Historic Resources Committee

The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m.

Attendees will review and vote to approve the agenda for this meeting.

The December and January meeting minutes were approved without objection.

Residents will have 5 minutes to speak publicly about any topic of their choosing at 10:10 a.m.

A 15-minute discussion at 10:15 a.m. celebrating the Downtown Mall's 50th anniversary in 2026.

A 10-minute discussion at 10:30 a.m. about the Beloved Cville initiative or project.

A 10-minute discussion at 10:40 a.m. about the Albemarle County Historical Society (ACHS).

A 5-minute discussion at 10:50 a.m. about a historical marker related to Monticello.

A 10-minute discussion at 10:55 a.m. about a replica of the Liberty Bell.

O. Brown will provide an update to the group.

A 5-minute update at 11:25 a.m. from the Board of Architectural Review Commission (BPAC) about neighborhood walking tours.

B. Bergen will provide an update to the group.

Staff will provide updates and discuss internal matters for 10 minutes starting at 11:50.

The group will review and discuss the work plan for 2026 at 11:05 a.m., lasting 5 minutes.

A 15-minute discussion at 11:10 a.m. to review February's conversation and discuss ways to honor community members.

The group will review and summarize relevant policies.

Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions and discuss items openly.

The next neighborhood walking tour will take place this Sunday, March 8th through The Meadows neighborhood, meeting at the Best Buy bike rack at 10:00 a.m.

J. Trompetter will lead a neighborhood walking tour at Locust Grove scheduled for June.

Staff member B. Bergen will lead a discussion or site visit related to Lewis Mountain scheduled for July.

A volunteer is needed to lead a September discussion or site visit covering Martha Jefferson and Little High schools.

Staff member L. Pola will lead a discussion or site visit related to the Barracks Road and Rugby area scheduled for October.

A volunteer is needed to lead a December discussion or site visit focused on the Belmont neighborhood or property.

Committee members will openly share ideas and have informal discussion.

The committee will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 2017 events.

Planning will continue for the Preservation Fair scheduled for May 5th.

The committee will discuss creating or dedicating a plaque to commemorate the Charlottesville Mall's 50th anniversary.

The committee will discuss educational initiatives and programs.

The committee works to promote historic preservation through public commemorations including plaques, signs, markers, and civic festivals and ceremonies.

The committee creates and distributes educational publications such as maps, brochures, tour books, and digital media about local history and preservation.

The committee organizes public meetings including planning sessions, workshops, and lectures to engage the community in historic preservation.

Residents can submit accessibility requests or ask questions by contacting the ADA Coordinator at (434) 970-3182 or ada@charlottesville.gov with 48 hours notice.

The city is considering restoring a slave auction block and needs the Historical Records Commission to help draft language for a new plaque explaining its history if the council approves the restoration.

The Albemarle County Historical Society is hosting a free lecture on March 2, 2026, about preserving Black schools and churches in rural Virginia, with historical photos on exhibit; a new state bill was also noted that would restrict who can challenge local land use decisions in court.

Staff are collecting community stories and memories about Downtown Mall's 50th anniversary through a survey (deadline March 31), and will compile recommended quotes to present to the commission by April 10.

Three-sided kiosks will display information about the Downtown Mall 50th anniversary celebration; staff need to confirm design plans and fabrication timeline (estimated 2-3 weeks).

The Downtown Mall anniversary survey needs more responses to reach a goal of 100 by March 31; staff are seeking to contact people with long memories of the mall to encourage participation.

The commission is asking people to widely share survey links, QR codes, and paper copies to gather more community responses about Downtown Mall's history.

Beloved Cville is continuing virtual walking tours, working with the historical society on lectures, and completing a documentary film and sculpture honoring Apostle Kelley, with the sculpture expected to be finished by May-June and eventually displayed at Central Library.

The Albemarle County Historical Society is promoting an upcoming lecture on March 2 about preserving Black history, planning future presentations, and conducting a strategic planning process to assess its current work and determine future priorities.

As part of strategic planning, the Albemarle County Historical Society is asking community members what programs and services the organization should continue doing.

As part of strategic planning, the Albemarle County Historical Society is asking community members what programs or services the organization should stop doing.

As part of strategic planning, the Albemarle County Historical Society is asking community members what new programs or services the organization should start offering.

The Liberty Bell replica project is moving forward with a subcommittee defining its mission and goals; the bell will ring at 2:50 pm on July 4, 2026, and one member is being encouraged to publish research about the bell's history.

The commission is exploring the process of designating streets as honorary names to recognize important people or events in Charlottesville's history.

The commission is reviewing research methods and citation standards for historical projects and documentation.

The Human Relations Commission is discussing whether it should create policies for naming or renaming streets, buildings, and public spaces after individual citizens (both living and deceased), and whether it should take a leadership role in these efforts or instead serve as a research resource that directs requests to other city departments.

A walking tour of Johnson Village is scheduled for February, with promotional materials already prepared.

A walking tour of The Meadows neighborhood is scheduled for March, with promotional materials already prepared.

A walking tour of Locust Grove is scheduled for June.

A walking tour of Lewis Mountain is scheduled for July.

Walking tours of Martha Jefferson and Little High neighborhoods are scheduled for September.

A walking tour of the Barracks Road and Rugby area is scheduled for October.

A walking tour of Belmont is scheduled for December.

The commission will review or discuss guidelines for the Architectural Design Commission district.

The commission will discuss the historic preservation plan for Charlottesville.

The commission will review updates on appeals related to historic preservation decisions.

Staff will share additional research notes, including a potential historic location of the Big Apple Dance Hall near Hartman's Mill Road that was documented in the Green Book.

The commission will discuss educational initiatives and outreach.

The commission will discuss public commemoration efforts including historic plaques, signs, markers, and civic festivals or ceremonies.

The commission will discuss publications such as maps, brochures, tour books, and digital media about Charlottesville's history.

The commission will discuss public meetings including planning sessions, workshops, and lectures about local history and preservation.

Public comment rules: residents may speak for up to 2 minutes during designated times, limited to 10 minutes at the meeting's start and 5 minutes before adjournment; people needing accessibility accommodations should contact the ADA Coordinator at least 48 hours in advance.