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Preserving the Past
New group seeks to protect area history and rural character
A
SEPTEMBER 2020
24 LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS
new historic preservation group is making an impact in north Mecklenburg, with hopes of expanding into southern Iredell and eastern Lincoln counties. An independent nonprofit funded with private donations; Preserve Mecklenburg was launched in April 2019 by local historian Dan Morrill. “The local preservation movement needs private, nonprofit, real estate active groups,” Morrill says. “Local historic commissions depend on taxpayer money and state law requires tremendous procedural safeguards. I would equate local historic preservation commissions with steering a battleship, where a private nonprofit is more like a PT boat. Quick and decisive.” Morrill recently retired after 46 years as consulting director for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission. He served for 50 years as a history professor at UNC Charlotte. He cites two success stories impacting the Huntersville community. Edgewood Farm is a 20-acre site off Old Statesville Road. Its centerpiece is an 1850 plantation house eligible for national historic designation. The owner had been unable to find a buyer willing to preserve the home. Preserve Mecklenburg developed a plan and obtained rezoning to allow infill development for new residences on part of the land and found a buyer. Much of property is left undeveloped, including the historic home, to be protected with a preservation
easement. “To attract a developer, you must show them a good profit,” says Morrill. “Preservation has to make good economic sense. The worse thing is to have a house museum. They all lose money.” The group recently obtained a purchase option for Huntersville’s Cedar Grove Plantation, originally home to James Torrance. Preserve Mecklenburg is determining a supportable sales price and optimal use that assures the buyer economic viability for ongoing preservation. Historic preservation goes beyond old buildings. “Rural landscapes are one of greatest assets in southern Iredell and eastern Lincoln counties,” Morrill said. “Development plans with preservation easements can ensure large amounts of open land are preserved. These areas are coming under more and more development pressure. Southern Iredell has already lost an enormous amount of rural landscape.” “It would be interesting to use purchase options as a mechanism explore ways of having sensitive development,” Morrill says. “I recently drove down Brawley School Road. Its character has been totally changed in the last 30 years. You can have development without losing total context what the area was.” Morrill wants to assist without stepping on any toes. “In no sense are we trying to move into someone’s territory. We would like to cooperate with local preservation efforts and be a resource.”
Top: Edgewood Farms historic home dates back to 1850. Bottom: Preserve Mecklenburg is seeking a sustainable use and buyer for historic Cedar Grove.
We asked Morrill to provide examples of local projects that Preserve Mecklenburg might get involved with. “Let’s say somebody owns a building in downtown Mooresville and they are ready to sell,” Morrill explained. We would ask for an exclusive assignable option to buy the building. We will then try to find somebody who would buy it, give it the price they want and assign a preservation easement.” Another example Morrill notes is a local farmer ready to sell the family land. “The farmer has an appraisal and knows what the land is worth,” he says. “Before selling to a developer who will
use that land as a blank slate to build as many homes as possible, give us the chance to sell it to someone who would leave enough green space, especially along roadway, to protect the rural corridor that you’ve always recognized.” You can help by joining at PreserveMeck.org. Membership of $25 annually supports preservation efforts and provides access to memberonly newsletters and programs. Morrill can be reached at danmorrill2@gmail.com. — By Martin Rose. Libby and Martin Rose host the blog and social media sites Wandering Rose Travels.