Title:  Comprehensive Statewide Historic Preservation Plan for California: 2000-2005

California Preservation Plan

Number of Pages:  32
Approval Date:  June 21, 2001
Planning Cycle:  5 years

Contact Information:
     Maryln Bourne Lortie
     Office of Historic Preservation
     Department of Parks and Recreation
     P.O. Box 942896
     Sacramento, CA 94296-0001
     (916) 653-8911; fax (916) 653-9824
     E-mail:mlort@ohp.parks.ca.gov

Mission/Vision Statement:
Californians will work together in partnership to preserve, maintain, and enhance the State's irreplaceable historical and cultural heritage for present and future generations to appreciate and enjoy.

Table of Contents:
     Letter from the State Historic Preservation Officer
     Acknowledgements
     Introduction
     State Plan Process and Methodology
     California's Cultural Resources--The Present State of the Past
     Preservation Concerns and Challenges in California
     Major Preservation Issues in California
     Shared Preservation Vision, Goals, and Objectives
     Bibliography
     Appendix 1: Organizational Chart--California State Historic
     Preservation Office
     Appendix 4: Information Centers of the Historical Resources
          Information System

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Public Participation Strategies:

• Proactive consultations with the public;
• State Historical Resources Commission solicited input on preservation issues;
• Preliminary issue statements made available through the internet and by direct request;
• Letter inviting comments on draft Plan mailed to OHP's general mailing list, and distributed at Society for California Archaeology and California Preservation Foundation meetings;
• Notices informing public of availability of draft Plan placed in two major regional newspapers.

• State Plan Committee composed of 7 staff members;
• State Historical Resources Commission adoption of Plan.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Historic preservation is not a routine component of land use planning;
• Need to expand preservation incentives;
• Population growth and sprawl;
• Historic and housing preservation;
• Construction and development pressures;
• Huge potential for use of information technology in preservation;
• Culturally diverse groups not fully involved in preservation;
• Rural preservation;
• Vandalism, looting, land development, insensitive laws and regulations, agricultural practices, mining/quarrying, logging, oil and gas exploration/extraction damage archaeological sites;
• Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act;
• Standards and guidelines on conduct of archaeological studies;
• Public involvement in archaeology;
• Expand archaeological resource protection, conservation, management, education, and curation;
• World War II, Post World War II, and Cold War era residential, commercial, and military properties are demanding attention;
• Plans needed for disaster preparedness, emergency response, and recovery.

1. Increase the number of significant private and public historic resources that are protected and preserved in all geographical regions of the State.
2. Increase the number of individuals, organizations and local government entities that understand the value of historic preservation through education and community outreach programs.
3. Stimulate California's economy by developing and utilizing historic preservation tools and incentives to promote jobs, stimulate investment in local communities, and encourage heritage tourism.
4. Expand and diversify the existing funding base for historic preservation programs while seeking dependable, long-term sources of economic support.
5. Encourage and implement historic preservation as a regular component of public policy planning at all levels of government.
6. Ensure that the identification of, and information about, historical and cultural resources in California is comprehensive, available in a consistent and complete format, and continually updated and augmented.
7. Promote the preservation and the stewardship of cultural resources among a diversified state population representing all levels of the socio-economic spectrum.

1. Resource Protection.
   • Promote registration of historic resources;
   • Promote comprehensive and strategic surveys;
   • Create statewide information management and access plan;
   • Preservation legislation;
   • Promote awareness of diversity of resources.
2. Public Understanding.
   • Encourage public participation;
   • Education, training, and outreach programs to all ages;
   • Promote graduate programs in preservation;
   • Incorporate preservation in urban planning programs;
   • Educate the general public and government officials of the importance of preservation;
   • Create partnerships with those affecting public policy.
3. Economic Stimulation.
   • Support preservation through job development, stabilizing neighborhoods and business districts, and local investment;
   • Promote private sector reinvestment and tax program;
   • Expand existing grant programs;
   • Promote existing and develop new financial incentives;
   • Develop incentive program for the use of tax credits for resources under the jurisdiction of public land holding agencies;
   • Develop tax incentive program to promote conservation/preservation of archaeological sites.
4. Funding.
   • Identify and achieve stable funding sources;
   • Identify and promote new economic partnerships;
   • Identify and contact diverse funding sources for historic resources database.
5. Preservation and Public Policy Planning.
   • Encourage government adoption of ordinances and programs;
   • Advocate for resource preservation;
   • Provide assistance to state and local agencies on preservation programs and issues;
   • Train local land-use decision-makers;
   • Encourage implementation of plans for historic structures affected by natural disasters.
6. Resource Information.
   • Maintain a comprehensive statewide inventory system;
   • Provide ready access to inventory system, as appropriate;
   • Encourage the identification, recordation, evaluation, and interpretation of historic resources;
   • Develop and expand GIS programs.
7. Preservation and Cultural Diversity.
   • Educate the public on their unique and diverse cultural heritage;
   • Encourage the preservation of ethnic heritage and cultural resources;
   • Update, expand, and re-publish Five Views: An Ethnic Historic Site Survey for California;
   • Implement recommendations of the 1995 Preservation Task Force Subcommittee on Archaeology, Report of Findings, and Guidelines for the Curation of Archaeological Collections.