Historic Designations: Slight of Hand

Here is an excerpt from the proposed Town 2006 Comprehensive Plan. The Town of Vienna on this link states:

Vienna's Historic Properties:
1. Money and King Funeral Home: 171 Maple Avenue, West
2. Private Residence: 331 Lewis Street, NW
3. Private Residence: 223 Walnut Lane, NW
4. Moorefield House: 900 Tapawingo Road, SW
5. West End Cemetery: Lewis Street, NW
6. Freeman House: 131 Church Street, NE
7. Salsbury Spring
8. Original Vienna Library: Mill Street, NE
9. Moorefield Cemetery: Tapawingo Road, SW
10. Broadwater Cemetery
11. Bowman House: 211 Center Street, South
12. Private Residence: 211 Walnut Lane, NW
13. Private Residence: 309 Windover Avenue, NW
14. Private Residence: 720 Center Street, South
15. Lynn Street Cemetery and Hunter Cemetery
16. Vienna Railroad Station: 231 Dominion Road, NE
17. Private Residence: 200 Walnut Lane, NW
18. Private Residence: 308 East Street, NE
19. Knights of Columbus: 214 Lawyers Road, NW
20. Sons & Daughters Cemetery: Orchard Street, NW
21. Joseph Berry House: 200 Church Street, NE
22. Private Residence: 403 Creek Crossing Road, NE

Sounds great doesn't it? Historical structures in the Town! The reality? First Moorefield house was torn down. Second, the Town Council minutes of November 7, 1988 offer:

"Mayor Robinson stated an additional proposed amendment had been drafted and incorporated to alleviate fears which had been expressed during the prior meeting that the proposed ordinance might by implication constitute an official designation under the zoning code and thereby trigger the establishment of an historic district around the property. He state the additional language was added to Section 25-2, Intent, relative to this issue. Mayor Robinson stated that he proposed to add additional language to the last paragraph of Section 25-2 as a last sentence, to read: "Listing of any historic structure, site or place in the Register as provided for in this Chapter shall not constitute official designation as defined and used in Article 26 of Chapter 18, of the Code of Vienna."

Minutes from that time also reflect the following excerpt:

"Mr. Gionfriddo, Town Attorney, stated the proposed ordinance was an invitation on the part of the Town for people to voluntarily submit their names and addresses of their property if they choose; there is no compulsion of the part of the Town and no specific authority is required to invite citizens to voluntarily submit their names."

Apparently, for these people "voluntary" is well enough. Why not make any and all participation in so-called historic anything voluntary? What are the "rules" to be placed on the Register of Vienna Historic Structures, Sites and Places? Do you just get on because you want to be on? Please don't tell us that Laine Hyde and Historic Vienna, Inc. determine who gets on the "register"!