City fine-tunes historic preservation goals

Boulder City’s leadership now has a more concrete idea of the Historic Preservation Committee’s priorities for the town.

The City Council accepted a proposal at its Sept. 24 meeting from the committee to develop a mission statement, amend existing codes and research new historic districts in town, and it directed staff to move forward with the strategies and actions. The recommendations support Goal D of the city’s strategic plan to promote historic preservation.

Other elements of the proposal include developing a historic preservation plan, identifying financial incentives for historic preservation, promoting economic development, creating an educational campaign and identifying historic buildings to reuse and repurpose.

According to city documents, Historic Preservation Committee member Blair Davenport came up with these recommendations and the committee unanimously approved them at its Aug. 28 meeting.

“The City Council has asked that staff discuss with the Historic Preservation Committee how they will help with implementation, which will occur at the October (committee) meeting,” said Community Development Director Michael Mays. “Following additional research on resources available to successfully implement the action plan, staff will report back to the City Council … (its) findings.”

Additionally, Mays said these recommendations will be put into place over the next two to four years.

The first item to be completed is developing a mission statement, which is expected to be finished by Oct. 30.

Another priority listed in the proposal is researching and designating new historic districts in town. One of those new districts could be Bullock Field, 1401 Boulder City Parkway. The 22.67-acre property served as the city’s only airport until 1990 and includes an 8,000-square-foot hangar and 18.3 acres of runway space.

According to the city’s implementation plan, research started in February and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021.

Some of the items that will be implemented will require the city to hire a third-party consultant. According to Mays, city staff is working on a budget amendment request for that funding.

“It should come before council by the end of this year,” he said. “The amount needed is still under further review.”

“I would just like to commend the Historic Preservation Committee,” said Councilman James Howard Adams at the Sept. 24 meeting. “I think it is an excellent document (with) a lot of really great ideas.”

Mayor Kiernan McManus said he also thought the committee came up with a “good list.”

Historic Preservation Priorities by Boulder City Review on Scribd

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.