Planning commission reviews revisions to cultural and historical resources chapter; staff will create public story map and inventory

A staff presenter reviewed proposed edits to the cultural and historical resources chapter of Liberty Lake’s comprehensive plan at the March 12 Planning Commission workshop and said staff will build a public story map and inventory of historic resources for the chapter.

Presenter (Mr. Mueller) said he consulted Parks & Arts Commission members Laura Frank and David Himbauch and local historian Ross Schneidmiller and recommended several deletions and clarifications in the chapter because some policies presume a historic‑preservation program or staff capacity the city does not currently have. He said the chapter was largely carried over from the plan adopted in 2003 and that updates should focus on accuracy, public access to information, and a manageable implementation approach.

Mueller proposed removing policy text that calls for identifying lands “most likely to contain unrecorded archaeological or historic sites,” and other policies that imply the city directly provides incentives or a preservation office. He described a public story map and a GIS layer as the primary tools staff will use to make information accessible and to accept nominations for inclusion in an inventory. “Just because something’s old shouldn’t doesn't necessarily mean it's historic,” Mueller said, describing the need for criteria such as architectural uniqueness, association with events or persons, or other demonstrable significance.

Commissioners and commenters suggested practical edits: adding underutilized properties as part of infill/redevelopment language, removing dense legal parcel descriptions that are difficult for most readers to follow, updating place names in text and the map (e.g., replacing chain store names with location references), and noting that the Coeur d’Alene Tribe should be referenced in the chapter. Staff said lands and properties outside the city limits may be included when they are substantively important to Liberty Lake’s history.

Mueller said he would use local historical resources including a series of local articles and Schneidmiller’s research to refine text and timelines (for example, adjusting the date of a pavilion fire in the 1950s rather than the 1960s). The presenter also recommended removing references to speculative regional projects (for example, light rail) that are no longer active in local planning assumptions.

Commissioners generally supported a streamlined chapter that relies on a public story map and a city-maintained inventory (staff to develop criteria and a nomination process). No formal action was taken; staff will return with revised chapter text and the proposed story‑map inventory for review.

Next steps: staff will draft a revised chapter with clearer criteria for historic designation, create the public story map/GIS inventory, condense dense historical legal descriptions, and coordinate with Parks & Arts and the local historian for accuracy.