Residents urge historic-designation overlay downtown, conservation easement and reopening senior facility

Three residents used the public-comment period at the Jan. 13 meeting to press the council on long-term preservation and services.

Jeff Painter of 116 Ethel Drive urged the council to establish a historic-designation overlay for Stanley’s downtown, calling it "a key to unlocking economic potential while preserving the town's heritage." He said downtown buildings from 1903 could be adaptively reused—retail or restaurants downstairs with lofts above—and cited Mount Holly as a successful example. Painter identified potential incentives including 50% property tax reductions and 25% state rehabilitation tax credits to make preservation economically viable for owners.

Sean Bloom spoke on behalf of a resident identified as Mr. Carr about conservation easements, explaining they permanently restrict uses of property and run with the land through deeds; Bloom said Mr. Carr is interested in purchasing town property to pursue a conservation easement to keep the land in its natural state. Council later confirmed that the parcel discussed (Parcel #205665) had received a bid that the council accepted.

Gavin Dyer, a resident of 242 Shadow Brook Road, urged the council to consider reopening the community building next to the library for senior services. Dyer noted that 23.5% of Stanley's population is over age 60 according to the last census, and said the Lions Club–donated community building (gifted in 1994) has been closed since the COVID pandemic and was previously in constant use.

The council did not take immediate action on the historic-overlay request during the meeting but did accept an offer for Parcel #205665 that may allow the prospective buyer to pursue conservation protections; senior-services requests were noted alongside the manager's infrastructure updates.