Minnesota Preservation Plan

Number of Pages:  25
Approval Date:  October 30, 2000
Planning Cycle:  5 years

Contact Information:
     Britta Bloomberg
     Deputy State Historic Preservation
          Officer
     Minnesota Historical Society
     345 Kellog Boulevard West
     St. Paul, Minnesota 55102
     (612) 296-5471; fax (612) 282-2374
     E-mail:  britta.bloomberg@mnhs.org

Mission/Vision Statement:
Minnesota's historic and archaeological properties are among the state's most valuable resources. They reflect and illuminate the values of Minnesota's people. They are the physical evidence of the ways people have chosen to live, of our need for beautiful objects as well as functional structures. The presence of historic properties, which display various styles, different historic periods, and the contributions of diverse groups of people, adds diversity and richness to our urban and rural landscapes.

Table of Contents:
          Introduction
          The Planning Process
          The Preservation Picture in Minnesota
          A Progress Report
          Goals and Strategies for 2000-2005
          Appendix: Preservation Legislation
          Bibliography
          Summary of Public Comments

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Public Participation Strategies:

• At least three public meetings held annually to solicit public input on a variety of topics;
• Planning sessions with state and federal agencies, local preservation commissions, State Review Board, and others;
• Workshops for state and federal agencies and those who receive federal support for historic preservation activities;
• Eight regional facilitated planning sessions to identify issues and articulate priorities.

• Review of planning documents of other agencies, reports prepared by local preservation commissions, and reports of review/compliance activities;
• SHPO staff retreats, newsletters, annual reports;
• 1991 publication Preserving Minnesota: Planning for Historic Properties into a New Century used as a guide.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Baseline data of county-by-county standing structure survey is major asset, but some information is old or lacking;
• Similar statewide archaeological survey is incomplete;
• High quality surveys conducted by CLG communities;
• New Categories of properties need to be surveyed, such as traditional cultural properties and historic landscapes;
• Difficulty identifying viable uses for historic properties in both prime development and low-growth areas;
• Successful studies of reuse of vacant, threatened, or under used historic properties;
• Ever-growing number of preservation-oriented organizations and professionals with preservation expertise;
• American Indian tribes are becoming more active in preservation;
• Unprecedented growth and sprawl in urban and suburban areas, and depopulation and economic decline of smaller, rural communities;
• Population growing increasingly diverse and elderly;
• Baby boomers are expressing interest in areas that exhibit a sense of place, stimulating revitalization of older residential neighborhoods and industrial areas;
• Minority populations can be untapped audiences for historic preservation;
• Pattern of income disparity between urban and rural areas;
• Historic preservation can be successful economic development tool in urban and rural areas;
• Changes in the transportation system could destroy resources and/or increase economic development and tourism;
• Historic elements of the transportation system are also important resources;
• The Federal Highway Administration’s context-sensitive highway design initiative may help encourage innovation in resource protection;
• Federal, state, and local governments are major players in historic preservation, but public funding is decreasing, leading to increasing importance of the private, nonprofit, and commercial sectors;
• Public policy is increasingly favorable to historic resource protection.

1. Increase community awareness of the value of Minnesota’s historic resources.
2. Encourage integration of historic preservation at all levels of planning.
3. Expand the statewide network of organizations and individuals engaged in historic preservation.
4. Promote historic preservation as an economic development tool and provide economic incentives that encourage it.
5. Identify, evaluate and designate significant historic and archaeological resources.
6. Encourage appropriate management and treatment of historic resources.

1. Public Awareness.
   • Increase historic preservation visibility, e.g., Preservation/Archaeology Week, media relationships, annual statewide conference, recognition of successful preservation efforts;
   • Encourage preservation education and reach out to new audiences;
   • Promote use of the National Register by educators, communities, and history professionals as educational tool;
   • Encourage interpretation to foster education and treatment (stories as powerful communication tool);
   • Disseminate information about benefits of historic preservation.
2. Integration into Planning.
   • Develop comprehensive cultural resource plans at federal, state, local levels;
   • Strengthen existing laws;
   • Strengthen communication with planners and planning agencies;
   • Implement management plans developed for special categories of historic resources.
3. Preservation Network.
   • Strengthen the advocacy role of state and local nonprofit organizations;
   • Encourage creation of local commissions & expand participation in CLG program;
   • Use emerging technologies to improve communication;
   • Strengthen consultation with American Indian people and encourage establishment of tribal historic preservation programs;
   • Provide preservation information to owners of historic properties.
4. Economic Development and Incentives.
   • Distribute information on cultural and economic benefits of preservation to target audiences;
   • Create an environment supportive of projects involving historic properties through public policy and education;
   • Include historic building conservation in state’s building code;
   • Encourage use of existing financial incentives (e.g., federal investment tax credits and facade easements);
   • Advocate for additional tax incentives at the local, state, and federal levels;
   • Expand and diversify historic preservation funding sources;
   • Establish state revolving fund.
5. Resource Identification and Designation.
   • Conduct state and local surveys to address emerging issues and gaps in existing surveys;
   • Designate historic properties to national, state, and local registers (promote recognition and protection);
   • Use CLG grant funds for local surveys and designation.
6. Resource Treatment.
   • Promote use of Secretary’s Standards, particularly by historic property owners and those in building industries;
   • Increase access to technical information and assistance through emerging communications technologies and training methods;
   • Identify new uses for vacant or under used resources through SHPO’s reuse study model;
   • Encourage use of preservation easements, resource management plans, historic structures reports, and design guidelines;
   • Advocate data recovery when development will unavoidably disturb archaeological resources.