Technical Assistance for Local Governments

• --NEW--- Have a question about local preservation issues? click here for more information!

• How To Protect Your Historic Community
  Madison, Savannah, Thomasville, Griffin, Porterdale... What do these and 109 other Georgia towns have in common?  In each one, they wanted to keep the look and feel of the place they call home and adopted a local preservation ordinance.  This site  annotates the step-by-step process of local designation and provides sample letters, ordinances and other information that can be adapted locally.
  
  
• List of local governments with preservation ordinances (PDF)
  
  
• Facts and Figures on Georgia's Historic Preservation Commissions (PDF)
  
  
• How to designate a local historic district (PDF)
  
  
• Public Relations for Historic Preservation Commissions
  
  
• Preservation Consultants List (PDF)
  
  
• How Local Historic Preservation Ordinances Work (PDF)
  
  
• Benefits of Local Historic Districts  
  
  
• Introduction to Robert's Rules of Order (PDF)
  Robert's Rules of Order is the established set of rules for conduct at meetings that allows everyone to be heard and to make decisions without confusion.
  
  
• Guide to Historic Preservation Commission Meetings (PDF)
  Developed by two national HPC trainers, this guide is to help HPC Chairs and staff structure public meetings on COA applications to ensure that decisions are made defensibly.
  
  
• How To Make a Motion (PDF)
  This page can be used to develop a Motion Sheet for your HPC which will help structure decisions concerning Certificate of Appropriateness applications.  The HPC's decisions should be properly tied to the standards in your ordinance and your design guidelines in order to be legally defensible.
  
  
  
• Educate the Public: Frequently Asked Questions about Local Historic Districts (Word) (PDF)

 

Benefits of Local Historic Districts

• Local districts protect the investments of owners and residents. Buyers know that the aspects that make a particular area attractive will be protected over a period of time. Real estate agents in many cities use historic district status as a marketing tool to sell properties.
  
  
• Local districts encourage better design. It has been shown through comparative studies that there is a greater sense of relatedness, more innovative use of materials, and greater public appeal within historic districts than in areas without historic designations.
  
  
• Local districts help the environment. Historic district revitalization can, and should, be part of a comprehensive environmental policy.
  
  
• The educational benefits of creating local districts are the same as those derived from any historic preservation effort. Districts help explain the development of a place, the source of inspiration, and technological advances. They are a record of ourselves and our communities.
  
  
• A local district can result in a positive economic impact from tourism. A historic district that is aesthetically cohesive and well promoted can be a community's most important attraction. The retention of historic areas as a way to attract tourist dollars makes good economic sense.
  
  
• The protection of local historic districts can enhance business recruitment potential. Companies continually re-locate to communities that offer their workers a higher quality of life, which is greatly enhanced by successful local preservation programs and stable historic districts.
  
  
• Local districts provide social and psychological benefits. A sense of empowerment and confidence develops when community decisions are made through a structured participatory process rather than behind closed doors or without public comment.

Public Relations Tips
for Historic Preservation Commissions

1. Contact local Chamber of Commerce or a similar group to get a list of civic groups and organizations in your area.
   
   
2. Make a slide show using pictures of local historic districts and sites (a local survey is a good source for this material).
   
   
3. Discuss architectural styles and areas of the community worth preserving.
   
   
4. Always make the talk positive - never negative.
   
   
5. Leave out preservation jargon if possible; if you do use it, define terms likely to be unknown by your audience.
   
   
6. Talks should aim to educate and not be simply a guided historic tour of the community.
   
   
7. Show details of local buildings. Teach your audience to look up!
   
   
8. Have a strong single message aimed especially to your audience. For example, "Economic Benefits of Historic Districts for Real Estate Professionals."
   
   
9. Use BEFORE and AFTER photographs. Show the positive projects that the commission and property owners have successfully completed in the community.
   
   
10. Take the opportunity to let them know more about the commission, who you are, what you do, and how to reach you.
    
    
11. Distribute commission brochures that explain more about how you work in the community and what the process is.
    
    
12. Always remember that you represent the commission and do not get involved in discussions about policy decisions and personalities. Be professional!