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MEMORANDUM
DATE: January 21, 2015
TO: Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners
FROM: Matthew Martin, Associate Planner
RE: Historic Preservation Strategic Plan
Certified Local Government Grant Application / Permission to Proceed
The purpose of this memorandum is to introduce the historic preservation strategic plan for
review and acknowledgment of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) and also receive
support to apply for a $13,000.00 Certified Local Government (CLG) grant.
Historic Preservation Strategic Plan
I. Background
The Community Development Department (CDD) presented a draft Scope of Work for the
development of a historic preservation strategic plan to the Historic Landmarks Commission
(HLC) in November 2013. In June 2014, the BOCC approved as part of CDD’s FY 2014/2015
work plan, developing said plan that provides a framework for shaping Deschutes County and
City of Sisters’ preservation programs and services over the next five years and creates a
blueprint for allocating Certified Local Government grant funding.
II. Plan Development
The process of developing the strategic plan spanned the months of September, October, and
November. Staff conducted a public outreach campaign to solicit feedback from stakeholders,
historic landmark owners, and community members. The outreach included community
meetings, interviews, and an on-line survey to provide a variety of opportunities and formats to
participate. Following the outreach, staff presented a draft plan to the HLC on December 8,
2014 for initial comments. As a result, many of the comments received from throughout the
plan development process have been incorporated into the final strategic plan.
III. Review and Acknowledgement
Staff will present the final plan (attached) to the HLC on February 2nd. In anticipation of the HLC
approving the plan, staff has scheduled a work session with the BOCC on February 4th to review
and acknowledge the plan. Because the HLC also serves the City of Sisters, the strategic plan
will be presented to the Sisters City Council for review and acknowledgment on February 12th.
Certified Local Government Grant Application
Every twenty-four months, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) offers matching grants
to cities and counties that have been “certified” as historic preservation partners with both the
state and federal governments. Deschutes County is a CLG and thereby eligible for the grant.
CDD wants to prepare, with the support of the BOCC and HLC, an application for the 2015-
2016 grant cycle. CLG grants assist local governments with their historic preservation programs
on a non-competitive basis in order to ensure that all localities benefit. The maximum award for
each locality is $13,000.00 based on fund availability and requires a 50/50 match of local funds
or donated services/supplies. State and federal requirements regulate the CLG grant, including
project budget, project timeline, inspections and audits, reports and billings,
consultant/contractor standards, etc.
CDD has been the recipient and beneficiary of CLG grants for several years. Staff relies on the
professional input and direction of the HLC, an appointed body that provides technical expertise
on historic and cultural resources issues for the rural county and city of Sisters, to customize
grant proposals. The historic preservation strategic plan has identified several projects to
consider for CLG funding over the next 5 years. The priorities to consider for this grant cycle
include:
Provide staffing for the HLC
Continue support for Historic Preservation Month activities in May
Support historical education field trips
Collaborate with Des Chutes Historical Society to support technology upgrades for
archive scanning project
Upon receiving BOCC support for pursuing the CLG grant, staff will coordinate with the HLC to
finalize the grant application to submit by the February 27, 2015 deadline.
Attachment:
Historic Preservation Strategic Plan