By Ann Jarmusch
Historic Preservation Commissioner
(June 18, 2013)
I am appalled that City Council voted 4-3 to disband Sedona’s effective Historic Preservation Commission. Sedona’s irreplaceable heritage is at stake now that HPC itself is endangered. Done properly, preservation enriches our daily lives, heritage tourism, Native American legacy, property values and, especially, Sedona’s authentic character.
Historic preservation requires ongoing study of preservation practices issued by the Secretary of the Interior and adopted by cities and states. Without HPC’s knowledgeable oversight, proactive monitoring and public awareness efforts, unique historic sites and buildings in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon face heightened risks of neglect, misguided alterations and redevelopment.
Once a historic resource is lost or improperly altered, it is gone forever.
The seven volunteer commissioners, led by top-notch preservationist Brynn Unger, donate expertise that surely equals or exceeds the thousands of dollars consultants would charge the city. HPC is our qualified, federally required link to state and national preservation officials, standards and practices, including landmarking. The Secretary of the Interior’s detailed standards – which cover restoration, renovation and more – ensure a national tapestry of exceptional places.
Eliminating Sedona’s highly productive HPC would jeopardize our irreplaceable historic buildings and sites, dozens of which are “tagged” but not yet listed among the 24 on Sedona’s register. (See www.sedonaaz.gov/sedonacms/index.aspx?page=224). Still more landmarks appear on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places. Essentially, every designated landmark across the land — including our Chapel of the Holy Cross, the Hart Store (Hummingbird House) and historic Forest Service buildings — reflects and reminds us of America’s remarkable story.
Hearing of the city’s plans to drop HPC, a conscientious landmark owner told me, “I wonder if my landmark status will mean anything anymore.”
Let’s urge City Council to keep HPC as is, so we honor and protect all the historic places that add richness and meaning to our lives.
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4 Comments
I urge the people of Sedona to fight to keep their Historic Preservation Commission intact. The Dalai Lama described the importance of preservation best for me when he pointed out that the way China is destroying Tibet is by systematically destroying all evidence of its culture and heritage, burning their books, tearing down their buildings, forbidding them from teaching their music or folk dances, which he pointed out, is the real glue that holds a culture together and in fact, is what makes it a ‘culture.’
I Checked with the state office, of historic commission, and they said no combo with P and Z.
HPC. needs to be a free standing commission with trained members …. city staff should have done it’s homework.
I do not think the city really wants to get rid of HPC. They just do not want any commissions for some reason. If staff had asked us or even listened to commission members they would have not painted themselves into a corner, Bad advice has now put the city council in a tight spot.
Steve Segner
read the last line (below) very interesting….
Brynn,
The notion that the commission could be dismissed and, in execution of the HP program, staff would consult with individual members on an ad hoc basis, is far removed from the substance as well as the letter of the Sedona HP zoning ordinance upon which the contract with the State, pertaining to, among other things, grants from the State’s allotment of the HP fund is authorized, and upon which undertakings and understandings the National Park Service has based certification of Sedona’s HP program. The creation of an active commission is integral to compliance with the requirement for public partition in the program, in a public forum, and to assure governmental transparency.
Robert R. Frankeberger, AIA
Architect
State Historic Preservation Office
1300 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007
About the Historic Preservation Committee
Why not just privatize it? It could become a 501(C)3, with by-laws and all and when they decide they want preservation make a request to the City Council to consider it? The city could help it get started – not with money as they seem to dislike that – but by offering a free meeting room or such. I feel the Historic Preservation committee may actually find that to their liking, free from any City influence. If the City refuses a request, the 501(C)3 could mount an “education campaign” which I am sure the City Council would not enjoy!
Bill Eich
Wow! If what has been said in the article and the comments above are true, then our fabulous City staff has screwed up again on details which matter, of course.