Section 2: Iowa Certified Local Government Program Requirements

Table of Contents

State law, Code of Iowa, 15.451and 15.459, describes the qualifications, terms, number and other stipulations for city, county, and land use district historic preservation commissions.

Because there are some differences, each is discussed separately.

City Historic Preservation Commissions

  1. Must be established by ordinance. This can be part of the city’s historic preservation ordinance.
  2. The mayor appoints individuals to the Commission.
  3. Commissioners must either reside in the city or own property located in the city.
  4. Member appointments must be made with due regard to representation in the city and member qualification as mentioned herein.
  5. City commissions shall have at least three (3) members.
  6. Terms of office shall be staggered for at least two years.
  7. Cities over 50,000 shall not appoint more than one-third of the commission members who are members of a city zoning organization.
  8. For commissions with regulatory authority, there shall be the appointment of at least one resident from each designated district.

County Historic Preservation Commissions

Counties and townships (unincorporated areas). The governing body in an unincorporated area may apply for CLG status without a historic preservation ordinance if it does not designate a historic district. The chief elected official(s) must designate a historic preservation commission to oversee specified historic preservation matters in the government's jurisdiction. This is accomplished by passage of an historic preservation resolution. The resolution specifies the commission's powers and duties and its members' qualifications. Be advised that if an unincorporated area chooses to designate a local historic district, then it must follow the Code of Iowa, 15.451, procedures in establishing a commission.

Each participating city or county shall decide on the numerical limit of terms for the commission members.

If the historic preservation commission is given regulatory authority, then design decisions by the commission must be binding and the ordinance shall have a specific provision for enforcing decisions.

The commission must meet at least once annually.

Commissioner training: all new historic preservation commissions shall undergo an orientation or training in historic preservation upon appointment to the commission. These may be arranged through the CLG Coordinator. Commissions with quasi-judicial authority (who designate local historic properties and issue certificates of appropriateness), and their staff will undertake specialized training in design review and the Secretary of the Interior’s Treatments for Historic Properties every two (2) years.

If a city or county wishes to have the privilege of administrative review, then it must appoint a staff person to the commission who meets the following requirements:

  1. 1. Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards in architectural history, historic architecture or preservation architecture as determined by the Iowa Historic Preservation Office and/or
  2. 2. One or more commission members either meet the Professional Qualification Standards or are certified each year by the State Historic Preservation Office in design review using the Secretary of the Interior’s Treatments and Guidelines for Historic Properties.

Submission of biographical sketch or resume should be completed as commission members are considered for appointment to the historic preservation commission to ensure that they meet program requirements and that their data is entered into the CLG database.

Resources

Sample Inventory

Establishment and maintenance of an inventory for your community’s historic resources will be an important management tool for the commission. Some commissions have found it useful to create a spreadsheet so that it is sortable in a variety of ways. At a minimum, the inventory should include commercial buildings, notable residences, buildings of fraternal organizations and others, churches, schools, and public buildings such as post offices and libraries. Creating this inventory is typically accomplished by undertaking a systematic survey of your community. Consider establishing teams of two who will drive up and down the streets recording information about properties of interest (typically properties 50 years or older).

The SHPO strongly encourages communities to utilize the inventory information

While the inventory does not need to include every historic property, it does need to represent a good faith effort to compile a comprehensive inventory. A great place to start your local inventory is to review the resources that are included in the Iowa Historic Property Inventory Database: https://shporecords.opportunityiowa.gov/.  If you have questions and need assistance with starting your inventory, please contact Historic.Preservation@iowaeda.com to begin the process. 

Sample Plan

Statement of Historic Preservation Commission Long Term Goals and Activities

The Happy County Historic Preservation Commission will undertake the following:

  1. Obtain training for commission, officials and staff in survey, evaluation, and inventory setup. Establish a system to encourage individuals, groups, and communities to initiate a survey in their respective areas. Hold a town meeting and invite county residents to share photographs and memories of their favorite properties. Sponsor workshops to train participants in recording, research, and completing the Iowa Site Inventory Form. Initiate during the first year of commission operation.
  2. Set up a system to coordinate evaluation and develop historic contexts for the county. Work with state staff to find a way to get properties evaluated. Initiate during the second and third year of commission operation.
  3. Set up a property inventory. Try to get duplicate copies of inventory forms, reports, nominations, and other documentation currently on file at the Iowa State Historic Preservation Office. Initiate during the second year of commission operation.
  4. Have the commission develop an understanding of the National Register nomination process and how to prepare a nomination so that we can assist the public or at least direct them to the right places for assistance? All commission members will attend the State sponsored, annual National Register workshop during the first year of operation.
  5. Identify and try to work with people and departments in county government as well as outside of county government with work responsibilities that affect or may affect historic properties in the county, for example the county engineer and the conservation department. Try to find ways in which the historic preservation commission can assist them so that historic properties are identified, preserved, and maintained. Initiate during the first year of operation.
  6. Apply for a CLG grant: planning-for-preservation grant project. Initiate during the first year of operation.
  7. Start developing an educational program to inform the public about historic properties in the County through tours, pamphlets, programs and events at historic properties and training workshops in rehabilitation of historic properties. Identify partners with whom we can work on these projects. Initiate during the first year of operation.
  8. The Happy County Historic Preservation Commission will meet every even month (February, April, June, August, October, and December) on the 2nd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm at the Happy County Courthouse, Room 222.
  9. The records and files of the Happy County Historic Preservation Commission will be stored in the office of the Happy County Auditor.