Historic Preservation Planning
Like Politics, all Preservation is local. For that reason, historic preservation is most effective in places where it is fostered and managed at the community level. To help municipalities and local organizations achieve these goals, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) offers technical assistance, advice, and educational programs on a variety of planning and revitalization strategies and initiatives:
- Developing preservation plans,
- Establishing local historic district ordinances
- Investigating alternatives for preserving key buildings
- Promoting heritage tourism and commercial and neighborhood revitalization
Guidance for Historic Preservation Planning
The Municipalities Planning Code calls on counties and municipalities to include provisions for preserving historic places and archaeological sites in their comprehensive plans and zoning.
The SHPO has likewise drafted language that may be incorporated into planning documents to help planners identify areas where there is a high probability of finding significant archaeological sites.
Statewide Historic Preservation Plan
Many of the goals and objectives of Pennsylvania's statewide historic preservation plan, #PreservAtionHappensHere (PDF) involve encouraging and supporting local preservation programs and initiatives.
County and Regional Plans
More and more, planners are incorporating historic properties and cultural resources into regional and county plans. So be sure to refer to these plans to see what they are recommending that municipalities can do to preserve their local landmarks and distinctive sense of place:
- County Comprehensive and Greenway Plans
- Long Range Transportation Plans (See a list of links to Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs) at the Pennsylvania State Transportation Commission)
- County Hazard Mitigation Plans
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study (2022) (Because of the size of the report, it is divided into three separate files.)
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Part A: Front Matter, Introduction, Study Communities, and Planning Context
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Part B: Market Analysis
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Part C: Key Opportunities and Recommendations
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix A: Stakeholder Summaries (Introduction only)
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix B: Community Profile Tables
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix C: Flood Risk Maps Washington and Westmoreland Counties
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix C: Flood Risk Maps Beaver County
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix D: Zoning Regulations
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix E1: Retail Market Profiles
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix E2: Recreation Expenditures
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Appendix F: Commercial Office Market Listings
- Deindustrialized Communities Market Study - Part A: Front Matter, Introduction, Study Communities, and Planning Context
Community Preservation Partners
Depending on your community and the issues you are facing, you may also want to consider contacting our statewide and regional partners for assistance in identifying and preserving historic places:
