Number of Pages:  80
Approval Date:  February 17, 2004
Planning Cycle:  7 years

Contact Information:

Richard G. Tune, Assistant Director
National Register Programs
Tennessee Historical Commission
2941 Lebanon Road
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0442
(615) 532-1555; fax (615) 532-1549
E-mail: Richard.Tune@state.tn.us
Web site: www.state.tn.us/environment/hist/pdf/HistoricPreserv.pdf

Mission/Vision Statement:
This vision is for a future in which historic buildings, sites, landscapes, and neighborhoods are valued as assets which contribute to the spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic, and economic well-being of the community; a social and political environment in which governments, institutions, organizations, and individuals can act on this ethic by working effectively to preserve, protect and integrate historic properties into community life and fabric; processes, mechanisms, tools, and agencies through which growth, change, and development can be managed and balanced with preservation and other environmental concerns without needles and costly conflicts or the sacrifice of other important community goals and values.

Table of Contents:

Part I. Introduction
Part II. The Social, Legal, and Economic Environment for Historic
    Preservation in Tennessee

1. Social and Economic Trends
2. State Government Programs and Activities
3. Local Government Programs and Activities
4. Historic Preservation and the Non-Profit Sector
5. The Legal Environment for Historic Preservation
6. The Economic Importance of Historic Preservation
Part III. Public Opinion and Historic Preservation
Part IV. Goals and Objectives
Part V. Implementation

PLAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Public Participation Strategies:

• Inclusion of 10 historic preservation questions in two statewide public opinion polling efforts conducted by the Office of Communications Research at Middle Tennessee State University's College of Mass Communication;
• Public presentation and invitation to provide feedback at the 2002 Tennessee Preservation Trust conference;
• Request for feedback on SHPO web site;
• Public invited to comment on draft revised Plan through SHPO web site and targeted mailings to over 300 individuals, to members of the state legislature, and to members of the Historical Commission and State Review Board.

• Incorporation of the results of a study on economic impacts of preservation conducted by the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University.

ISSUES, THREATS, & OPPORTUNITIES

• Recently enacted statewide planning legislation has potential to benefit preservation;
• Many rural historic resources remain vacant, underutilized, and in danger of demolition by neglect;
• Ethnic diversity creates challenges to including them in preservation;
• Rapidly growing areas need growth management;
• Areas growing more slowly need economic growth tools and policies;
• Need for new ways to invest in historic resources;
• Slow growth in state revenues have not been reflected in expenditures for preservation;
• Preservation has potential to help meet solutions to sprawl, revitalization, and job creation;
• Survey for historic structures and archaeological resources is incomplete and coverage of the state is uneven;
• Computerized resource database and information management system needs updating;
• Lack of staff and funding hinders the nomination of eligible properties to the National Register;
• Many local governments are increasingly interested in establishing, or have already established preservation programs, and need technical assistance;
• Popular historic marker program has suffered from budget cuts and increasing costs;
• Preservation needs to be better integrated with local planning efforts;
• Large and diverse private sector preservation groups are increasingly effective, but lack effective networking and collaboration;
• Local comprehensive planning is not required, leading to state and local government reacting to problems rather than planning for the future;
• State resource protection laws and policies are inadequate;
• A review process for state-funded projects on private lands is lacking;
• Few state financial incentives are available to stimulate preservation, especially in the absence of a state income tax, and available funding is limited;
• Main Street Program has been successful in encouraging reinvestment in commercial historic properties in small and medium-sized towns;
• Increasing popularity of heritage tourism benefits preservation;
• Tax credit programs have generated considerable rehabilitation investment in historic commercial properties;
• Public opinion questionnaire results show strong support for preservation.

1. Mobilize well-directed and effective public support for the preservation of historic resources as an important public goal.
2. Administer the programs of the National Historic Preservation Act in Tennessee so that the legislative intent is realized.
3. Assist and encourage local governments to establish and administer effective programs to identify and protect historic resources.
4. Establish an effective network of private preservation organizations which work together to promote, advocate, and achieve the protection and preservation of Tennessee's historic resources.
5. Secure the enactment of laws and other legal mechanisms which protect or enable others to protect historic resources through effective land use planning and growth management techniques; review of governmental actions which may affect historic properties; and the provision of financial and other incentives and aids for preservation activities.

1. Public support.
   • Increase public awareness of preservation;
   • Develop a heritage education program;
   • Develop information for use in promoting preservation;
   • Create a state-wide preservation network.
2. Administer NHPA programs.
   • Carry out NHPA programs and mandates;
   • Nominate eligible properties to the national and state registers;
   • Protect National Register properties;
   • Assist others attempting to preserve and protect properties;
   • Develop and implement a statewide preservation plan.
3. Local preservation programs.
   • Educate local governments about preservation;
   • Assist local governments obtain CLG status;
   • Develop a local preservation network.
4. Preservation network.
   • Strengthen the statewide preservation non-profit organization;
   • Hold an annual preservation conference;
   • Create a program to educate and assist private preservation groups;
   • Maintain up-to-date information on local heritage groups.
5. Legal tools.
   • Establish network of groups interested in growth management;
   • Strengthen state laws on state project review and environmental protection;
   • Seek reliable and adequate source of revenue for preservation.