Historic Resources Committee

Any project or initiative requires formal approval and cooperation from the property owner.

Committee votes to approve the proposed meeting agenda.

Council members will review and approve the meeting minutes from April 10, 2026.

Any initiatives or requests related to schools must be directed to the School Board for review and approval.

Council will discuss changes to the membership of the Human Rights Commission.

Clear eligibility criteria are needed for honors and recognitions, including minimum time deceased (5 years), community impact level, educational components, research requirements, petition/support letters, and assessment of any commercial or advertising aspects.

Council will discuss efforts to recruit new members for open positions.

Discussion of informational kiosks and signage on the Downtown Mall, along with funding decisions for these displays.

Discussion about rack cards promoting historical walking tours in Charlottesville.

Council will discuss the Liberty Bell Replica, including its installation, maintenance, or placement in Charlottesville.

Discussion about creating a historical marker for Monticello.

Discussion and updates about a replica of the Liberty Bell.

Committee staff will provide updates on current projects and activities.

Council will review an update provided by E. Shillue on an ongoing project.

The committee will recognize and discuss notable anniversaries or milestones.

Council will review an update provided by O. Brown on an ongoing project or initiative.

Council will check in on ongoing communication with the Fire Department regarding the Liberty Bell Replica project.

Council will discuss or plan a neighborhood walking tour or event at Rose Hill scheduled for May.

Discussion of a June community event or project at Locust Grove led by J. Trompetter.

Discussion of a July community event or project at Lewis Mountain led by B. Bergen.

Planning for a September community event or project at Martha Jefferson and Little High schools, with a volunteer coordinator still needed.

Discussion of an October community event or project at Barracks Road and Rugby led by L. Pola.

Scheduling and planning for the December Historical Resources Commission (HRC) meeting agenda.

Opportunity for volunteers to help develop an online system for organizing and distributing walking tour flyers for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Commission.

Discussion of decorative banners or signage to be displayed at Court Square.

Update on an archival preservation project and a visit from University of Virginia special collections staff.

Additional staff announcements and information to be determined.

Category for HRC activities related to education and outreach.

Category for HRC activities related to public commemoration, including historic plaques, signs, markers, and civic festivals.

Category for HRC publications such as maps, brochures, tour books, and digital media.

Category for HRC public meetings including planning sessions, workshops, and lectures.

Guidelines for public comment at HRC meetings, including accessibility accommodations and procedures for resident participation.

Committee considers adding two new items to the agenda: Court Square banners and adopting virtual updates for meetings.

A representative from Preservation Piedmont will address the council.

The council will discuss concerns about the Wertenbaker House and work toward a final resolution.

Dominion Energy has requested that the city take interest in making the new Charlottesville-to-Gordonsville power transmission line visually attractive and appropriately located; staff will investigate what materials and design will be used.

The council will review specific updates and revisions to the Board of Architectural Review (BAR) guidelines, particularly for Tier 3 properties, with UVa students observing as part of a Democracy in Action class.

A survey about Downtown Mall memories has closed with 57 responses, and staff have selected the best quotes to display on seven kiosk panels throughout the Mall.

The kiosk panels will feature both photos and text (about 80 words per panel, up to 200 maximum) with respondents' names when available; all images must have copyright approval and business names will not be used for promotional purposes.

A subcommittee will match selected quotes with images and work with a printer (Frontrunner Signs) to produce the kiosk signs with 'Cville 50th' branding within two weeks to meet printing deadlines.

Staff will promote the exhibit, notify people whose quotes were selected, gather images from media outlets and walking tour archives, and coordinate logistics including branding assets and kiosk specifications.

Memories and reflections about the Downtown Mall, including responses from Reddit, are being documented and organized in a spreadsheet for the archive.

An event on June 6, 2026 at 2:00 pm will unveil a bust of Sarah Anne Kelly and preview a documentary about her at the Central Library's Swanson Room.

The Central Library will display the Sarah Anne Kelly bust during the summer alongside books related to her story.

The bust will travel to multiple locations, including the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (ACHS), before settling in a permanent home.

Dr. Shelley Murphy will present on Sarah Anne Kelly's ancestry and the history of Apostle Kelly on Thursday, May 14th at 6:00 pm at The Center: Shining Light of Charlottesville's Hidden History.

The Beloved Cville project will show short videos followed by related speakers; the first event is a Lunch and Learn at the Center for Teaching Excellence on Monday, April 20th at 12:00 pm focusing on ethical partnerships.

MC Follett will serve as emcee for a Beloved Cville event.

E. Shillue is exploring how to expand the sculpture project to create a collection of similar historical busts and is considering this as an invitation for discussion with the HRC and other participants like Melissa Levy.

The O. Brown Test of Time Award was presented to Congregation Beth Israel.

Discussion of a documentary or project called 'M-F 9 to 5' about Charlottesville's history in the 1970s.

Proposal to have the city send regular updates to residents about upcoming community events.

Local organizations including the Albemarle County Historical Society and Beloved will provide simple event updates to the community.

The group endorsed virtual event updates as beneficial, with the Chair committing to coordinate monthly with participating organization representatives before each meeting.

A motion to allocate $3,500 to fund kiosk signs on the Downtown Mall for a 50th anniversary project.

Walking tour promotional cards will be distributed to tourism racks throughout the city.

A sample of Swan Tavern artifacts will be displayed in the new Courthouse, while the remaining 37,000+ artifacts will be handled by a professional archaeological services firm.

The University of Virginia declined to take responsibility for storing and preserving the Swan Tavern collection.

The Department of Historic Resources will accept stewardship of the Swan Tavern artifacts for $14,000, with Albemarle County declining to contribute funding and public access available by request.

A request was made for the Historic Resources Commission to donate $5,000 to support archiving the Swan Tavern artifacts.

A motion passed to approve $5,000 from the Historic Resources Commission to help fund the archiving and preservation of Swan Tavern artifacts through the Department of Historic Resources.

The Albemarle County Historical Resources Commission has not yet decided on a Monticello marker and is currently developing a policy for historical markers.

A subcommittee discussed plans for the Liberty Bell replica, including outreach to the Fire Department and pending accessibility improvements at the Ridge Street Fire Station.

City officials will review discussion points from March and examine the attached policy to ensure alignment.

Staff will present a revised policy for review, with supporting materials to be shared at the April meeting.

Discussion about the high volume of requests received in 2020 and how to manage similar future submissions.

The Human Rights Commission has been asked to help review and process community requests, with notes on how such requests were historically handled through mayoral proclamations.

Installation of historical markers on 12th Street must go through both City approval and State Department of Historic Resources (DHR) approval.

Discussion of the Nau Center as a potential location, with considerations about Parks & Recreation involvement.

April walking tour will focus on UVA's North Grounds.

May walking tour will explore the Rose Hill neighborhood.

June walking tour will feature Locust Grove, led by J. Trompetter.

July walking tour will cover Lewis Mountain, led by B. Bergen.

September walking tour will highlight Martha Jefferson and Little High neighborhoods; a volunteer coordinator is needed.

October walking tour will explore Barracks Road and Rugby neighborhoods, led by L. Pola.

Procedural matter related to December scheduling or activities in the Belmont area.

Committee members will review discussions from the March meeting by reviewing the official minutes.

Planning how to document and potentially commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in 2027, though some business owners have expressed concerns about marking the event.

Discussion of a solo performance or exhibition by Priyanka Shetty related to Charlottesville.

Possible collaboration with UVa and community organizations (ACHS, CBI) regarding historical collections and community walking vigils related to reclaiming public spaces in Charlottesville.

Discussion of committee members' positions that any 10th anniversary observance should be private and reflective rather than an official city or HRC statement, given the event's complex nature.

Committee votes to support a proposal or motion.

Discussion of the 10th anniversary commemoration has been postponed until the May HRC meeting.

Discussion of educational approaches or programs related to historical commemoration.

Discussion of public commemoration methods such as historic plaques, signs, markers, and civic events.

Discussion of published materials including maps, brochures, tour books, and digital media for public education.

Discussion of public educational events including planning sessions, workshops, and lectures.

Clarification of the HRC's rules for public comment, which allow up to 10 minutes at the start of meetings with individual speakers limited to two minutes, plus optional additional time before adjournment, and information on disability accommodations.