Delaware releases historic preservation plan for 2018-22
The Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs has released Partners in Preservation: Planning for the Future – Delaware’s Historic Preservation Plan, 2018-22. This publication provides a guide for citizens, organizations and agencies working together to preserve Delaware’s heritage for the future. To read the full plan, go to https://history.delaware.gov/pdfs/2018-2022DelawareSHPOPlan.pdf. Printed copies are available on request.
The plan outlines six broad goals for the next five years, and suggests specific strategies and actions that can help achieve those goals. The plan encourages advocates to be informed, share resources and take action. Notably, the plan emphasizes the importance of potential partners that could assist in this work, and encourages building on common interests among a variety of stakeholders.
The preservation plan focuses on developing tools and information needed to help guide growth and change in ways that sustain and enhance the state's character and quality of life. In this work, the plan complements Delaware Strategies for State Policies and Spending, developed by the Delaware Office of State Planning Coordination to coordinate land-use decision-making, as well as other statewide and local planning efforts.
As a requirement for receiving Delaware's annual portion of the federal Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the National Park Service, the division is responsible for coordinating the preparation and development of a comprehensive, statewide historic preservation plan and updating it at regular intervals. Begun in August 2016, the new plan was written by members of the division’s State Historic Preservation Office working with consultant Heritage Strategies, and with input from preservation professionals, nonprofit organizations and the public. Additional review, comment and final approval of the plan were supplied by the National Park Service, as well as the Delaware State Review Board for Historic Preservation, which provides guidance and perspective on Delaware’s historic preservation issues.
