BE A PART OF CARY’S HISTORY

[Brent]

I encourage everyone to attend!

The development of Cary's Historic Resources Master Plan will continue through most of 2009.

The "kickoff" public meetings are this Wednesday and Thursday (details below; you need to attend only one of them). Additional public input and education sessions will occur later in the year, but please come and participate in one of these opening meetings this week!


BE A PART OF CARY’S HISTORY AT HISTORIC PRESERVATION PLAN MEETINGS

Don’t miss your chance to help the Town of Cary kick off a year-long planning process to preserve Cary’s heritage. Come to either of two meetings: Wednesday, February 25, 6-8:30 p.m. at Cary Senior Center in Bond Park, 120 Maury O’Dell Place or on Thursday, February 26, 6-8:30 p.m. at the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, 119 Ambassador Loop. The purpose of the community meetings is to give an overview of the planning process and to engage citizens in a formal discussion about what they would like to see preserved for future generations. For more, visit Historic Preservation Master Plan at http://www.townofcary.org/depts/planning/hpmp.htm or call (919) 469-4084.


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PRIMARY CONTACTS: Anna Readling, Senior Planner, (919) 469-4084
April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091

[HorseDr]

Great, Cary wants to preserve it's history -AFTER it develops plans to put its sewage treatment plant across the street from New Hill's registered historic district. Cary's history is one of being a LOUSY neighbor.

I just received maps today of part of the sewer line plan. In addition to Progress Energy's 70 foot powerline easement there will be a 60 foot sewer easement (they run adjacent to each other but don't overlap, for part of my property, but then the sewer line cuts off to run across it). When I bought my land the trees were about 5 feet high. My family and I've worked on this land for 23 years, managing it as a Stewardship forest. My wife and I won the Wake County Stewardship Forest award one year because we actively managed it for wildlife, soil and water conservation and timber growth. Now Cary is going to cut a 60 foot swath right through it. All so the greedy politicians and developers can profit from the resulting growth.

Imagine if your neighbor threw their dogs poop over the fence into your yard, multiplied hundreds of thousands of times. How would you feel?

Cary's history - I wouldn't be proud of it.

[Brent]

Great, Cary wants to preserve it's history -AFTER it develops plans to put its sewage treatment plant across the street from New Hill's registered historic district. Cary's history is one of being a LOUSY neighbor.

Cary has worked to preserve its history for a long time, but not in a comprehensive way. This current effort is to develop a comprehensive plan.

I am appalled that the sewer plant is proposed to sit next to New Hill's historic district. I live in Cary, not New Hill, but I've vocally opposed the current plan -- noting in particular the proximity to New Hill's historic district -- since Day 1 and, as others here on CP can attest, supported the NHCA in every way I can since Day 1. You're preaching to the choir (and I know you're not preaching and not blaming me for Cary's decision :) ).


I just received maps today of part of the sewer line plan. In addition to Progress Energy's 70 foot powerline easement there will be a 60 foot sewer easement (they run adjacent to each other but don't overlap, for part of my property, but then the sewer line cuts off to run across it). When I bought my land the trees were about 5 feet high. My family and I've worked on this land for 23 years, managing it as a Stewardship forest. My wife and I won the Wake County Stewardship Forest award one year because we actively managed it for wildlife, soil and water conservation and timber growth. Now Cary is going to cut a 60 foot swath right through it. All so the greedy politicians and developers can profit from the resulting growth.

Imagine if your neighbor threw their dogs poop over the fence into your yard, multiplied hundreds of thousands of times. How would you feel?

I would feel like crap (pun intended, sorry), and I'd be angry and disgusted. FWIW, I don't like this either and I think better site alternatives exist. I'm with you.


Cary's history - I wouldn't be proud of it.

As a Cary citizen, I am not proud of this particular decision in Cary's recent history. As noted, I've said so many times in many venues (not just on CP).

Nevertheless, Cary has a rich history with many things to be proud of. I don't think we can afford to lose that, including the tangible historic resources that reflect and remind us of that history.

The final page of this particular chapter of the new sewage plant hasn't been written yet, and I hope it turns out differently than currently projected.

But in any case, I still believe in preserving history -- good and bad -- and in Cary's comprehensive historic resources plan. And I think that the current sewer plant site would be horribly detrimental to New Hill preserving its historic district.

[chaboard]

Hey Brent...is this session tonight something that one can pop in for a period and pick up printed material? I'd like to stop by and get a sense of what's happening but will be lucky to get away for 3 minutes much less two and half hours. Just wondering if I do the popin thing will I a) offend or disrupt anything and b) be able to get anything out of it?

[Brent]

Charlie, my understanding (I wasn't able to attend last night's session) is that this will consist of a program/presentation by the consultants who have been engaged for this project, followed by dialogue with/input from the community participants -- not so much the "open house" sorts of sessions that the Town sometimes sponsors for community meetings.

So my belief is that it's less conducive to "pop in and get info", but I don't think it will be at all disruptive and in fact I expect some folks may do just that (I expect to "pop in" a bit late myself); the benefit is probably proportional to the amount of time you can be there.

So I wouldn't rule it out if you can stay for 30-45 minutes. The "meat" of the event will be less than 2.5 hours (first half hour is socializing/refreshments; it might or might not go all the way to 8:30).

Hope this helps.

[HorseDr]

Brent: Thanks for the words of support. It has just been so incredibly frustrating! In addition to the actual sewage plant, there are the miles of sewage lines. It would make ecological sense to treat near the source and pump treated effluent to the require discharge basin - that way, if there is a pipe leak it's more likely to be relatively harmless. Instead, those of us who live near the raw sewage pipeline and depend on wells for our water will live in worry about the impact of leaks on our water supply. Given that we are a more rural community, leaks may not be detected as quickly. Cary does have a history of some extremely bad raw sewage leaks.

[Brent]

The two community input sessions noted in the original posts were quite successful. Dozens of people attended and offered their input about what is important about Cary, what things in Cary should be preserved, and so on. Town Staff is compiling all the input received.

NEXT UP: a series of 3 educational workshops about historic preservation. The first one deals with preservation tools and it will happen Monday, March 23, 6:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

View this flyer for more details and future workshop dates (http://www.friendsofpagewalker.org/Content/Documents/Document.ashx?DocId=41822)

[Brent]

P.S. If anyone on CP would like to be added to the Friends of the Page-Walker's e-mail distribution list (occasional notices about events such as this one and free electronic copy of our "quarterly or so" newsletter -- we don't spam!), please PM me with the e-mail address to add and I'll see that you're added.

[Brent]

Third Community Meeting:



JOIN IN COMMUNITY MEETING TO VIEW DRAFT GOALS, OBJECTIVES FOR CARY’S HISTORIC PRESERVATION MASTER PLAN

Cary citizens will have their first opportunity to hear and comment on draft goals and objectives for the Historic Preservation Master Plan at a community meeting on Wednesday, June 17, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Bond Park Community Center, 150 Metro Park Drive. The draft goals and objectives were developed using public input gathered from two community meetings held earlier this year, along with input from the Historic Preservation Master Plan Citizens’ Advisory Group. The final draft of the plan will be unveiled at an additional community meeting in September 2009. Once complete, the Town’s Historic Preservation Master Plan will guide the Town’s future preservation decisions. For more, visit Historic Preservation Master Plan at http://www.townofcary.org/depts/planning/hpmp.htm or call (919) 469-4084.


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PRIMARY CONTACTS: Anna Readling, Senior Planner, (919) 469-4084
April Raphiou, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 481-5091
Susan Moran, Public Information Officer, (919) 460-4951