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What is a Historic Resource?

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

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

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

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 HistWeb 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 HistWeb 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 HistWeb database

Historic Bridges Issue: 25% of the county’s historic bridges have been closed or replaced with non- context 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 HistWeb site

Unprotected Historic Resources Issue: HistWeb 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 HistWeb.  Develop a strategy to evaluate, register and protect eligible resources on the HistWeb site.