Among its fourteen planning goals, Washington State's Growth Management Act (GMA) includes as a goal: "Identify and encourage the preservation of lands, sites, and structures that have historical, cultural, and archaeological significance." RCW 36.70A.020 (13) Although the GMA does not require an historic preservation or cultural resources element in a comprehensive plan, cities and counties planning under the GMA must consider and incorporate the historic preservation goal. Planning for the achievement of all fourteen goals simultaneously, through comprehensive planning, can build and maintain thriving communities.

AN INTRODUCTION TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Historic Preservation is the process of identifying, evaluating, protecting, interpreting, and using heritage resources from the past. Heritage resources can include buildings, objects, structures, districts, and sites of historic, cultural or archaeological significance. Heritage resources can provide a community with three-dimensional connections to the people and events that shaped its past, creating a unique sense of place and inspiring community pride, ownership and stewardship. Preservation planning assures that the community’s heritage resources will be considered as the community develops.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION’S ROLE IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:

An excerpt from the Washington State Historic Preservation Plan – 2003, Strengthening Communities Through Historic Preservation, produced by the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP), describes succinctly the role of historic preservation in community development:

“A community’s heritage resources tell the story of its unique past; a past that makes it different from any other place. From saw mills to churches, sacred landscapes to archaeological sites, and neon signs to private homes, our heritage resources provide us with a physical reminder and connection to the people and events that helped create who we are today. Effectively preserving these physical reminders of our past creates a sense of place; the result being an interesting and aesthetic environment that instills one with a sense of community pride. While most would agree that community character and history have intrinsic value, the case for preservation often faces opposition when the unavoidable subject of cost arises. However, the strongest case for historic preservation is that it does, in fact, make economic sense. It is precisely by restoring, preserving, and reusing heritage resources that communities can reap monetary rewards.

“Preservation as a tool for cost-effective economic development is, increasingly, being recognized as more states conduct studies quantifying preservation’s economic benefits. In the past, some policymakers have considered preservation activities to be luxuries, undertaken only in a thriving economy, to be cut when leaner times force a reassessment of priorities. However, new studies demonstrate that preservation can be a powerful economic engine, by creating more jobs, increasing tax revenue, raising property values, and encouraging community reinvestment. Historic preservation is much more than nostalgia; it is a powerful tool for economic development and community revitalization.”

KEY PRESERVATION RESOURCES:

• The Washington State Dept. of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP) is the Washington State agency with knowledge and expertise in historic preservation. DAHP advocates for the preservation of Washington's irreplaceable historic and cultural resources - significant buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts - as assets for the future. Through education and information, DAHP provides leadership for the protection of our shared heritage, and its website provide links to numerous preservation resources and sites, including the Certified Local Government (CLG) program.
• The Municipal Research & Services Center (MRSC) is a non-profit, independent organization working for excellence in local government through professional consultation, research and information services, provides a comprehensive source of information and resources on historic preservation.
• The National Trust for Historic Preservation  is a national non-profit organization which champions preservation by providing leadership, education, advocacy, and resources to people working to preserve, improve, and enjoy the places that matter to them.
• The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation is a statewide, tax exempt 501(c)3 non profit organization founded in 1976 to safeguard Washington’s historic places through advocacy, education, collaboration and stewardship.

PRESERVATION PLANNING

Through preservation planning, communities are recognizing their unique heritage resources, strategizing for their care, and capitalizing on their potential. Through rehabilitating historic downtowns, commercial districts, older neighborhoods, and blighted industrial and waterfront sites, local economies are enhanced, resources reused, and communities revitalized.

Washington State communities are using the Certified Local Government Program (CLG) to establish local historic preservation programs and heritage registers. CLG information can be found on the DAHP website.

Washington State communities are using preservation principles for community development by creating historic preservation goals, policies and strategies within their comprehensive plans and development regulations, and interconnecting these with the remaining goals, policies and strategies of their plans, such as housing, economic development, and sprawl reduction.

Specific planning document examples from Washington State communities can be found on the MRSC website.

PRESERVATION PLANNING RESOURCES

• CTED Publications: “Historic Preservation: A Tool for Managing Growth”, 2005
• CTED Publications: “About Growth”, Spring 2001;  “About Growth”, Fall 2001
• The National Park Service – Historic Preservation Planning Program
• Planning Commissioners Journal, Fall 2003 Issue
• American Planning Association (APA)
• DAHP Publication: "The Economic Benefits of Historic Preservation in Washington State", 2006
• SMART GROWTH: CTED’s Washington State Smart Growth website includes a collection of 12 issue papers written by CTED staff on a range of smart growth topics. Historic Preservation is the topic of Discussion Paper No. 6, which explores how preservation contributes to community sustainability, maximizes the conservation and reuse of resources, and contributes to local economic and civic well being.
• The Smart Growth Network was formed by a number of partners including the US Environmental Protection Agency and many non-profit partners. This web site offers a number of resources including the Getting to Smart Growth I and II, two free booklets of 100 policies and strategies for implementing Smart Growth.

RELATED PLANNING GOALS

• HOUSING: Affordable housing can be achieved through historic preservation and adaptive reuse of existing buildings, neighborhoods and infrastructure.
• ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: Historic preservation can stimulate a local economy and create jobs.
  • State Downtown Revitalization/Main Street Program is helping communities revitalize the economy, appearance, and image of their downtown commercial districts using the successful Main Street Approach™. Main Street is a comprehensive, incremental approach to revitalization built around a community’s unique heritage and attributes. Using local resources and initiative, the state program helps communities develop their own strategies to stimulate long term economic growth and pride in the heart of the community — downtown.
  • National Main Street Center is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In the 1970s, the National Trust developed its pioneering Main Street approach to commercial district revitalization, an innovative methodology that combines historic preservation with economic development to restore prosperity and vitality to downtowns and neighborhood business districts. Today, the message has spread, as the Center advocates a comprehensive approach that rural and urban communities alike can use to revitalize their traditional commercial areas through historic preservation and grassroots-based economic development.