Education: What are Preservation Standards

Please review the attached document for more detail explanation of Preservation Standards.

DEFINITION: Standards are used as a measure, norm, or model in comparative evaluations.
The Federal Government utilizes the approach of clearly stated "Standards" for evaluating effects to historic properties and guiding preservation decisions, these "Standards" are the US Secretary of the Interior Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. Recent design review efforts have uncovered the need for a better understanding of Federal Treatment Standards as well as noting that the Federal Standards have been updated and are generally more inclusive of mid-century design. Federal design standards are referenced and applicable in the Townsite design review document, but it is important to know the specific treatment standard that is most applicable to a neighborhood design review. The treatment that is most often utilized for local design review is "Rehabilitation". Rehabilitation is the most versatile of the four "Treatments" and is applicable because when applying for a permit people are asking to modify and/or rehabilitate their historic structure. Rehabilitation allows for necessary changes to a historic structure and can even be utilized for a significant new use of a building commonly referred to as adaptive re-use. Rehabilitation allows for modern necessities while protecting what is important historically.