State preservation official trains Prescott commissioners on design review, highlights materials guidance and threats to downtown character

Ariana Urban, certified local government coordinator and planner for the State Historic Preservation Office, delivered an extended training to the Prescott Preservation Commission on March 14 covering historic design review standards, evaluation of character-defining features, and recent guidance on compatible materials.

Urban described the role of local design criteria and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards in reviewing changes to historic resources, emphasizing consistent application of written guidelines to avoid claims of “arbitrary and capricious” decision making. “We want to ensure any of those proposed changes are compatible and respectful,” Urban said, explaining that the commission’s design guidelines are a legal “shall” and must be used in review.

Urban reviewed the seven aspects of integrity (location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association) and urged commissioners to identify and protect a property’s character‑defining features. She illustrated these principles with national and regional examples — including cases where changes removed integrity and where sensitive additions used design cues from older buildings while remaining distinguishable. Urban also drew attention to a new National Park Service publication, Preservation Brief 16, which she said supports using visually compatible and more durable replacement materials in some circumstances; she cited a metal railing replicated from a historic wooden pattern at the Silver King Hotel as an example of that approach.

Commissioners and staff discussed real-world trade-offs: whether to rebuild damaged upper stories in Bisbee after a fire, how to treat the Benedictine Apartments after landscaping and construction altered its setting, and the risks of creating a “false sense of history” or the so-called “Applebee’s effect” when new downtown construction uses generic, nonlocal styles. Urban encouraged commissioners to balance preservation principles with practical needs such as building codes, accessibility, and long-term maintenance.

Kaylee Nunez and other staff noted that the commission’s design principles are incorporated into the Prescott Historic Preservation Master Plan and the local land development code; staff also gave a separate update on the master plan timeline. Chelsea Walton, community development director, and Kaylee told the commission that staff are editing chapters and aiming to finish a complete draft by the end of 2025, with sectioned reviews starting January 2026 and an overall completion target of spring 2026 before city council consideration and voter review if required.

Urban closed by urging the commission to use the professional standards and documentation tools presented, to apply guidelines consistently, and to consider interpretation (plaques, photographs) where rebuilding exactly as originally constructed is infeasible. Commissioners thanked Urban and discussed next steps including additional training topics and follow-up on specific downtown projects.