Adopt an historic preservation ordinance/regulations and encourage adaptive reuse.
Best Practice of this action
Rating Guideline
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Complete an historic/cultural resources survey of city assets to determine which buildings/sites are community assets and have more potential for preservation/reuse due to potential access to financial incentives. |
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Designate a historic district; incorporate historic preservation-friendly language into the city’s zoning code and/or into regulatory ordinances (relating to signs and other design guidelines); adopt an historic preservation ordinance (which typically establishes an historic preservation commission); incentivize historic preservation. |
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Become a Certified Local Government (CLG) for historic preservation; pair rehab financial incentives with energy and resource conservation, indoor air quality and other green building practices. |
Resources
- A '3Rs of building' would first reduce the need for building space, next reuse existing buildings/building components, then recycle and manage building materials before building a new building or building addition.
Historic/Cultural Surveys:
- The State Historic Preservation Office provides resources on above-ground and archeological surveys.
- Minnesota Statewide Historic Preservation Plan 2022-2032 (State Historic Preservation Office)
- Building Material Management Plan (MPCA)
- Heritage Preservation Commissions across Minnesota can help identify and preserve historic properties.
- Lead the Change Case Study Explorer shares crowdsourced case studies to educate, inspire, and spread positive change in current and future preservation work.
Preservation Ordinances:
- Sample historic preservation ordinance (MN Historic Preservation Office)
- The Certified Local Government Program is a nationwide program that helps local preservation groups transform themselves from grass-roots advocates to policymakers. A city, county or township with a qualifying heritage preservation ordinance and commission (HPC) may become a Certified Local Government (CLG) by applying to the SHPO. CLG status enables the local government to apply for federal matching grants to preserve historic properties. This local-state-federal partnership encourages the integration of historic preservation into local government policy.
- See model ordinances for adding renewable energy into historic buildings.
- See BPA 22.8 for information on deconstruction ordinances.
Rehab Incentives:
- Tax incentives for historic preservation.
- Assistance on barn preservation from Friends of Minnesota Barns.
- Find example local government climate action plans that address materials management and waste (EPA, 2023).
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