On June 24th, 2022, at 6:00 pm, a community meeting was held at the St. Thomas Episcopal Church Parish Hall relating to the proposed designation of a portion of Isle of Hope’s bluff as a local historic district under the Chatham County Historic Preservation ordinance. Approximately 75 people attended the meeting. Helen Stone, Chatham County Commissioner, and Caitlin Chamberlain, Staff Member from the Metropolitan Planning Commission, were in attendance. The meeting began with a presentation by Isle of Hope Historical Association President, Dan Willoughby. The presentation:
- Reviewed the history of the Historical Association’s efforts to obtain local historic district status;
- Explained the process for securing a local historic district designation;
- Described the proposed district, including its boundaries and the historical significance of the buildings to be protected;
- Provided statistics concerning the support for the district, including 87% of homeowners within the district favoring a local historic district designation;
- Listed the effects of a local historic district designation on property owners; and
- Identified next steps in the designation process, including the July 6, 2022, hearing at 3:00 pm before the Chatham County Historic Preservation Commission.
A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is attached below. Following the presentation, attendees were provided an opportunity to comment and ask questions. At approximately 7:30 pm, the meeting concluded.
IOHHA Proposed Historic District Community Meeting June 24 2022