Title:  The Kansas Historic Preservation Plan: Planning For the Future: Historic Preservation is Public Policy

Kansas Preservation Plan

Number of Pages: 7
Approval Date: September 12, 2001
Planning Cycle: 5 years

Contact Information:
     Martha Hagedorn-Krass
     Historic Preservation Office
     Kansas State Historical Society
     6425 SW 6th Avenue
     Topeka, Kansas 66615-1099
     (785) 272-8681, ext. 213
     fax (785)272-8682
     E-mail: mkrass@kshs.org
     Website: www.kshs.org/resource/kspreservationplan.pdf

Mission/Vision Statement:
Not provided in the Plan.

Table of Contents:
     Overview
     Planning Cycle
     Critical Issues
     The State’s Resources
     The Archeological Record
     The Practice
     The Challenge
     Players and Partners
     Continuing Education
     Planning
     Financial Incentives
     Implementation
     Goals
     Bibliography
     Important State and Federal Laws
     Kansas Historic Preservation Office

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Public Participation Strategies:

• Seven public participation meetings;
• Draft plan distributed to all stakeholders for review and comment.

HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES
Prehistoric and historic archeological sites of the American Indian occupation and Euro-American settlers; prehistoric quarries, hamlets, villages, camps, rock art; historic residential neighborhoods, historic bridges, historic buildings, historic streetscapes, community heritage; historical, archeological, architectural, and cultural heritage of Kansas; barns, railroad stations, Carnegie libraries, courthouses, main street towns, shaded parks, battlefields, ranches, rolling topography, rock shelters, grain elevators, theaters, one-room schools, churches; historic trails; farmsteads, historic forts.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Heritage Trust Fund and TEA-21 grant programs;
• New state rehabilitation tax credit program;
• Kansas has several strong incentive programs, but more are needed;
• Need for enhanced public and professional knowledge of historic preservation practices and techniques;
• Need to increase public knowledge and acceptance of historic preservation;
• Need to make historic preservation a component of local long-range planning;
• Need for stronger statewide partnership networks;
• Need to integrate preservation ethic in public and private sector endeavors;
• Prehistoric and historic archeological resources not well understood, fully studied, or well protected;
• Shift of rural population to urban centers;
• Difficult for areas experiencing population loss to protect and maintain historic resources;
• New school construction may result in abandonment and demolition of existing schools.

1. Strengthen public education and outreach programs.
2. Support locally based community initiatives.
3. Support increased financial incentives.
4. Strengthen preservation partnerships.
5. Promote research and public understanding of Kansas’ archeological resources.

1. Education and Outreach.
   • Offer "hands-on" training activities;
   • Promote preservation programs;
   • Develop traveling exhibits;
   • Establish technical preservation training programs.
2. Community Preservation.
   • Identify and designate significant resources;
   • Encourage heritage tourism initiatives;
   • Adopt local policies that foster resource preservation;
   • Increase number of CLGs;
   • Promote role of preservation in community revitalization and economic development;
   • Promote local advocacy organizations.
3. Financial Incentives.
   • Increase cap on Heritage Trust Fund;
   • Develop and implement a statewide tax credit program;
   • Create additional funding sources for preservation;
   • Encourage use of federal investment tax credit program;
   • Support conservation easement donations;
   • Encourage application of Neighborhood Revitalization Act.
4. Preservation Partnerships.
   • Examine state preservation statutes;
   • Establish a statewide historic building code;
   • Develop a network of statewide and local advocacy groups;
   • Offer continuing education courses to preservation and real estate professionals.
5. Archeological Sites and Research.
   • Expand knowledge of Kansas history and prehistory through site interpretation;
   • Promote outreach for public and professional audiences;
   • Support local archeology education programs;
   • Promote archeology week;
   • Encourage survey and nomination of archeological sites.

Cooperating/Partnering Organizations:
Federal, state, and local government agencies; planning, engineering, architectural, and other consulting firms; local historical societies and advocacy groups; other nonprofit organizations; private property owners; National Park Service; Kansas Main Street program; Certified Local Governments.