AGENDA #5b
MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Council Member Dorothy Verkerk, Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force Chair
SUBJECT: Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Update
DATE: May 24, 2004
This report provides an overview of activities that have taken place in recent months at the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery and includes a summary of work being done by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force.
BACKGROUND
On August 26, 2003, the Council approved a resolution authorizing a revision to the University’s Master Plan permitting construction of the Cobb parking deck and chiller plant. That resolution included stipulations that required that the University restore the perimeter stone walls of the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery and contribute $100,000 to a fund to be used for other Cemetery improvements. The stipulation also called for the creation of a joint Town and University task force to make recommendations on the use of the available funds. On November 10, 2003, the Council approved a budget ordinance allocating $50,000 from the fund balance to the Cemetery Beautification project account in the Capital Improvement Fund to provide a total of $150,000 in available funding. On January 12, 2004, the Council appointed members to the joint Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force. In total, six members were appointed by the Council and six by the University and include:
Town Appointees:
Council Member Dorothy Verkerk (chair), Rebecca Clark, Catherine Frank, Steven Moore, Faison Sessoms and Cat Williams
University Appointees:
Jill Coleman, Paul Kapp, Kirk Pelland, Bruce Runberg, John Sanders and Bland Simpson
On March 4, 2004, the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force convened their first meeting. A Quick Report of that meeting is attached (Attachment 1). On March 7, 2004, the Task Force conducted a tour of the Cemetery and subsequent meetings were then held on March 18, 2004, April 8, 2004 and May 13, 2004. Quick Reports of those meetings are also attached (Attachments 2 – 4).
DISCUSSION
During the last several months, along with the work done by the Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Task Force, there have been notable improvements made in and around the Cemetery. With the assistance of Town staff to clear vines and saplings to expose the stone walls, the University has made significant progress with their stone wall restoration project, including completion of the work along the southern perimeter and much of the eastern and western perimeters. The University has conducted some archeological work along a section of the western perimeter, where the location of the original stone wall was in doubt, and is preparing to fully reconstruct a wall at that location.
In addition to the stone wall restoration work, several other projects have been undertaken by both University and Town staff. These include a joint effort to remove undesirable underbrush and damaged trees from the Cemetery and perimeter areas located on University property, the removal of damaged fencing adjacent to the Cemetery, and the joint Town and University mulching project along the bank adjacent to the South Road frontage.
The attached quick reports provide an overview of the progress the Task Force is making towards developing recommendations for use of the available Cemetery improvement funds. At the most recent meeting, subcommittees were formed to study the three areas of improvements that are of primary interest to the Task Force members. These areas of interest include improvements to Cemetery archives and publicly accessible information; pedestrian improvements including enhanced lighting and landscaping; and historic preservation projects including restoration of the cast metal fencing around the Dialectic and Philanthropic Society’s plots.
The Task Force subcommittees intend to meet over the summer to establish their priorities for use of available funding. The Task Force as a whole will reconvene regular meetings in mid-August and anticipates making recommendations to the Council in the fall of this year.
ATTACHMENTS