From the Federal perspective (the National Register of Historic Places is part of the National Park Service), a property owner can do whatever they want with their property as long as there are no Federal monies attached to the property.
I think you probably mean the metaphor of piercing eyes, it means someone who has a really intense look in their eyes. Sometimes it could be that the colour of their eyes is quite different, like a really icy blue colour. piercing eyes are eyes that can see straight through a person. SUPP is right.
[count] : the part of the body that you see with. 1  Her eyes slowly became accustomed to the dark. 2  He wears a patch over one eye. 3  I have something in my eye.  He has (a pair of) bright blue 1  eyes. bright/sad/sleepy eyes.  She has good/strong/bad/weak eyes. [= 1 eyesight] Her eyes lit up [=she looked excited and happy] when he showed her the  ring.