Section 6: Commission Records

Table of Contents

Each Historic Preservation Commission should maintain a record of its work. These records should be kept in a location where they are protected but still accessible to the public, for example, in city hall or the county courthouse. Below is an example of the filing system a commission could use to organize its records and the kinds of documents the commission should save.

  1. Certification
    • Application materials such as the letter applying for CLG status, resolution or ordinance, historic property inventory, preservation plan, list of original commissioners, biographical sketches of commissioners, disclaimer letter if there are no preservation professionals on the first commission.
    • Certification Agreement between local government and the State.
    • Letter from the National Park Service confirming CLG status.
  2. Commissioners
    • Documentation of commissioner recruitment process
    • Commissioners' biographical sketches
    • Participation in training activities
    • Documentation of appointment and record of term
  3. Administrative Records
    • Correspondence
    • Commission meeting announcements, agendas, minutes.
    • Reviews for National Register nominations and HRDP grant applications.
  4. Annual Reports
  5. Grant Projects
    • Grant Applications
    • Progress Reports
    • Documentation of Match and Expenditures
  6. Inventory
    • Iowa Site Inventory Forms
    • Office of the State Archeologist Site form for prehistoric and historic period archeological sites (these are confidential records not to be shared with the public).
    • Survey and Evaluation Project Reports (with information redacted concerning archaeological properties)
    • National Register nomination forms
    • Correspondence about properties determined eligible for National Register listing.
    • Completed local historic landmark and local historic district nomination forms.
  7. Design Review
    • Ordinances designating Landmarks and Districts, detailing boundaries and sites, structures, buildings, objects, and other features included in the designation.
    • Applications for a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA).
    • Minutes recording Commission Action regarding COA.
    • Design Guidelines

Process for Monitoring and Decertification

The SHPO will provide all CLGs with an annual report form. Each CLG must complete and submit the annual report form by February 28 for the previous year. The SHPO shall review and monitor CLGs to ensure compliance with all applicable regulations specified herein. The SHPO will review the annual reports submitted by CLGs, records of the administration of funds allocated from the Historic Preservation fund, and other documents as necessary, to ensure that each government is fulfilling the required standards. The SHPO may conduct other reviews and monitoring, as necessary.

If the SHPO evaluation indicates that the performance of the CLG is inadequate, the SHPO shall document that assessment and recommend to the local government ways to improve its performance. The CLG shall have no more than one hundred eighty days (180) days to implement improvements. If the SHPO determines that sufficient improvement has not occurred, the SHPO shall recommend decertification of the local government to the Secretary of the Interior citing specific reasons for the recommendation.

CLGs may petition the State to be decertified voluntarily and without prejudice.