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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAdditional Public Comments Public Comments In Support 0 Neutral 1 In Opposition 0 1 Doss, Amy From:noreply@civicplus.com Sent:Wednesday, September 4, 2024 6:02 PM To:May, Katherine; Roth, Rebekah; Vafier, Ken; Farrell, Robert; wbiddle@nhcgov.com; Doss, Amy; Dickerson, Zachary; lott@nhcgov.com Subject:Online Form Submission #14086 for Public Comment Form ** External Email: Do not click links, open attachments, or reply until you know it is safe ** Public Comment Form Public Comment Form The agenda items listed are available for public comment at an upcoming Planning Board or Board of Commissioners meeting. Comments received by 8 AM the day of the applicable meeting will be made available to the Board prior to that meeting and will be included as part of the permanent, public record for that meeting. First Name Isabelle Last Name Shepherd Address 511 Queen Street City Wilmington State NC Zip Code 28401 Email shepherd@historicwilmington.org Please select the case for comment. PB Meeting - Z24-17 - Moore's Crossing Planned Development What is the nature of your comment? Neutral Public Comment Dear Members of the New Hanover County Planning Board, On behalf of the Historic Wilmington Foundation (HWF), I am writing to express recommendations regarding Rezoning Request Z24-17, which seeks to rezone the Moore's Crossing Master Planned Development from R-20 (Residential District) to PD (Planned Development District). HWF is committed to protecting historic cemeteries, which 2 serve to encapsulate the narratives of communities, preserving the cultural and historical heritage that shapes local identity. The Josh Moore Cemetery (also known as the Moore-Grady Cemetery), located behind 3612 Emerson Drive, is of particular significance to the African-American community of Rock Hill. This cemetery is the final resting place of Reverend Luke Grady, an individual whose life story is emblematic of resilience and progress in the face of systemic adversity. Born enslaved in 1854, Reverend Grady rose to become a North Carolina State Legislator. His life’s work as a farm owner, school teacher, township magistrate, and minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church left an indelible mark on the community he served. His burial in this cemetery in 1932 enshrines his legacy, which continues to inspire pride and hope for the future. Given the historical and cultural significance of the Josh Moore Cemetery (also known as the Moore-Grady Cemetery), HWF strongly advocates for a protective buffer greater than the currently proposed 20 feet. A minimum buffer of 50 feet, with a preference for 100 feet or more, is recommended for several important reasons. To begin, burials in older cemeteries often extend beyond modern property lines, making a larger buffer essential to prevent the disturbance of graves. This expanded buffer not only safeguards the cemetery from physical damage and environmental changes but also preserves the integrity of its setting, which includes valuable natural resources. The presence of heritage trees, which contribute significantly to the site’s historic character, should be protected to the greatest extent possible as part of this buffer. In conclusion, we urge the New Hanover County Planning Board to consider the historical importance of the cemetery and to take the necessary steps to ensure its preservation. A larger buffer will honor the memory of those interred and maintain the cultural landscape that is so vital to the Rock Hill community’s heritage. Thank you for your consideration of these recommendations. Sincerely, Isabelle Shepherd Interim Executive Director Historic Wilmington Foundation Upload supporting files 3 If you need to support your comment with documentation, upload the files here. No more than 20MB in size total for all files. File types accepted are: doc, docx, ppt, pptx, txt, pdf, jpg, png. File 1 Luke Grady Headstone.JPG File 2 Luke Grady - NCDOC Enironmental Excellence Article.pdf File 3 John Moore Estate Map.pdf File 4 Field not completed. Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. HOME CONTACT SEARCH! NC DOT NC DOH NC GOV Environmental Excellence Facts & Highlights TEA-21 Lab Showcase Partnerships Education Program Development Environmental Functions Links Ecosystem Enhancement Environmental Hot Topics Stormwater 3R Program HOME » AWARDS » Wilmington Bypass - Chair Road Community Awards: Wilmington Bypass - Chair Road Community The Federal Highway Administration's 2003 Environmental Excellence Awards Wilmington Bypass - Chair Road Community In 2000 and 2001, as North Carolina Department of Transportation's (NCDOT) plans for a northern bypass of the City of Wilmington solidified, the Reverend Luke Grady remained forgotten by all but the residents of the Rock Hill community, which the bypass was to cross. His modest grave marker stood in the corner of a small family cemetery just beyond the project area, unremarked. Residents of Rock Hill, including descendants who had known Reverend Grady in his old age, remembered his many accomplishments: farm owner, school teacher, member of the North Carolina General Assembly, township magistrate, African Methodist Episcopal Church minister. They also remembered how difficult it was for an African- American to climb to these heights in the North Carolina of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. To these residents, Luke Grady's memory was important as a source of pride in past community accomplishments and as a potential source of strength for future accomplishments by the community's younger members. Through the course of the planning of the project and preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement, Leigh Lane and Carl Goode of NCDOT's Project Development and Environmental Analysis Branch, Everett Ward of NCDOT's Program Development Branch, and other members of the Department were in contact with members of the community, in hopes of creatively addressing any Environmental Justice issues raised by the project in accordance with Executive Order 12898. Emerson Whitted, a community resident and activist, and others noted the location of Luke Grady's grave and his importance to the community and local history. However, the grave and the cemetery in which it rested were not formally within the project's boundaries. The project would not physically affect them and, although within the project's Area of Potential Effects, they were not historic properties as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The importance the Rock Hill community placed in the memory of Luke Grady suggested to NCDOT that the recovery of his story might appropriately address Environmental Justice issues associated with the bypass's passage through the community. NCDOT requested that the Raleigh, North Carolina, office of URS Corporation (URS), which was intensively involved in the planning and design of the project, research Reverend Grady's history. Marvin Brown, senior historian and architectural historian with URS, who had conducted much of the Section 106 survey and review work for the project, embarked on intensive research into Reverend Grady's life and times. His efforts took him to repositories in eastern and piedmont North Carolina and in New Jersey. They also put him in contact with archivists throughout North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Perhaps the most important sources of information for Mr. Brown, however, were located within the Rock Hill community. He interviewed Emerson Whitted, Earl Leroy Miller, Katie Grady, and other community members and descendants of Luke Grady. Mr. Miller, a grandson of Reverend Grady, and Ms. Grady, the wife of another grandson, personally recalled Reverend Grady in the 1920s and early 1930s as a kind, unbent man. Their memories and other family accounts fleshed out the terse bits of information otherwise coaxed from the written historical record. As Luke Grady's history was recovered, NCDOT and the community determined that the best way to preserve and present this history was through (1) the publication of a historical monograph, (2) the erection of a historical marker with landscaping, and (3) a formal dedication ceremony for the Page 1 of 2NCDOT Environmental Excellence: Awards - Wilmington By... 6/15/2011http://www.ncdot.org/programs/environment/awards/Wilming... community. Through NCDOT funding, Mr. Brown wrote the monograph, which he and others at URS helped design and shepherd through publication. He also wrote the text for the bronze marker, which was installed by the NCDOT and URS along with the community, which was kept intricately involved throughout these activities. For instance, Emerson Whitted reviewed and commented upon the text of the marker and the monograph and wrote the preface for the latter. On Sunday, April 22, 2001, the community, NCDOT, and the Federal Highway Administration formerly dedicated the plaque in Luke Grady's honor at St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in Rock Hill. St. James, which was Reverend Grady's home church, stands near the heart of the community, a few blocks from Grady's grave and the bypass. On a prominent portion of its property, the marker was raised. At the dedication ceremony, representatives of the community, NCDOT, and Reverend Grady's family spoke. Mr. Brown recounted Reverend Grady's story and noted the valuable lessons it held for the community and its future. The many community residents and guests who filled the church sang with the choir. Following the formal remarks, the crowd moved outside for the plaque's official unveiling. Then, in the church hall, the community and guests were served refreshments and given copies of the Luke Grady history, which Mr. Brown inscribed for them. The media were invited and covered the dedication ceremony. NCDOT also mailed copies of the monograph to local, state, and university libraries. No copies were sold, but rather all were distributed on behalf of NCDOT. Following the dedication and their reading of the plaque and the monograph, many members of the community expressed satisfaction with the reclamation of the history of Luke Grady and, by extension, that of the Rock Hill community. The North Carolina Department of Transportation Page 2 of 2NCDOT Environmental Excellence: Awards - Wilmington By... 6/15/2011http://www.ncdot.org/programs/environment/awards/Wilming...