Do I have to sit through another power

Do I have to sit through another power point presentation?

What is a Historic Resource?

A Historic Resource is a pre-1954 • Building -house, church Shelters human activity • Structure -bridge, silo Functional construction • Site -cemetery Location of significant event • Object -bell, statue Small, artistic or simply constructed Undeveloped land or landscaped area • Open Space

Why is a historic resource important? • Helps to distinguish unique landscapes • Enriches and enlivens our surrounding • Protects the historic character and sense of place of the specific landscape • Our historic resources such as the neighborhood school and the farmstead speak to us about how the land was used and shaped • They are our legacy and record of our founding values

Historic Preservation Programs Honorary Protection Local protected historic resources Decreasing Level of Protection Program Educational Benefit √ √ 2, 432 National Historic Landmarks √ NO √ √ 0 National Register √ NO √ √ 72 √ NO √ * 85 Centennial Farms √ NO 150 Historic Markers** √ NO 101 Historic Bridges NO NO √ NO 41 NO NO √ NO 113 NO NO √ NO 3, 000+ State Register One-Room Schoolhouses Unprotected historic resources Tax Benefit # in County

Local Historic Districts At issue is the need to protect and preserve our most significant resources • Periodic review of local ordinances to ensure consistency and compliance with PA 169 • Invite local units of government (lugs) to take advantage of the local historic district program to protect sense of place • Assist local governments in creating their own historic district commissions

National Register of Historic Places Issue: There is no local oversight of these significant resources to protect against demolition or inappropriate alteration • Encourage owners of NR resources to add a layer of protection with local district program • Support Chelsea’s s efforts to list their commercial district on the National Register • Review National Register nominations at the county level • Nominate Bell Road Bridge to America’s 11 Most Endangered List • Nominate the eligible Greek Revival farmhouses on the Hist. Web site to the National Register in a future grant cycle

State Register of Historic Places Issue: State Register resources are not protected from demolition or inappropriate alteration • Evaluate these properties for significance and nominate eligible resources to the National Register or protect with a local historic district ordinance • Educate the public via workshops, newsletters and the Hist. Web site

Centennial Farms Issue: This honorary program does not protect the farmstead from demolition, alteration or decertification when sold § Educate Centennial Farm owners about their options such as local historic districts, PDRs, TDRs, Conservation Easements etc § Evaluate Centennial Farms and protect eligible resources under the WCHPO § Add National Register eligible Centennial Farms to the Hist. Web database

Historic Bridges Issue: 25% of the county’s historic bridges have been closed or replaced with noncontext sensitive structures since 1994 • Partner with local units, FHWA, MDOT, WCRC to find viable alternatives to replacement • Educate the public as to strategies and successes via workshops such as “Preserving Rural Character: The Bridges of Washtenaw County on March 28 • Encourage MDOT to adopt AASHTO low volume road standards that allow for width and speed limit exceptions • Publicize success stories such as the rehabilitation of Foster Road Bridge

One-Room Schoolhouses Issue: Washtenaw County has more surviving schoolhouses (113) than any other county and only two are protected by local ordinance § Evaluate eligibility and create a themed local district § Add photographs and survey information to the Hist. Web site

Unprotected Historic Resources Issue: Hist. Web has 3, 000+ mapped historic resources in its database, the majority of which are not protected by local ordinance § Add HP layer to fragile lands layer when planning commissions propose changes to a master plan § Encourage the appointment of a trained preservationist when there are vacancies on local planning commissions § Study other alternatives such as preservation and conservation easements and overlay districts which can be paired with PDRs, TDRs and the Greenbelt Program. § Continue to apply for federal grant funds to add survey material to Hist. Web. § Develop a strategy to evaluate, register and protect eligible resources on the Hist. Web site.