HOT TOPICS IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION Carrie Richter Garvey Schubert Barer

Establish a local Landmarks Commission; Commit to survey and register properties / districts, and to maintain the inventory; Establish a local Historic Sites Register (which would include National Register-listed properties); Enumerate incentives and regulations. Local Preservation Ordinance should include the following:

Clearly Identify Preservation Goals Protect significant historic properties Encourage continued viable use of historic structures Strengthen public support for historic preservation within the community Find appropriate balance so as to maintain community support without alienating owners.

The carrots Certified local government grants Building condition assessment and design assistance Tax incentives Zoning variances, conditional use and building code flexibility (International Existing Building Code)

Become a certified local government Consider consolidating efforts to make a county a CLG that would include many smaller cities. Requirements include creating a landmarks commission and adopting legislation for designation and protection of resources.

Oregon Main Street Program Encourages economic revitalization and job creation / retention Exploring Downtown is for those communities who demonstrate an interest in revitalizing their downtowns and want to learn more about the Main Street Approach®. Interested communities may join at anytime by submitting a letter of intent and completing a brief community assessment survey. Transforming Downtown is for communities who are committed to downtown revitalization using the Main Street Approach® but need technical assistance to take them to the next level. Performing Main Street is for those communities with advanced downtown programs following the Main Street Approach®.

The sticks Demolition Regulations Demolition delay, denial, or by neglect Reuse materials Design Guidelines Provide clear, uniform direction Do not include them in the ordinance itself.

Sustainability vs. Preservation Reuse existing buildings: Use what you have. The continued use of our existing buildings reduces the amount of demolition and construction waste deposited in landfills, lessens unnecessary demand for energy and other natural resources and conserves embodied energy (the amount of energy originally expended to create extant structures). Reinvest in our older and historic communities: Older and historic communities tend to be centrally located, dense, walkable, and are often mass-transit accessible. Retrofit our existing building stock: Many historic and older buildings are remarkably energy efficient because of their site sensitivity, quality of construction, and use of passive heating and cooling. (from NTHP Position on Sustainability)

Use of Digital Tools in Historic Preservation Background research for reconnaissance surveys: Google Maps street view; plat maps at GPS locations Education / data collection websites: Boise Architecture Project (BAP) Documentation: Google Sketchup and Google Model Builder Information courtesy of Cara Kaser, SHPO

Preserving the Recent Past

Photos courtesy of Chrissy Curran, SHPO

Form vs. Function

First and Next Steps 1)Get Organized 2)Start / Update Endangered Places List 3)Survey Survey Survey 4)Designate / Register Structures 5)Keep a Designation 6)Waiting List 6)Educate and Keep at it

The Planning Commissioner Training Series is produced in partnership with the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University. Information on this series is available on the OAPA web site at: questions or comments to: