street on land that was once part of the old Griffith Dairy, beside Merrill Jennings Gallery.