Attendees: Cynthia, Cindy, Michelle, Tom

GOAL: Strategize on the best way to accomplish HD for all of Capitol Heights.
Task: Plot the original CH plats provided by Christy on the large scale map of CH.
Assigned to: Cynthia McCollister DONE
Task: Print large scale map showing current Historic Designations.
Assigned to: Christy Anderson DONE
Task: HD Committee to review maps after plotting & hopefully make a recommendation as to
boundaries.
Assigned to: Committee
Boundary recommendation proposed tonight. See recommendation below.
Task: Estimate the amount of time it takes to complete the survey and photos
Assigned to: Christy DONE – approximately 10 minutes per property.
Task: Contact water board and request map of places showing date the water was turned on
Assigned to: Cynthia DONE – has to be manual, no automation available. Christy has
called attention to the Montgomery County Revenue records that are online and most
have a construction date indicated for homes.

GOAL: Determine a high level plan to accomplish the HD. DONE
Determine boundaries for HD
Workshop with Christy Anderson from Planning Commission – learn how to complete survey
and other documentation required.
Education / Buy-in
Develop methods for educating the neighborhood and earning further buy-in from the neighborhood. Mailings, news articles, web site, events, etc.
Complete (physical) surveys.
Prepare required survey form for each house to be included.
Take photos of each house to be included.
Organize survey documentation.
Complete supporting (historical) documentation.
General Preservation Plan (approx. 1 page).
Justification for boundaries selected.
Any other documentation required.
Submit to Historic Preservation Commission.
Obtain approval.
City sends letters to parcels owners for their agreement (or disagreement).
City provides notice to association of parcel owners not responding.
Organize method of approach for obtaining remaining signature needed. Consider for example: (1) First pass (soft sell) workers gather the signatures they can. Second pass, assuming we’ve not met our quota needed, (hard sell) workers gather additional signatures needed. (2) Organize a neighborhood signature party – free food – prizes for attending.
Obtain signatures of agreement – need 60% (minimum).
Historic Commission nominates to City Council
Council approves.

GOAL: Define resources needed to accomplish the HD. DONE.
Volunteers, volunteers and more volunteers!
Photographers
Writers
Researchers
Volunteers to gather signatures
Buy-in from neighbors
Vendors for hire, if not too costly, to complete portions of the surveys (optional).
Students (for hire?) from local colleges, Architectural Organization / Clubs (optional)
Funds for photo copies and other reproduction costs
Funds for educational mailing(s)
Funds for neighborhood education/buy-in/signing event(s)

GOAL: Decide whether or not we recommend CHCA to proceed with this project.
Task: Contact two vendors to obtain rough estimates for completing physical surveys.
Assigned to: Christy Anderson
DONE Vendors Charge anywhere from $30 – $50. With almost 1,000 homes to be surveyed – paying for this is very near to being impossible!
Task: Need to see a copy of the Capitol Heights Articles of Incorporation. What were the
original boundaries of the town? Check Alabama Dept. of Archives, check with Carol King &/or Karren Pell.
Assigned to: Cynthia DONE – Carol shared her copy of the documents.
Task: Count the number of properties/parcels on the map
Assigned to: Cynthia DONE – 1,232 properties

Designation (boundaries) options for discussion.
“All” of Capitol Heights (1,232 properties estimated, 940 are undesignated)
• Refer to map provided by Christy
• 940 properties, estimated undesignated
• Shall we include or exclude commercial properties?
• Does designation of existing HD’s into the new one risk losing their current designation?
• Can we accomplish this many with the resources available?
• Do we have the support of the neighborhood for this work effort?
• Assuming current HD’s agreement continues, would these properties be counted toward reaching the 60% requirement?
• Note that “all” includes risky/challenging areas of our community
• Note that there is risk of failure when taking on 900 properties.
• Note there is also risk of a huge success when “all” is accomplished!

Concentrate on areas/streets where “core” bungalows (pre-war) were built, this would exclude areas/streets where, for example, post WWII (post war) structures were built
• Makes the initial task as easy as possible as number of properties is reduced
• This would also eliminate most commercial properties in the area
• Must make certain to define / create logical defensible areas
• Does designation of existing HD’s into the new one risk losing their current designation?
• What about the impact of surrounding properties not included in the designation? Does not including them perpetuate our problem with declining properties impacting property values, etc.?
• Expected to be more easy to accomplish with resources available
• Do we have the support of the neighborhood for this work effort?
• Assuming current HD’s agreement continues, would these properties be counted toward reaching the 60% requirement?
• Note that risk of failure lessens with fewer properties.
• Accomplishing this measures as success!

Define new HD area based on areas platted (by dates of plats)
• Designates the properties based on when they were platted – as opposed to when homes were built on them.

Notes on value of local historic designations:
• Have education sessions about the process & what it means
• Connect to downtown renovation
• Protects characteristics of community
• Study shows higher increases in values of properties

RECOMMENDATION:
Historic Designation Investigative Committee recommends to the membership of CHCA that expansion of local historic designations include “all” of Capitol Heights. Boundaries of the newly designated Capitol Heights Historic District shall be:
• Northern most boundaries: Upper Wetumpka Road, McCarter Avenue,
• Eastern boundaries: Federal Avenue (inclusive of the west side of Federal from McCarter to Atlanta highway),
• Southern boundaries: Mt. Meigs Road,
• Western boundaries: South Lewis Street, Madison Avenue to Hall Street, and Vonora Street.

“All” of Capitol Heights includes approximately 1,232 properties. Of these, 292 already have a local historic designation. Our goal is to have the remaining 940 properties designated as historic. To accomplish this, 60% (564) of the property owners of the undesignated properties will need to agree to the historic designation.

Properties with absentee owners are known to be the most difficult to obtain a signature agreeing to historic designation. Of the 1,232 properties, approximately 36% (447) of the properties have absentee owners.

Call 264-0800 with your questions.

We will meet in the home of Cynthia McCollister at 55 S. Capitol Parkway.

Our goals for the evening will be to:

Review maps of the neighborhood showing existing HDs and other pertinent information
Strategize on the best way to accomplish HD for all of CH
Decide whether or not we recommend CHCA to proceed with this project

Map Owner Occupied versus Absentee Owner (239)

Map indicating number of homes within current Historic Districts

Homes with Historic Designation (232)

Recorded 12/16/1904 Capitol Heights in Eastern Part of City of Montgomery, AL

 Capitol Heights Plat (167)

Capitol Heights Plat Part 2 (147)

Capitol heights Plat Part 3 (147)

Recorded 05/14/1907 Plat of the subdivision of that part of… marked Massey Wilson on the plat of Capitol Heights…

Massey Wilson (147)

Recorded 08/14/2007 Map of Hillcrest

(.pdf currently not availalble)

Recorded 05/25/1908 Lee Place a subdivision of the Madigan Tract

Lee Place (139)

Recorded 07/14/1909 Map of Blocks 5 6 7 & 8 Hillcrest

Hillcrest (130)

Recorded 06/29/1912 Capitol Park Way being a re-subdivision of lots 3 4 5 & 6 Hopper Gilmer Hall Plat

Capitol Parkway (129)

Recorded 07/12/1922 Capitol Hill Map of the F. W. Jackson Property

Capitol Hill (134)

Recorded 04/12/1923 Subdivision of a part of Hopper-Gilmer-Hall Tract North of Madison and West of Hopper Street

Hoper Gilmer Hall Plat (131)

Recorded 05/09/1923 Laseter Subdivision of the Chamberlain Property in the Hopper Gilmer Hall Plat

Laseter Subdivision (128)

Recorded 03/24/1924 J. W. Brand Addition to Capitol Park Way

Brand Addition to Capitol Parkway (120)

Recorded 01/29/1926 Map of the W. B. Rushing Subdivision of a part of Hopper Gilmer Hall Tract

Rushing Subdivision (125)

Recorded 03/11/1927 J. C. Letcher Subdivision

Letcher Subdivision (112)

Recorded 07/18/1927 Map of Aronov Plat Property of Jake Aronov

Aronov Plat (117)

Recorded 08/31/1927 A Subdivision of Lots 1 & 2 Hopper Gilmer Hall Plat

Hopper Gilmer Hall Plat (108)

Recorded 11/22/1927 Greecham Heights

Greecham Heights (138)

Recorded 07/01/1940 Beales Addition to Hillcrest being a Re-subdivision of The Gardner Plat…

Beales Addition to Hillcrest (124)

Recorded 07/11/1940 Re-Plat of Garden City known as Capitol Heights Addition…

Garden City (122)

GOAL: Strategize on the best way to accomplish HD for all of Capitol Heights.

Task: Plot the original CH plats provided by Christy on the large scale map of CH.
Assigned to: Cynthia McCollister
Needed by: 05/14/09

Task: Print large scale map showing current Historic Designations.
Assigned to: Christy Anderson
Needed by: 05/07/09

Task: HD Committee to review maps after plotting and hopefully make a recommendation as to boundaries.
Assigned to: Committee
Needed by: 05/14/09

GOAL: Determine a high level plan to accomplish the HD.

Determine boundaries for HD
Education / Buy-in
Develop methods for educating the neighborhood and earning further buy-in from the neighborhood. Mailings, news articles, web site, events, etc.
Complete (physical) surveys.
Prepare required survey form for each house to be included.
Take photos of each house to be included.
Organize survey documentation.
Complete supporting (historical) documentation.
General Preservation Plan (approx. 1 page).
Justification for boundaries selected.
Any other documentation required.
Submit to Historic Preservation Commission.
Obtain approval.
City sends letters to parcels owners for their agreement (or disagreement).
City provides notice to association of parcel owners not responding.
Organize method of approach for obtaining remaining signature needed. Consider for example: (1) First pass (soft sell) workers gather the signatures they can. Second pass, assuming we’ve not met our quota needed, (hard sell) workers gather additional signatures needed. (2) Organize a neighborhood signature party – free food – prizes for attending.
Obtain signatures of agreement – need 60% (minimum).
Historic Commission nominates to City Council
Council approves.

GOAL: Define resources needed to accomplish the HD.

Volunteers, volunteers and more volunteers!
Vendors for hire, if not too costly, to complete portions of the surveys.
Students (for hire?) from local colleges – Architectural Organization / Clubs
Photographers
Writers
Researchers
Volunteers to gather signatures
Buy-in from neighbors
Funds for photo copies and other reproduction costs
Funds for educational mailing(s)
Funds for neighborhood education/buy-in/signing event(s)

GOAL: Decide whether or not we recommend CHCA to proceed with this project.
Not enough info to decide just yet.

Task: Contact two vendors to obtain rough estimates for completing physical surveys.
Assigned to: Christy Anderson
Needed by: 05/13/09

Task: Summarize tonight’s meeting and share a planning document with group.
Assigned to: Cynthia McCollister
Needed by: 05/08/09

Task: Snail mail these notes & print of Christy’s original presentation to Paul Rawlinson.
Assigned to: Cynthia McCollister
Needed by: 05/08/09

NEXT MEETING: MAY 14TH 6:00 PM
CAPITOL HEIGHTS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

We will meet in the Fellowship Hall of the Capitol Heights United Methodist Church at 2000 Winona Avenue.

Our goals for the evening will be to:

Strategize on the best way to accomplish HD for all of CH

Determine a high level plan to accomplish the HD

Define resources needed to accomplish the HD

Decide whether or not we recommend CHCA to proceed with this project

Check back early in May for additional information.

Please select Contact Us if you are a Capitol Heights resident and would like to serve on the investigative Committee.

Committee Volunteers are:

Tom Dougherty          Michelle Nelson

Kathie Blackmon          Rich Anderson

Terry Robinson          Cynthia McCollister

Cindy Keeping

On the agenda for the March 10 meeting of the CHCA:
Does CHCA want to work to expand Capitol Heights’ Historic Designations?

Christy Anderson from the City’s Planning Division has been invited to speak to us about expanding Capitol Heights’ Historic Designations. She will share the pros and discuss the cons. She will also highlight the process for obtaining Historic Designation and answer our questions.

This is important to our neighborhood! Please come!