Residents Protesting Costly Rules
 | | Residents in Distress |
In many communities across the country, residents are fed up
with additional reviews and costly aesthetic restrictions and requirements placed on their homes and properties (see the upside down flag in the photo at right from North Carolina). Hawaii's Act 228 (requiring submission of archival photos of a structure over 50 years old in order to obtain a building permit) was overturned in less than a year for just such reasons. See
In Strasburg, Virginia, at a recent meeting, residents voiced their objections to the town's historic district guidelines claiming that some requirements were "putting a tremendous financial burden on...people". See [ Residents Speak Out Against District Rules]
In Wisconsin, a reader wrote in to say "If you can't summon interest in participation on an individual basis; don't force your controling [sic] hand in creating a historic district. If it doesn't fit; don't force it and don't slip it under the door when no one is looking." [Writer Questions Need for Historic Preservation District]
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Public Lands Council Vigorously Opposes National Heritage Areas
At their annual meeting last September, 2010, the Public Lands Council adopted the following policy:
NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS
WHEREAS, PLC already has a Land Use Policy that outlines acceptable state and federal land planning and supports local land planning.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, PLC shall vigorously oppose National Heritage Areas.
This position was also stated in their press release: [News Release]
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Legislative Update - Status Unchanged
With the adjournment of the 111th congress sine die, S. 359 and H.R. 1297 expired. Senator Inouye plans to introduce the legislation in the 112th Congress under a different bill number. The 112th Congress commences January 5, 2011. As of this writing there is no indication if either of the House members from Hawaii plan to introduce the bill in the House. The Alliance is working with Senator Inouye's staff to seek substantial modifications to the legislation to address the concerns of Alliance supporters.
In 2004 Brenda Barrett, the National Park Service's Coordinator for National Heritage Areas, said in prepared remarks:
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Criteria have been developed, at least on paper, to ensure that community
residents and leaders are fully consulted and committed before designation" Numerous community groups, areas, businesses and homeowners continue to oppose or not support the designation and have asked to be excluded from the proposed boundary map of the area. |
