Planning commission unanimously recommends updated historic-preservation code to county council

The Beaufort County Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend county council adopt a set of revisions to the county’s historic preservation code covering certificates of appropriateness, historic designation criteria, public hearing scheduling and review-board responsibilities.

Staff explained the amendments were remanded back from council so staff could reconcile council comments, work with legal counsel, and coordinate with state standards for certified local-government status. “We worked with the state a lot and then we did bring these back to the council members who had the questions. So we feel at this point these issues have been addressed,” said Mr. Merchant.

Kristen (staff) summarized specific edits: removal of language differentiating designated and non-designated property, changing district criteria to require at least two historic properties, adding proposed archaeological determination criteria, incorporating emergency-repair language and updating rehabilitation standards. She said the Historic Preservation Review Board unanimously approved the language at its March 17 meeting.

Commissioners asked detailed questions, including why interior elements were removed from review language and whether the one-working-day requirement to file for emergency repairs after a disaster was realistic for homeowners who evacuate for hurricanes. Kristen said the one-day rule follows international building-code guidance but commissioners asked staff to research whether a longer window (for example, a week) would be permissible under state certification requirements.

A motion to recommend that county council accept the staff-recommended historic preservation sections passed unanimously; the item will proceed through the natural resources committee and onto council readings.