A Sense of Place: Vermont's 8th annual
Historic Preservation Conference
May 10, Rutland, VT
Visit historic downtown Rutland for a full day
of workshops and tours with a focus on A Sense of Place:
Stronger Downtowns, Better Communities. >From a
basic introduction to the field of preservation to fundraising,
from railroads to archaeology, workshops are designed to offer
something for everyone. Tom Slayton, Editor of Vermont
Life magazine and Stacy Mitchell of the Institute of Local
Self-Reliance, will start the day with a plenary session in the
newly restored Paramount Theatre. Join us!
For more information about how to register,
please contact Lisa Ryan, the Conference Coordinator, (802)
652-0077 conference@ptvermont.org.
New PTV Field Representative: Doug
Porter
The Preservation Trust of Vermont and the
National Trust for Historic Preservation recently hired Doug
Porter of Jeffersonville to be a Field Service
Representative. The Preservation Field Services program is
a partnership between the Preservation Trust of Vermont and the
National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Field Service
Representatives represent the programs and services of both
organizations as they provide guidance to individuals and
organization involved in historic preservation projects.
Doug brings ten years of historic
preservation experience to the job, including work for the
National Park Service, as a consultant, woodworker, educator and
more. To contact him: doug@ptvermont.org.
Sign up now for....
Retreats for Community Preservation
Projects at the Grand Isle Lake House
These retreats are geared for volunteers working
on projects in their communities, from restoring a building to
raising funds, to community planning projects to strengthening
downtowns and village centers. The workshops start at 3
end the following day after lunch about 2 pm. 2-4 people
from each project should plan to attend and present a 15-minute
case study from a their project. The case study should
frame a problem that once solved would catapult the project
along its timeline. Cost is $80 per person, double
occupancy. $105 per single. Includes meals.
May 20-21
June 25-26
July 15-16
August 19-20
September 9-10
September 30-October 1
For more information or to sign up, email ann@ptvermont.org
or call 434-5014.
Town Meeting Results
Generally, Town Meeting Day results were
favorable towards preservation and downtown development
interests.
- Middlebury voters overwhelmingly opposed
an out-of-town location for their municipal offices.
The vote was 690 to 500 opposed to a referendum that
asked selectmen to strike a deal with Middlebury College
whereby the college would convey the Maple Manor property
on Route 7 -- along with $3 million in municipal
building construction aid -- to the town in return for the
current town office property at the intersection of South
Main and College streets. The Preservation Trust
will continue to support a downtown solution for the
location of the town offices.
- In Ferrisburg, on a voice vote,
residents voted to table the out-of-town location for the
Town Hall and to set up a committee to study alternatives.
- Brandon voters rejected 523-400 a $1
million proposal for new offices downtown. The deal was
a complicated three-way transaction involving the
McKernon Group. The Preservation Trust will continue
to work with Brandon to find a less expensive solution in
the downtown.
Downtown Bill Update
H. 208, A Bill Supporting Development in
Downtowns, Villages and New Town Centers is moving in the
legislature H.208 is pending for action on the House
Floor. The Preservation Trust of Vermont has been working
to support this legislation for several years. The bill would:
1) Reform and reallocate state tax credit
programs to support private investment into older and historic
buildings. The tax credit programs would now help
developers installing elevators, lifts, and sprinklers in
older and historic downtown buildings, help redevelopment
projects in village centers, and support investment in village
center general stores and privately owned post office
buildings.
2) Improve predictability and increase
flexibility in Vermont's building codes.
3) Reduce state Act 250 land use regulation
over some projects in Designated Downtowns.
4) Acknowledge and support local efforts to
create New Town Centers in municipalities with no town
centers.
The bill can be viewed in the House Calendar at:
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2002/calendar/hc020327.htm
Housing and Conservation Trust Fund
House Appropriations Committee votes to
Reduce Funding for the Housing and Conservation Trust Fund by
$2.25M
Since 1987, Vermont has made a dedicated,
stable state investment in land conservation and downtown
redevelopment through the Housing and Conservation Trust
Fund. This investment has helped conserve over 290 family
farm, 239,000 acres of important recreation land, natural areas
and historic properties; created 6,600 units of affordable
housing for 16,500 Vermonters; leveraged over $510M matching
money for local projects; and guaranteed a perpetual return on
precious state dollars.
Governor Dean's FY03 budget proposed funding
the Trust Fund based on the statutorily mandated formula
governing the allocation of state property transfer tax
receipts. This existing Vermont law dedicates 50% of those tax
dollars to the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB).
For FY03 the Governor proposed an estimated $11.8M for VHCB
state grant dollars.
The House Appropriations Committee voted to
ignore the statute governing VHCB funding and to reduce the
amount by $2.25M. They propose to authorize $9.63M for VHCB next
year. The bill is available at: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2002/bills/intro/H-766.htm
(see sections 303 and 268)
H.766 also proposes the following language
govern the VHCB grant program for FY03:
*In allocating special funds appropriated
under this section during fiscal year 2003, the housing and
conservation board shall make allocations according to the
following priorities: (1) affordable housing, (2)
community conservation activities, (3) farm and agricultural
conservation, (4) natural resource conservation; and further,
shall make such allocations so as to maximize the leverage of
available federal and private funds and investments.*
National Register News
The National Park Service has recently listed
the following Vermont properties on the National Register of
Historic Places:
Sandbar State Park in Milton, Thetford
Hill State Park in Thetford, Townshend State Park in Townshend
and the Stowe CCC Side Camp (otherwise known as the Vermont
Ski Dorm) in Stowe
Part of a group of 21 state parks constructed
by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in Vermont in the
1930s as part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal
Program. The parks’ landscaping and rustic
architecture are typical of parks constructed by the CCC
nationwide and reflect a period of social and conservation
reform as well as new tourism and recreation trends. The parks
were nominated to the National Register under the nationwide
Historic Park Landscapes in National and State Parks Multiple
Documentation Form.
Atherton Farmstead, Cavendish
A 43-acre farmstead located on the Crown Point
Road that includes a c.1785 Cape Cod farmhouse with a c.1840
connected shed, a c.1913 detached carriage shed, and a c.1840
detached Early Barn nominated under the Agricultural Resources
of Vermont Multiple Property Documentation Form. The farmstead
is significant as an example of a late 18th/early 19th century
farmstead and the house is a good example of an early Cape Cod
house. The house appears to have functioned as a tavern from
the date of its construction until about 1812. A tavern
operated on the site beginning in 1770 but was likely an
earlier log structure. Four generations of the Atherton family
farmed the property from 1812 to 1936.
Swanton School, Swanton
A large, two-and-one-half story, hipped roof,
brick Colonial Revival style school built in 1912 near the
center of Swanton village. The school was nominated
under the Educational Resources of Vermont Multiple Property
Documentation Form. The school reflects early twentieth
century educational trends and is a good example of Colonial
Revival school architecture. It was recently rehabbed
for use as senior housing using the Rehabilitation Tax Credit.
PRESERVATION IN PROGRESS
Peacham, Bayley-Hazen Store
Since July 2001, PTV has been working with a
group of about ten Peacham residents interested in reopening the
Bayley-Hazen Store. This village grocery store had long
served the community when, in early 2001, a couple who owned the
store for less than a year closed the store and moved out of
state. PTV has linked the group with other examples of
community owned businesses, and is currently exploring a
partnership with a non-profit organization. With funding from
the Freeman Foundation, the Preservation Trust has committed
$40,000 for the acquisition and rehab of the property.
West Danville, Old Schoolhouse
The village center of West Danville, on Joe's
Pond, consists of a general store, church, late-19 century
schoolhouse (now converted to home supply store), a tiny
one-roomed seasonal library, and several houses. With the
pending closure of the home supply store, the church and
community are interested in buying the schoolhouse and
converting it to shared community club and meeting space for the
church. Interest is heightened because several buyers were
exploring purchasing the property for evening entertainment not
geared to the community.
Cuttingsville, Laurel Hall
Laurel Hall, the Bowman family mansion on Route
103, along with the greenhouse and family mausoleum across the
street, are architectural gems. The exterior of the
mansion is graced with carved laurel leaves and the interior is
significant with period wall paper. The building, owned by
a non-profit organization, is in critical need of roof repairs.
The Preservation Trust is working with the organization to
develop an exterior and interior maintenance and fundraising
plan.
Huntington Town Hall
The Town Hall was built in 1903 by Modern
Woodmen. In 1956 the building was deeded to the Town. It
was used for town meeting, performances and gatherings until
1990, then served as a library until 1999 when it was closed due
to a complaint that the building was not accessible. About the
same time, it was discovered that a water leak had caused a
profusely odorous mold growth and the building was closed. The
Preservation Trust is helping the Town Selectboard to work with
the committee to save the building.
NATIONAL
Bush Releases FY'03 Budget: Historic
Preservation Funding Cut
President Bush delivered the FY2003 budget to
Congress on February 4, including $67 million for the Historic
Preservation Fund (HPF). The HPF received a 10.7% cut from last
year's enacted level ($74.5 million) and comes on the heels of a
21% reduction for historic preservation programs in FY'02,
possibly signaling a major funding decline for years to
come. The state historic preservation offices (SHPOs)
programs were cut by $5 million in the FY'03 budget and funding
was not continued for the National Trust's Historic Sites Fund,
which received $2.5 million in FY'02. On a positive note,
level funding was provided for Tribal preservation programs ($3
million) and a fourth year of funding was proposed for the Save
America's Treasures (SAT) program at $30 million.
Help Restore Funding to the Historic
Preservation Fund in FY'03! Dear Colleague Letter Needs Your
Advocacy!!
Your help is needed to help reverse the cuts in
funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and the
national preservation program. In the current fiscal year,
FY 2002, funding for state and tribal preservation programs has
been cut by $10 million, and now an additional reduction of $7.5
million is proposed in the President's budget for FY 2003.
Action Needed
We are asking all preservation advocates to
contact their Representatives in support of restoring these cuts
by providing a funding level of $85.5 million for the HPF in FY
2003. Every member of the House of Representatives will
have a chance to support this request by signing the "Dear
Colleague" letter below, which urges the House Interior
Subcommittee to return the appropriation for the State and
Tribal preservation programs to their FY 2001 level.
The letter is sponsored jointly by Representative Dale Kildee
(D-MI) and Robert Ehrlich, Jr. (R-MD). It offers an easy
way for your Representative to show his/her support for the
historic preservation programs in his/her state.
Call, fax, or e-mail your Representative's
office immediately asking him/her to sign the Kildee/Ehrlich
letter by contacting Elizabeth Leoty of Representative Kildee's
staff at 202-225-3661 or J. P. Scholtes of Representative
Ehrlich's staff at 202-225-3061. The deadline for
signatures is April 8, 2002. You can use the U.S. Capitol
Switchboard (202-224-3121) to call your Member of Congress or
e-mail your Representative through the National Trust's
congressional advocacy center web site at http://capwiz.com/.
DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER
Honorable Joe Skeen, Chairman
Honorable Norman D. Dicks, Ranking Member
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior
Dear Chairman Skeen,
We are writing to express our strong
support for restoring the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to
$85.5 million in FY 2003.
Since passage of the National Historic
Preservation Act, thirty-five years ago, the federal
government has established a set of incentives and programs
supported by the HPF that foster local decision making and
re-direct private investment to existing resources. In
essence, the HPF works in partnership with state, tribal and
local governments to preserve America's past for future
generations; thereby ensuring our historic places are
identified, recognized and protected.
Last year, Congress appropriated $74.5
million for the HPF, a $20 million reduction from FY'01.
This year, the President's Budget requests only $67 million
for the HPF -- another $7.5 million decrease from the previous
year. While we recognize recent events gave constrained
funding for many worthy programs, HPF should not bear the
brunt of additional funding decreases.
In our view, additional funding decreases
in the HPF will severely undermine the ability of the
preservation programs to contribute fully toward achieving our
national livability and resource protection objectives.
Now more than ever, we need to rally to defend the very places
that give meaning and context to the American experience.
Without restoring the funds, many of America's sacred
buildings and lands will continue to deteriorate and,
eventually, will be lost
forever. Accordingly, we ask that you
restore the HPF funding to $85.5 million for FY 2003 and
ensure that our national treasures remain intact. The
accomplishments generated through the HPF activities are vital
to the continued strength of our nation, for they remind all
Americans of our past and provide us with a stronger cultural
foundation for the 21st century.
Thank you for your consideration of this
important request. If you have any questions, please do
not hesitate to contact Elizabeth Leoty of Kildee's staff at
202-225-3611 or J.P. Scalds of Ehrlich's staff at
202-225-3061.
Sincerely,
Dale Kildee
Member of Congress
Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.
Member of Congress
PUBLICATIONS
& RESOURCES
National E-newsletter
The National Trust Northeast Office has launched
a monthly electronic newsletter. If you'd like to be added
to their mailing list, please e-mail Tina White (tina_white@nthp.org)
with your name, company (if appropriate), street address, and
e-mail address.
New Web Site: www.preservationonline.org
Preservation, the magazine of the
National Trust, has a new Web site. In addition to excerpts from
the magazine, the site posts brand new stories about
preservation every day, and in-depth stories once a week. Also,
readers can post "Preservation 911" alerts about
threatened buildings in their towns.
http://www.nationaltrust.org/magazine/911/index.htm
Community Rules: A New England Guide to
Smart Growth Strategies
Written by the Conservation Law Foundation and
the Vermont Forum on Sprawl, Community Rules: A New England
Guide to Smart Growth Strategies is a guidebook for
volunteer board members, planners, concerned citizens, and
others who want to achieve smart growth in their communities
through better planning, zoning, and permitting. Community Rules
is accessible and authoritative, and is chock-full of examples
of communities in New England and elsewhere that have laid the
groundwork for smart growth through sensible planning, zoning
and other strategies.
Community Rules shows how local regulations can
be put to use to:
- Steer pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use
development into town centers and new growth centers
- Sustain farming and forestry lands
- Tame big box development
- Protect natural resources
And much more! http://www.clf.org/
Preserving Old Barns: Preventing the
Loss of a Valuable Resource
is a new publication from the University of New
Hampshire Cooperative Extension Service. Focusing on New
Hampshire examples, it includes advice on assessing and
renovating deteriorating buildings, profiles of notable barn
restorations, and an extensive bibliography on barn
repair. $19.95. http://ceinfo.unh.edu/agriculture/documents/POBorder.pdf
.
EVENTS
March 29 - April 27
The New American Pastoral: Changes in the
Landscape
Studio Place Arts Main Gallery, Barre
In America, the unblemished frontier has been an
ideal since its discovery. We are enchanted by the vast
beauty and range of planes and textures that define the unique
diversity of our country. At the same time, America is also
defined by it's tenacity to invent and manufacture. How these
two play together is the subject of this April show. Featured
artists include Altoon Sultan, Levin Pfeufer, H. Keith Wagner,
Michael Smith, Clark Russell, Jeneane Lunn, Philip Hagopian,
Charles Woodard, Nancy Hanson, Barret Roebuck
and more. Mounted to coincide with Earth Month. Studio
Place Arts, 201 N. Main St. Barre, VT 05641 (802) 479 7069.
April 4, 2002
Historic Barn Workshop
Round Barn, East Warren Road, Waitsfield,
VT. 7 to 9 pm.
Presentation on the history of barns and the
evolution of construction styles and how to prioritize,
stabilize, and repair historic barns. Featuring Jan
Lewandowski, a nationally recognized timber frame restoration
contractor.
Presented by the Mad River Valley Rural Resource
Commission. Call 496-7173 for more information.
April 7-10, 2002
National Main Street Conference, Fort
Worth, Texas
"The 2002 National Town Meeting on Main
Street offers proven ideas and strategies for commercial
district revitalization. Come to Fort Worth and learn tools and
strategies to turn your Main Street into a vibrant commercial
center. Small towns and urban districts alike will benefit from
the targeted information National Town Meeting provides. More
than 75 educational and field sessions will give you the chance
to learn and interact with informed, experienced, professionals.
Networking opportunities allow an exchange of ideas with others
in the field, in a dynamic environment that will re-charge your
batteries and leave you with ideas you can take home and
use." Get all the details and registration forms at: http://www.mainstreet.org
April 20, 2002
The Future of Vermont History in the 21st
Century: Needs and Opportunities.
Capitol Plaza and the Pavilion, Building
Auditorium, Montpelier, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where is Vermont Historical research going in
the 21st century? This year's edition of the Vermont
Historical Society's biennial symposium will allow scholars and
the broad community of people interested in Vermont history to
identify areas in the field that need further attention and to
further stratedgize an agenda for future research.
Registration required- $40.00 VHS members, $50.00 Non-members.
Call (802) 828-2291 to register or for more information.
May 2
Historic Barn Workshop
Gaylord Farm Barns, 2587 Main Street,
Waitsfield. 6-8 p.m.
A guided tour through the Gaylord barns that
will highlight common maintenance, deterioration, and
rehabilitation problems and solutions. Featuring Charley
Parker of Traditional Building Trades, a devoted to the
preservationist of Vermont's historic structures whose
preservation projects range from stabilization to complete
restoration. Hadley Gaylord, Jr., the farm's proprietor,
will be on hand as well. Presented by the Mad River Valley Rural
Resource Commission. Call 496-7173 for more information.
June 6
Historic Barn Workshop
Old Palmer Barns, East Warren Road,
Waitsfield, VT, 6-8 pm.
A guided tour around the recently stabilized
Palmer barns, now owned by Frankie Gardiner. Frank will
discuss the barns' structural problems and the reasoning behind
the stabilization, repair, and restoration techniques they chose
to use. Featuring Frank Brown of Shepard Brook
Restoration, a distinguished local restoration contractor and
timber framer who has worked on a number of historic barns in
the Valley. Presented by the Mad River Valley Rural Resource
Commission. Call 496-7173 for more information.
June 9-14
Holistic Stewardship of the Historic Site
A Seminar for Historic Site Administrators
Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg,
Virginia
info@npi.org
www.npi.org
August 10 (Saturday)
Self-guided tours around several of the
Mad River Valley's notable barns.
Presented by the Waitsfield Historical Society
in conjunction with the Mad River Valley Arts Festival.
More information coming soon! Call 496-7173.
OPPORTUNITIES
Facility and Program Manager sought for
The Latchis Center
The Latchis is a multifaceted organization which
includes a hotel, cinema, commercial rental spaces, as well as
arts venues, and is owned by the Brattleboro Arts Initiative (a
501(c)(3) corporation). Varied responsibilities include
management of staff, finances, and events. Unique
opportunity for candidate with management experience and keen
arts interest. Forward salary requirements and resume PT Search
Committee, Brattleboro Arts Initiative, PO Box 249, Brattleboro,
VT 05302, or bai@sover.net.
For more information, visit www.latchis.org.
The National Trust for Historic
Preservation
2002 Dozen Distinctive Destinations
Nomination Form
Give your favorite destination the
recognition it deserves by nominating it for the National Trust
for Historic Preservation's 2002 list of Dozen Distinctive
Destinations. Each year, the National Trust honors 12
communities from across the country that offer enjoyable
natural, historic, aesthetic, recreational and cultural
experiences. Each has a dynamic downtown, commitment to
historic preservation, interesting architecture, cultural
diversity, an economic base of locally owned businesses, and
walking access for residents and visitors.
This year's Dozen Distinctive Destinations
will be announced during summer tourist season. Winners
will be included in National Trust marketing materials,
including a special brochure created for this year's winners.
To save resources (yours and ours) we would
prefer electronic nomination submissions, including photographs
(.jpg files), to dozen@nthp.org.
If mail or Fed Ex is your only option,
then send your nomination to:
The Office of Communications
The National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
The deadline for ALL submissions is Friday,
April 19, 2002, COB.
American Planning Association Awards
Every year, planners and their projects are
acknowledged through the Northern New England Chapter of the
American Planning Association awards program. The program
is designed to recognize a special person, organization, or
project for its contribution to the field of planning. Award
categories are Citizen Planner, Professional Planner, Project of
the Year and Plan of the Year. The awards committee is
actively seeking nominations for the year 2002 which will be
awarded at the NNECAPA annual meeting in September, at the APA
Region I Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.
If you wish to nominate a person,
organization, plan or project, please review the criteria and
submit four (4) copies of your nomination(s) on the form
available on-line at http://www.nnecapa.org
to your state representative on the NNECAPA Awards Committee
(addresses are on the nomination form).
Nominations must be received by August 16,
2002 for consideration this year.
Awards are available in the following
categories:
Citizen Planner of the Year
Professional Planner of the Year
Project of the Year
Plan of the Year
Winners of the NNECAPA Awards will in turn be
nominated for national awards in 2003. Forms for the awards can
be found on the Chapter Website (http://www.nnecapa.org)
or by contacting me.
Historic Charlotte House for Rent
Exceptionally charming 2+ bedroom, 1 1/2 bath,
furnished home with all amenities including deck and
gardens. Available immediately for year-round
rental. Located at 2834 Spear Street, Charlotte, VT.
For more information: lippertf@compuserve.com
(301) 942-2799.
Waterfront Cottage for Rent
Bayview Cottage, 50 Bluff Road, Mills Point,
Colchester. Available April - November. For more
information: lippertf@compuserve.com
(301) 942-2799.
Preservation Leadership Training
Institute: Marshall, California, June 22-29, 2002
Preservation Leadership Training is an intensive
one-week experience tailored to the needs of state and local
preservation organizations. PLT provides participatory
learning experiences in leadership and organizational
development techniques; stimulating educational session; and
up-to-the-minute information on current preservation practices,
issues, and action strategies.
For board members and staff of preservation
organizations and agencies and others who are in positions to
influence preservation efforts in their communities. Application
deadline is April 19, 2002.
For more information contact the National
Trust for Historic Preservation (202) 588-6067, plt@nthp.org.
For more information about Historic Vermont,
to subscribe or to unsubscribe to the email version, or to
submit something for publication please contact Meg Campbell,
Editor. meg@ptvermont.org
