Council to seek certified local government status to unlock preservation grants

Englewood City Council heard a presentation Monday on the benefits and requirements of becoming a Certified Local Government, and commissioners said the city already meets most prerequisites and should apply.

Commission Chairman Cash Parker told council the Historic Preservation Commission was "here to urge the council to consider adopting a resolution to make Inglewood a certified local government because it unlocks a host of benefits and really has no downsides." Senior planner Eric Sampson and a representative of the State Historic Preservation Office outlined the administrative steps that follow a resolution.

The application process requires a city resolution, a subsequent application to the State Historic Preservation Office, and a certification agreement signed by the state and the municipality. Sampson said Inglewood already meets two key prerequisites: an active Historic Preservation Commission (established in 2017) and an enabling ordinance that allows the commission to review landmark nominations — the Code Next Title 16 rewrite completed last October supplied that ordinance.

The presenters told council that CLG status would open state and federal grant programs and state tax credits to projects on locally designated properties and to locally led surveys and inventories of historic buildings. Lindsey Fluelling of the State Historic Preservation Office described grant programs and tax incentives available to local governments and property owners, including the CLG grant program, the National Park Service grants, and the State Historical Fund, which she said "gives out about $11,000,000 in grants a year" and can fund surveys, planning, and construction work when projects demonstrate public benefit.

Council members asked about perceived downsides such as third-party nominations and delays to redevelopment. Sampson said Inglewood's ordinance requires property-owner consent for individual landmark designation and requires 65% owner consent to create a historic district, so the city would not cede local control. Member Ward posed a frequent concern about developers using landmark nominations to delay projects; Parker and Sampson emphasized the consent requirement. Member Noonencamp asked whether the annual CLG report would be a staff or commission responsibility; Sampson said the staff liaison would lead the report with input from commissioners.

Council did not adopt a resolution Monday but the mayor and several members expressed no objection to moving forward. The mayor said staff would "find a date to get the resolution for this on the calendar." The council direction was therefore to schedule the draft resolution for a future meeting so members can consider formal approval and staff can submit the CLG application afterward.

If council approves a resolution, staff and the commission will prepare the application and certification agreement and would also monitor annual CLG requirements such as at least one commissioner attending the State Historic Preservation Office training and filing a short annual report.

Background: presenters noted Denver and Littleton are already CLGs in Colorado and emphasized that local designation is voluntary for property owners and that CLG status creates eligibility for state and federal funding and a formal role in Section 106 reviews of federally funded projects.

Looking ahead: staff placed a draft resolution in the packet and will propose a council date for action. If council approves the resolution, the city will submit its CLG application to the State Historic Preservation Office and, if accepted, sign a certification agreement.