CLG Program Guide FAQs

A local historic preservation program is established when an Iowa city passes a historic preservation ordinance, or an Iowa county passes a historic preservation resolution. This preservation program's purpose is to identify, recognize and protect buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts that have demonstrated historic importance on a local, regional, state, national or international level. The historic preservation program is developed and administered by an unpaid, volunteer, citizen commission, and the historic preservation commission.

The historic preservation commission should not be confused with local historical societies, even though both may receive funding from the city or county and have some of the same interests. While the historical society may operate out of a historic property and be responsible for its care, its primary mission is typically the preservation of records (letters, photographs, and other documents) and objects, ranging from saltshakers to farm equipment. Usually, a historical society is a private, not-for-profit corporation or organization with voluntary, dues-paying members. A historical society operates under their articles of incorporation and bylaws and members determine the organization’s direction.

In contrast, the historic preservation commission deals exclusively with historic properties. As the administrators of the city or county historic preservation program, the historic preservation commission seeks to locate and document the significance of a wide range of buildings and structures from modest workers’ bungalows to factories or impressive county courthouses, from railroad switching towers to dredges on the Mississippi River. Parks, roads, sculpture, and prehistoric and historic archaeological sites are of interest to the historic preservation commission.

The historic preservation commission is a governmental body, comparable to other cities and county boards and commissions, receiving staff support and an annual budget. Commissioners are appointed by the mayor and city council (for city commissions) or the board of supervisors (for county commissions).

The historic preservation commission uses the historic preservation ordinance or resolution, directives from elected officials and residents, city and county comprehensive plans, and their by-laws to guide operations and determine goals and activities.

Most of Iowa's historic preservation commissions are advisory bodies to their elected officials. However, in a few cities, the historic preservation commission has regulatory authority and reviews proposed changes to locally designated historic landmarks (single properties) or to buildings and other improvements within locally designated historic districts.

In 1966, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) established a nationwide program to encourage preservation and wise use of historic resources. The NHPA established national historic preservation policy, the National Register of Historic Places (National Register), State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), and defined the states' role in national preservation efforts.

The NHPA has been amended several times and through a 1980 amendment, created the CLG program. This program added a third and critical partner at the local level by encouraging local governments to undertake local historic preservation efforts. This formal partnership between federal, state, and local governments is known as the CLG program.

The National Park Service, Department of the Interior, administers the federal government’s historic preservation program. At the state level, Iowa’s State Historic Preservation program is administered through the Iowa Economic development Authority. The local partner is the certified city or county government.

The program has four primary purposes:

1. Encourage historic preservation at the local level.
2. Encourage local governments to follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards & Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation in developing and administering their local historic preservation programs.
3. Provide technical assistance through the state's historic preservation office to cities and counties participating in the CLG Program.
4. Provide participating cities and counties with funding to underwrite various historic preservation activities.

Across the nation, communities are using historic preservation as a springboard for economic revitalization and refueling community pride. They have discovered the benefits of an effective historic preservation program that instills pride in the architectural and historical character of a community, bringing into focus its unique and distinguishing qualities. Preservation can stabilize and enhance property values and property tax revenues. Historic preservation also encourages investment and revitalization, attracting business and industry that create new jobs. Preserving a community’s cultural heritage provides attractions for visitors and tourists and improves a community’s quality of life.

In Iowa, approximately ninety cities and counties are using historic preservation as a tool for community improvement, stabilization, and development. Often, the local historic preservation commission works in partnership with the local Main Street organization. In addition, some cities have utilized historic preservation incentives and grant programs to revitalize older neighborhoods and downtowns.

Historic preservation efforts are readily combined with tourism connecting history with promotional materials to introduce visitors to their historic sites. Communities, like Fort Atkinson, are focusing on their historic archaeological sites as part of heritage tourism efforts. Adams, Clinton, Henry, and Linn counties have undertaken survey, evaluation and National Register nomination projects focusing on ethnic traditions and incorporation of materials into heritage tourism programs.

Many of these preservation efforts were funded with CLG Program grants. This is a National Park Service grant program, administered by the State Historic Preservation Office. These grants support the work of historic preservation commissions of CLGs and are awarded yearly during a competitive grant process. These grants do not require a cash match. Local governments can use volunteer hours and other in-kind donations as a match. These projects have leveraged major returns to cities and counties in terms of rehabilitation projects, downtown and neighborhood revitalization generating tourism dollars, jobs, and tax revenues.

The CLG Program is based on common goals, standards and guidelines when undertaking historic preservation efforts at the federal, state, and local levels.

These common goals, standards and guidelines are in the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation. These “SOI Standards,” as they are often referred to, are one of the foundation documents for the CLG program.

It is also important to note that if you need assistance navigating the CLG program or have questions about historic preservation at the local level, you can call the CLG Coordinator whose role it is to support the work of your commission. The CLG Coordinator can be reached at 515-348-6287 Historic.Preservation@IowaEDA.com.

If a city or county has an established historic preservation program, the following needs completed to apply for CLG program participation and to receive CLG status or get the historic preservation program certified:

1. The historic preservation ordinance or resolution must be amended so that it incorporates national and state preservation goals and standards in its purpose, in its definitions, in the qualifications for commissioners, and in the powers delegated to the commission. Sections of the ordinance or resolution that do not comply with these goals and standards will have to be revised or removed.
2. The city or county must demonstrate that historic preservation commissioners meet the qualification requirements by submitting signed biographical sketches of all commission members.
3. The city or county must demonstrate that it has an identification (survey, evaluation, and registration) process in a place that is compatible with that of the SHPO. Submitting the city or county's property inventory completes this step, and the SHPO can assist cities/counties in determining the current inventoried properties.
4. The city or county must demonstrate that it has a preservation plan in place that meets the national and state program standards. Submitting a copy of the city or county's historic preservation plan can do this.
5. The city/county signs a CLG Agreement with the State of Iowa, agreeing to develop and administer its local historic preservation program so that it complies with national and state preservation goals and standards.
6. Secures the approval of the National Park Service that the local historic preservation program meets CLG standards.

In Iowa, the state CLG coordinator will assist local governments in setting up local historic preservation programs that meet CLG requirements and will process the local government’s application for CLG status. The National Park Service reviews and gives final approval of the application.

If a local government is willing to pass an ordinance or resolution to establish a historic preservation program, it should provide fiscal, personnel, and material support.

The local government should assign a paid staff member to assist the historic preservation commission. In Iowa, staff to the historic preservation commission typically spend a minimum of ten to twenty percent of their work time assisting the historic preservation commission. Staff perform the following services:

1. Receive commission mail and distribute it to commission members.
2. Serve as the recording secretary for the commission to ensure compliance with Iowa Code Chapter 21 requirements regarding open meetings.
3. Assist the commission in preparing the annual report; and
4. manage the administrative aspect of designation and design review (if applicable). If the commission obtains outside funding, the local government will need to allocate staff time for accounting and record keeping.

Material support of the commission includes:

1. Providing meeting space.
2. Filing space (required to comply with Iowa Code Chapter 22).
3. Basic supplies (letterhead stationery, file folders, etc.), postage, printing/photocopying, etc.
4. Access to a city or county vehicle for conducting projects or attending historic preservation training sessions.
5. Provide cash or soft match for grant projects. In addition, it is recommended that technical support be available to create and maintain a public website for the historic preservation commission if the city or county maintains a website.

A minimum yearly budget allocation of $750.00 is required; however, the range of annual allocations to historic preservation commissions by Iowa cities and counties can be as high as $10,000 a year. Typical line items in a historic preservation commission’s budget are:

1. Travel expenses (registration, mileage, food, and lodging) to attend historic preservation training sessions (there is an annual training requirement in the CLG program).
2. Cost of publications and periodicals for their reference library.
3. Cash and/or in-kind match for grant projects.
4. Public education and technical assistance expenses, this might include awards and workshops during Historic Preservation Month in May or educational sessions for contractors and property owners on rehabilitation techniques.
5. Membership dues for Preservation Iowa, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, and National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Cities and counties participating in the CLG Program position themselves to make effective use of their public and private capital improvements. In Iowa, the bulk of housing stock, commercial buildings, factories, and agricultural buildings are over 50 years old. While not all these buildings are significant historic properties, those that are significant should be preserved, protected, and used. The CLG Program encourages local government, its residents and property owners to locate significant historic properties and then take appropriate action to ensure these properties are managed, protected, and used.

For the local government, this keeps the improvements on tax rolls as well as opening the possibility of increased tax revenues resulting from improvement and use. Historic preservation is an integral part of smart, sustainable development. Historic properties often are of unique design and made of high-quality materials that are no longer readily available. Demolition of property removes the improvement from the lot and places the materials in the landfill—which can be costly. Rehabilitation of historic properties can generate local jobs and sales. Continued use of historic property keeps residents in older neighborhoods and activity in historic downtowns. Adaptive use, which refers to using a historic building for a function different from the original one, can revitalize commercial, industrial, residential, and rural areas with new occupants and new activities.

The CLG grant program provides financial assistance for historic preservation projects. CLG grant money can be used for start-up projects, called Planning for Preservation, which allow newly certified preservation commissions to work closely with a preservation specialist and learn about the historic properties in their jurisdiction, major themes/historic contexts in local history, resources and people in the state and their community which they can use, as well as develop a plan for future activity. CLG grants can also be used for planning, survey, and evaluation, preparing National Register nominations, developing a system for designating local landmarks and districts, drafting local legislation and procedures to protect properties, and public education projects. The grants cannot be used for actual rehabilitation, nor can they be used to purchase equipment. Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) can be used as a match for CLG grants. In short, the CLG grant program's purpose is to help cities and counties with their historic preservation efforts.

Serving the historic preservation needs of Iowa's CLG cities and counties is a top priority of the SHPO. When a city or county achieves CLG status, the CLG program coordinator goes to that community and provides an orientation session for the historic preservation commission, local officials, staff, and the interested public. The CLG coordinator and other preservation staff are available for consultation, can help negotiate preservation-related issues, or perform other services related to the local historic preservation program. Another service to CLG communities is research services on historic preservation issues and questions. During the year, the SHPO schedules historic preservation training workshops for commissioners, elected officials, governmental staff, and the public. In addition, the SHPO encourages and assists CLGs and their residents to take advantage of state and federal incentive programs. Finally, the office sponsors the annual Preserve Iowa Summit, which is an opportunity for CLGs to receive annual training.

Savvy cities and counties in the CLG program use and encourage use of the National Register and associate incentives to further community preservation objectives. Local governments in the CLG program are encouraged to nominate properties to the National Register. National Register listing places a property on a nationwide honor roll. Listing does not infringe on a property owner's rights; however, to keep a property on the National Register a property owner will need to maintain those elements that contribute to the property's significance. For example, if a property were listed because of landscape features, the property owner would want to maintain those landscape features. If a property were significant because of architectural design, the property owner would want to maintain that design.

There are various state and federal incentives to encourage persons to rehabilitate and maintain National Register listed properties. These include:

• Historical Resource Development Program Grants (HRDP)
• Certified Local Government Grants
• State Historic Tax Credits
• Federal Historic Tax Credits
• Historic Property Tax Exemption

National Register listing provides additional consideration for a property with respect to federally assisted undertakings. Federal undertakings are activities or projects by federal agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Corps of Engineers, etc.; or that involve federal funds or require federal licensing or approval. National Register listing or National Register eligibility means that an assessment must be made before the project can proceed and if the project affects the National Register listed or eligible property, then alternative designs must be considered.