Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning Department

TO:	David Corliss Debbie Van Saun
FROM:	Lynne Braddock Zollner
CC:	Sheila Stogsdill
Date:	November 2, 2006
RE:	November 7, 2006 Agenda Item

Please include the following item on the City Commission consent agenda for consideration at the November 7^th  meeting.

Historic Preservation Fund Grant Requests Introduction/Discussion

The Kansas State Historic Preservation Office (KHPO) administers the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to finance activities that will contribute to planning for the preservation of our built environment and archeological resources.  Up to sixty percent of the cost of eligible activities can be funded through this program.  Eligible activities include surveys to locate a community’s historic structures and archeological sites, testing to assess National Register of Historic Places eligibility of archeological sites, the preparation of nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, the development of city or county historic preservation plans, historic preservation related educational activities and preservation interns. 

Applications submitted by Certified Local Governments (CLGs) must be for activities within the physical boundaries of the CLG.  Certified Local Governments may request grant assistance for the services of a preservation intern to assist a preservation administrator with operational activities such as state law reviews, local reviews, preparing reports, record keeping for CLGs, etc. 

Each year the state posts a list of high priority projects.  Projects that address these priorities receive additional consideration in the evaluation process.  The state priorities for FY2007 are as follows: surveys in Downtown Business Districts; surveys in areas facing development pressures; projects that have the potential for increasing knowledge and awareness of historic resources concerning minority populations in Kansas; Design Review Guidelines for CLG’s; and Agriculture – related rural properties.

Applications must be received by the Kansas Historic Preservation Office by November 15, 2006.

Last year (2006), staff submitted applications for a Design Review Intern and Downtown Design Guidelines. Both applications were funded.

2007 Requests

The Historic Resources Commission discussed the 2007 HPF grant requests at their meeting on October 19, 2006.  The HRC recommended that staff prepare grant applications for a preservation intern and for survey/nomination of properties located in the East Lawrence Neighborhood, as requested by the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association.

Project Funding Project Funding.  The Historic Preservation Fund is a grant program funded by the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior.  The funds are passed through the Kansas Historic Preservation Office to local governments and organizations to pay for historic preservation activities on the local level. KHPO provides 60% of the project cost and the City of Lawrence will provide 40% of project costs in cash and matching.

Action Request. Direct staff to make application for 2007 HPF grants, if appropriate.