GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H     	1 

HOUSE BILL 1969*

Short Title:  Historic Courthouse Funds.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Rogers; Anderson, Barbee, Chapin, Church, Colton, N. Crawford, Creech, B. Ethridge, Fletcher, Gardner, Greenwood, Hackney, Jack Hunt, H. Hunter, James, Lutz, Mills, Nesbitt, Perdue, Redwine, R. Thompson, Watkins, and Woodard.
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Referred to:  Appropriations.
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May 11, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO ASSIST IN THE RESTORATION OF NORTH CAROLINA'S HISTORIC COURTHOUSES.
Whereas, North Carolina is fortunate to have an unusually large number of historic county courthouses still standing as the focal points of each county seat; and
Whereas, eighty-two of the State's historic county courthouses have been recognized as possessing architectural and historical significance and have been listed in the National Register of Historic Places; and
Whereas, twenty-eight of the State's historic courthouses are one hundred years old or older; and
Whereas, many of the State's oldest and most significant courthouses are now in need of extensive repair or major restoration; and
Whereas, many of these most significant courthouses will deteriorate beyond repair if restoration work is not begun in the near future; and
Whereas, restoration of North Carolina's historic courthouses will stimulate economic activity and tourism and will enhance the attractiveness of communities across the State; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History, $700,000 for the 1989-90 fiscal year and $500,000 for the 1990-91 fiscal year to establish a matching grants program to assist in the preservation and restoration of historic courthouses.
Sec. 2.  (a)	Grants shall be distributed according to grant criteria established by the Department of Cultural Resources, Division of Archives and History.  The grant criteria, however, shall include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1)	A commitment in the proposal that the restored courthouse will be used as a resource to the community by private or public occupancy;
(2)	That the restored courthouse will contribute to the economy of the county seat and to the economy of the county as a whole;
(3)	That the county commissioners and its agencies endorse the proposal;
(4)	That priority in approval be given to those courthouses in the greatest need of assistance;
(5)	That grants may not be awarded for general maintenance.
(b)	A maximum of one restoration grant per courthouse may be awarded each year.
(c)	Each grant awarded shall be for no more than fifteen percent (15%) of the funds allocated each year of the biennium.
(d)	All restoration grants to historic courthouses shall be contingent upon a dollar-for-dollar match by local funds on hand or value of restoration work completed to date.  The same funds used to match another grant may not be used to match funds allocated from appropriations in Section 1 of this act.
Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1989.