History can play role in economic development, says preservation officer
History is the foundation for strong vibrant communities,” Kate Hampton, Community Preservation Coordinator for the State Historical Preservation Office, told the Hamilton city council members at its latest Committee of the Whole meeting last week. “A place becomes a community when wrapped in human memory as told through family stories, tribal tradition, and civic communication, as well as discussion about our roles and responsibilities to each other in the places that we call home,” she said.
Hampton encouraged the council members to consider participating in the state’s Local Historic Preservation Program. She noted that local history is also a catalyst for economic growth. In fact, the national and state Main Street program, a highly successful downtown economic development program, was founded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
According to Hampton, nearly 2,000 diverse communities across the country have adopted an historical preservation ordinance, one of the steps involved in qualifying for participation in the Local Historical Preservation program. Certified local governments meeting all the requirements may apply for small grants to help provide tools and materials for local panning and preservation efforts. These grants can be used as matching funds to help leverage more funds for the local program. Currently there are sixteen Certified Local Governments that have local ordinances and a local Historic Preservation Officer. Hampton said that more than 50% of the state’s population resides in one of these Certified Local Government communities.
Hampton said that the program is designed to help communities in a variety of ways and does not necessarily involve crafting any rules or regulations for design or renovation in the community, although it may. She said that only about five out of the sixteen CLGs in the state have developed explicit regulations, mostly in commercial districts.
Missoula, Helena and Butte have Demolition Review processes in place to help in preservation of historic buildings when possible. Livingston has some design review criteria for new construction and renovation work.
But regulations are not a requirement to participate in the program. A community may pass an ordinance that simply commits it to providing educational material and guidance for preserving and enhancing the community’s historical assets, for instance. Or it could, through grants, help in the identification, documentation, enhancement and celebration of the community’s history.
Hampton said that some states have programs in which communities compete for federal funds, but in Montana the federal funds are divided between all the participating communities, most of them receiving about $5500 annually. A couple only receive about $1500 because they do not provide any matching funds.
“This program helps communities be a little more proactive in terms of future developments rather than simply being reactive,” said Hampton.
Mayor Dominic Farrenkopf said that he works at a retirement center and has been working with seniors for 13 years.
“I understand history,” he said. “I understand how important it is to know who you are and where you came from.” He recalled how news of the destruction of her hometown in California by a raging wildfire recently “devastated” one woman at the retirement center.
Council member Joe Petrusaitis said that he loved old buildings. “But,” said Petrusaitis, “it makes me a little nervous about any local body telling someone what to do with their property, especially if they have owned it for a long time.” He wondered if current properties would be grandfathered in if any building regulations are put in place.
Hampton reminded him that regulations do not have to be a part of the program. “It depends totally on the community and what they want,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be regulatory.”
The issue of potentially participating in the state’s Local Historic Preservation Program was kept in committee for further consideration.
A few other items under consideration by the Committee were approved for consideration by the City Council at its next meeting.
One item going to Council is a request from Jeremy Weaver for permission to operate a food truck out of the City-owned downtown parking lot. Weaver said that Hamilton was on the verge of becoming a food destination place and that food trucks can help generate that energy. He asked the council members to consider permitting his truck in the lot as a pilot trial that could include other food trucks in the future.
Also forwarded to the City Council was a request from Clifford Bailey and Sue Ireland on behalf of the Bitter Rodders Car Club to park cars on the grass at Hieronymus Park on May 27 as part of its annual car show. The car show raises money for the Valley Veterans Center and last year raised $2,000. Seventy cars participated in last year’s show and Bailey said that even more are expected to participate this year. He said surrounding businesses are allowing parking for the event and volunteer parking attendants will be coordinating the process.
The Committee also expressed approval of the expenditure of $2,000 as part of a grant match for funding a Wayfinding Project, which involves developing a logo and signage for directions through town to all the city parks. The money has already been budgeted and may not require any further council action.
Also headed to Council is a supplemental design contract for the Justice Center that will include placement of an awning at the entrance to the Police Department from the parking area and the rehabilitation of an existing storage shed to serve as a file storage area.
A meeting has been planned with officials at Montana Rail Link to discuss the possibility of using the railroad tracks as a bike and foot path.
The Committee re-defined the Beautification Award to be a monthly event in which both a commercial and a residential award will be given in appreciation for beautification efforts in the community.