eastern north carolina nha feasibility public mtg 3 jan 19 2012

Eastern North CarolinaNational Heritage Area

New Bern, North CarolinaFinal Public Meeting

January 19, 2012

Eastern North Carolina National Heritage Area Feasibility Study

Today’s Agenda

1. Meeting Purpose2. Overview of Planning Project & Update3. Discussion of Management Alternatives4. Questions and Comments5. Next Steps:

A. Draft Feasibility StudyB. Partnership CommitmentsC. Submittal


Feasibility Study Schedule & Process

Meetings with Commissions and stakeholders (Oct. 2010 - present) Site visits - over 80 sites in 40 counties (Oct. 2010 - Mar. 2011) First round of Public Meetings (Mar. 29, 30 & 31, 2011) Develop Resource Assessment (Oct. 2010 - present) Develop Potential Boundaries and Themes (Mar. - Sept. 2011) Second round of Public Meetings (Sept. 26 & 27, 2011)• Final Public Meeting – Agreement on Alternative (Today)• Write Draft Report (Jan. - Feb. 2012)• Publicize Draft Report and solicit comment (Feb. - Mar. 2012)• Collect letters of support (Jan. - Mar. 2012)• Finalize Feasibility Study report and submit to

National Park Service and Congress (April 2012)


Phase 1

Introduction of a Heritage Areaand

Resource Assessment


What is a National Heritage Area?

A National Heritage Area is a place designated by the United States Congress where natural, cultural, historic, and recreational resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally significant landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography.


What does a National Heritage Area do?

A National Heritage Area uses shared history as a platform for action to collaborate on preservation, promotion and sustainable development based on heritage assets in the region.


What National Heritage Areas are NOT…

“National heritage areas do not appear to have directly affected the rights of property owners. To address property concerns, the designatinglegislation of 13 of the 24 heritage areas and management plans of at least6 provide explicit assurances that the areas will not affect property owners’ rights.”

GAO Report, March 30, 2004


Purpose of a Feasibility Study

Before Congress considers designation of a National Heritage Area, it needs information about the quality of the resources and whether the resources and the region meet the established criteria for an NHA.


Eastern North Carolina – Study Area


Phase 2

Proposed Theme and Boundary


Defining a Boundary

A National Heritage Area has an assemblage of natural, historic, or cultural resources that together represent distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and continuing use.

HistoryGeophysical and topographical

featuresCulturePolitical jurisdictionsPractical intersection of all of the

above


Facing untold hardship with equal determination, early habitants capitalized on eastern North Carolina’s prominence on the Atlantic coast to create a home and livelihoods and eventually to influence the establishment of a new nation, one which encompassed the region’s inherent struggle between freedom and enslavement.

Interpretive Theme—Settling a New World


Eastern North Carolina’s distinctive landscape of coastal plain, piney woods, banks and waters gave rise to all manner of livelihood, from those who scratched out a living to those who amassed prosperity from maritime and agricultural enterprises, shaping daily life and impacting regional and national historical events.

Interpretive Theme—Living with the Land and the Water


Since early exploration of the New World, the military has been a strong presence in Eastern North Carolina, giving the region a critical role in establishing a new nation in the Revolutionary War, in reflecting the struggle of a nation torn apart by Civil War, and in defending America’s ideals in 20th and 21st century wars.

Interpretive Theme—Defense of a Nation


Significance of Eastern North Carolina

• The estuarine ecosystem is second in size in the United States and its protected waters are among the richest and most diverse in the world.

• The natural history of the environments of the region have played a major role in the development of North Carolina and the United States.

• A unique pattern of human interaction with the land and its most dominant feature, water, has shaped the rich heritage and culture of the region.


The confluence of human activity and the interconnected waterways of eastern North Carolina have shaped the region’s past, defined its unique present character and charted a course for the future.

Overarching Theme—Rivers to Sounds to Sea


Phase 3

Administrative and Financial Management


Regional Management & Financial Survey

1. Interviewed stakeholders throughout the 40-county region

2. Polled key individuals through online survey (state officials, county personnel, CVBs, others)

3. Examined strengths and weaknesses of existing regional tourism efforts

4. Identified opportunities for consensus for administration and financial management for next stages of planning and long-term operations

5. Prepared findings and recommended alternative


Feasibility Study – Alternatives

1. No Action – individual programs and no coordination

2. Local Coordination of Heritage Program

3. State Program only

4. National Heritage Area Designation


Alternative #1No Action

1. Individual programs and projects continue through convention and visitors bureaus and at county level.

2. Coordination is scattered; partnering is limited, at best.

3. Lack of unifying theme or story that ties region together.

4. No new funding is available, and existing funding is competitive.


Alternative #2Local Coordination


2. Coordination is advanced between counties and CVBs; partnering increases, but is localized.

3. Lack of unifying theme or story that ties region together.

4. Funding opportunities may increase, but remains competitive among “partners.”


Alternative #3State Heritage Area


2. Coordination is advanced between counties and CVBs; public-private partnerships begin to emerge.

3. Coordination is advanced between existing state programs and other regional heritage assets.

4. Development of a unifying theme or story that ties together the region.

5. Funding opportunities through available state grants and programs.Eastern North Carolina National Heritage Area

Feasibility Study

Alternative #4National Heritage Area


2. Coordination is advanced between counties and CVBs; public-private partnerships increase at local, state and federal levels, and become region-wide.

3. Identification of a nationally-significant theme and story tying together the whole region.

4. Designation brings national recognition and makes region eligible for funding to assist with planning and implementation.

5. Other funding opportunities with public and private partners may increase.


Technical and In-kind Support

• Three Commissions: staffing; office space and equipment use; benefit of all of their member-expertise. (83.3%)

• State of North Carolina: staffing; access to sites; tourism promotion and advertising; technical assistance. (83.3%)

• Municipal and County Governments: office and meeting space and equipment usage. (33.3%)

“keep the grass roots effort on the table at all times.”

• CVBs: marketing and planning; technical assistance. (83.3%)

• Universities and Educational Institutions: research and planning; student interns; workshops and educational seminars; meeting space; staffing. (83.3%)


Technical and In-kind Support

• Agriculture-based Organizations: technical assistance; research; staff assistance. (50.0%)

• Arts & Cultural Organizations: staff support; research and technical assistance. (67.7%)

• Preservation & Historical Organizations: staff support; research and technical assistance; knowledge. (50.0%)

• Natural and Recreational Organizations: technical assistance; staff assistance; research. (33.3%)

• Other: “Once there is an idea of what is needed and who fits (organizations/town/county type) they will be willing to take on a portion and assist in order for the whole picture to become a reality.”


Alternative #5NHA with State and Local

Involvement


2. Coordination is advanced between counties and CVBs; public-private partnerships increase at local, state and federal levels, and become region-wide.

3. Identification of a nationally-significant theme and story tying together the whole region.

4. Designation brings national recognition and makes region eligible for funding to assist with planning and implementation.

5. Funding opportunities with public and private partners may increase.

6. A state program is created, complementing NHA and local efforts, and enhancing partnerships among North Carolina’s heritage areas.


Preferred AlternativeNHA with State and Local Involvement

1. Adopt Alternative # 5 – pursue designation of a National Heritage Area along with a state heritage area and local government involvement.

2. Next phase of planning – the management plan – should be coordinated by the three commissions, with an eye toward evolving the partnership and identifying a long-term management entity to oversee the heritage area.

3. Funding for planning will be sought from an array of sources – federal, state, local and private.

4. Organizations participating in the planning and development of the heritage area will be encouraged to provide in-kind support when and where possible.

5. Early implementation projects will be pursued as a way to further solidify the regional partnership and help advance projects that demonstrate an overarching theme.


Questions & Comments


• Write Draft Report – January & February 2012

• Publicize Draft Report and solicit comment – March 2012 • Collect letters of support – January to March 2012

• Finalize plan, submit to NPS and Congress – April 2012

Next Steps…


We need you to…

• Respond to surveys, emails and questionnaires

• Review the Draft Report and write letters of support

• Be an Ambassador - help spread the word!

• Support designation

• Stay involved as the heritage initiative moves forward


AUGUST R. CARLINO

www.hanburypreservation.com/active_projects/encnhaConsulting Team

Project Support

Project Sponsors


eastern north carolina nha feasibility public mtg 3 jan 19 2012

Travel

heritage assets

eastern north carolina

feasibility study report

draft feasibility studyb

new world rivers

round of public meetings

recreational resources

final public meeting