63°F
weather icon Windy

New certification gives city access to preservation funding

Updated July 18, 2019 - 1:13 pm

Boulder City’s future was just made a little brighter with some help from the state to preserve its past.

It is now one of only five cities in Nevada to be a Certified Local Government and has more access to funding and technical assistance through the State Historic Preservation Office.

According to Community Development Director Michael Mays, Nevada’s preservation office receives money every year from the Federal Historic Preservation Fund, financed by offshore oil and gas leases.

“SHPO is required to give a minimum of 10 percent of (historic preservation fund) funding to (Certified Local Governments) as sub grants that can fund surveys, inventories, National Register (of Historic Places) nominations, rehabilitation work, design guidelines, educational programs and training,” he said.

Mays said the state office receives about $80,000 annually from the federal fund.

“The city plans to apply for … funds to update the 1983 survey of the existing Boulder City Historic District,” he added.

The National Park Service administers the Certified Local Government program with state historic preservation offices. Once a city or community is certified and agrees to follow federal and state requirements, it has access to the additional benefits. City Council approved an agreement at its July 9 meeting with the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office to become certified.

There is no financial cost to participate, but the city does have responsibilities it must fulfill.

Mays said the city must encourage public participation in historic preservation programs; commit to participating in historic preservation training; provide annual reports to the state office on its historic preservation activities; and utilize the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, including the standards for treatment of historic properties, in its historic preservation activities.

In February, council amended the city’s existing historic preservation ordinance to follow the National Park Service standards so it could participate in the program.

“It puts our ordinance into line with the National Park Service standard,” said Alan Goya, chairman of the city’s Historic Preservation Committee. “It gets us all on the same page.”

“We believe if we obtain this designation, it will help us as we move forward in developing a historic preservation plan,” said Al Noyola, city manager.

The other four Certified Local Governments in Nevada are Carson City, Las Vegas, Reno and Storey County.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Community pride on full display

A mixture of lime, paint and water was used to touch up the city landmark, which saw the B first painted in 1985 and two years later the C by BCHS students. It had been 10 years since the last time it was touched up. Event organizer Bret Runion said he was pleased with the turnout and hopes to see even more assist in future years.

It’s official: STRs banned in BC

For an issue that has caused so much local uproar for more than a year, the question of whether Boulder City should formalize the informal-but-still-binding ban on short-term rentals (STR) within city limits ended with more of a whimper than a bang Tuesday as the City Council voted 4-1 to adopt text changes to city code clarifying that the practice is illegal and establishing a system of civil fines for STR owners who continue to operate.

A busy Saturday in Boulder City

Saturday proved to be a very busy day in Boulder City as events included repainting of the BC on Radar Mountain (see page 2 for photos), as well as the city’s Easter Egg Hunt at Wilbur Square, Flowfest and the popular goat yoga class at Bicentennial Park and the Injured Police Officers Fund car show at Veterans’ Memorial Park.

To chip or not to chip?

In its second time at the plate, as it were, the proposal by Boulder City Councilmember Cokie Booth to require that pets within BC be microchipped ended up with a lot of people talking about maybe taking a swing at the ball but no one actually doing so.

Council candidate slate set

A total of seven candidates for city council and three candidates for justice of the peace of Boulder Township will face off in the primary election scheduled for June 11.

Ultrarunner to push himself to the limit

It’s not uncommon for friends or even family members to try and best one another whether that be athletics, academics or relationships.

Vets home hit with 18 citations

In a recent unannounced inspection, the Southern Nevada State Veterans’ Home was cited 18 times for issues ranging from verbal abuse of a patient to failing to provide meals at an appropriate temperature, to employees not having keys to locked gates, which would be needed in the case of an emergency evacuation.

BDCU looks back on past year at annual meeting

For more than eight decades, the Boulder Dam Credit Union has been the most popular place for Boulder City residents to do their banking, not to mention see friends and neighbors.

Top o’ the evening to ya

Photos by Ron Eland/Boulder City Review

BC repaint: Countdown is on

It’s almost time to don that old pair of jeans, the ratty tennis shoes in the back of your closet and a shirt you’re not worried about ruining.