In 2017, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance for Franklin County. Since that time, the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has been working diligently to establish procedures and to plan meaningful activities designed to promote the preservation of the county’s rich architectural heritage.

The purpose of the ordinance is twofold: to “safeguard the heritage of Franklin County by preserving districts and landmarks therein that embody important elements of its culture, history, architectural history, or prehistory”; and to “promote the use and conservation of such districts and landmarks for the education, pleasure, and enrichment of the residents of Franklin County and of the State as a whole.” In pursuing these goals, the commission is empowered to conduct inventories of historic structures or sites, recommend to the Franklin Country Commissioners that individual properties or areas be designated as historic landmarks or historic districts, negotiate with property owners for the acquisition of significant historic properties, accept grants for preservation purposes, conduct educational programs, advise property owners about appropriate preservation treatments, cooperate with state and federal agencies, and recommend adoption of a preservation element as part of the Franklin County Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

The members of the commission, who represent all sections of the county, began their work in the fall of 2017. Initial efforts have centered around the development of rules of procedure and the adoption of forms citizens can use to initiate the designation of their property as a historic landmark or to request a certificate of appropriateness for work they wish to undertake on a property that already has been designated as a landmark. In addition, the HPC prepared a report designating the old Franklin County Jail in downtown Louisburg as a landmark, and the Franklin County Commissioners in January 2019 approved this recommendation. This work positions the county to apply to the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office for designation as a Certified Local Government. This status, when achieved, will enable the HPC to apply for matching grants from the State Historic Preservation Office to undertake projects related to the mission of the commission.

One such project is the publication of the survey of the county’s historic architecture that was undertaken between 2015 and 2018 with support from the County Commissioners, the Franklin County Tourism Development Authority, and the State Historic Preservation Office. In recent months the HPC has reviewed similar books published by surrounding counties and consulted with professionals who are well qualified to undertake this work. The book would contain an essay on the development of the county’s rich historic architecture as well as photographs and brief descriptions of the most important representative structures—houses, churches, country stores, schools, and farm buildings—identified during the survey. The book would include documentary photographs of important buildings that are no longer standing. This publication is viewed as a powerful tool that would support educational and tourism development efforts.

The work of the HPC is supported by the Franklin County Planning and Inspections Department. Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m., in the department’s conference room. Citizens are invited to attend any of these meetings.

The members of the Historic Preservation Commission encourage owners of historic properties to pursue their designation as landmarks. This status helps to preserve important structures in two ways. First, owners who seek to make significant changes to the exteriors of landmarks must obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the HPC. Also, owners of landmark properties are eligible to apply for a 50% deferment of county property taxes—a savings that can assist the property owner in maintaining the structure. As long as the owner maintains the structure in compliance with the HPC’s guidelines, the deferred taxes do not have to be repaid. Persons who wish to explore designation of a property as a historic landmark should contact the Planning and Inspections Department at (919) 496-2909. More information about the HPC is available on the county’s Web site.

Published in The Franklin Times on May 22, 2019.

Maury York is director of the Tar River Center for History and Culture at Louisburg College.