GIVE VOICE TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION
COMPREHENESIVE PLAN PUBLIC MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 AT 6 PM
SARATOGA SPRINGS PUBLIC LIBRARY
Saratoga Springs is in the process of preparing a new Comprehensive Plan which will guide the future development of the City. Historic preservation has been a key feature of past plans and we hope it will remain so in the new plan.
The City of Saratoga Springs is holding a public information meeting on Monday, September, 30, 2013 at 6 pm in the Harry Dutcher Room of the Saratoga Springs Public Library, 49 Henry Street.
This is a chance for you to provide your input to Comprehensive Plan Committee on the importance of preserving our unique community character through historic preservation as our city looks to the future. Our city is fortunate to have such a diverse, extensive collection of historic resources that make our community special. Historic preservation has played a critical role in attracting residents, visitors, and businesses to our city, contributing to the overall vitality, quality of life, and economic success of Saratoga Springs. Historic preservation should be used as a means to shape development to obtain the highest quality, not as a tool to stop development of our community.
The Foundation has submitted comments to the Comprehensive Plan Committee that include the following ideas which both the public and private sector can work on together in the future:
- Educate citizens about their heritage and its value to the community.
- Encourage the use of historic preservation as an economic development tool.
- Grow and expand heritage tourism opportunities.
- Survey historic resources within our community on an ongoing basis to identify which resources are significant and are worthy of preservation.
- Provide educational materials, technical assistance, and financial resources to property owners and developers.
- Ensure consistency between various local governmental policies that affect the community’s historic resources.
- Set policy directives for improved historic preservation regulations.
- Provide special training sessions for members of the Design Review Commission to remain in compliance with Certified Local Government standards.
- Expand the local Historic District to match the boundaries of the various historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Enact improved local legislation and code enforcement to address buildings that are being threatened by demolition by neglect.
- Strengthen partnerships among all organizations involved in history and preservation related activities.