Englewood Historic Preservation Commission approves bylaws changes, outlines CLG next steps and outreach plans

The Historic Preservation Commission of Englewood approved small, attorney-reviewed amendments to its bylaws and discussed next steps for achieving Certified Local Government (CLG) status and for community outreach.

Commission Chair Crabtree called for a vote on the bylaws amendment during the April meeting; commissioners moved and seconded the motion and the commission voted in favor. The commission also approved minutes from its March 19 meeting by voice vote.

The CLG update given at the meeting said the item had already passed first reading before Englewood City Council on the first Monday in April on consent, with a 7-0 council vote, and was scheduled for a second reading on April 21. The commission was told that, once council approves second reading and the required local steps are complete, a 30-day appeal period follows before the CLG designation is finalized.

Commissioners discussed outreach tied to CLG and landmark work. Members agreed to staff support for a public presence at Celebrate Inglewood on May 17 and to provide a booth and printed materials. Staff said communications typically need about two weeks to produce handouts. The commission agreed to prepare a draft handout about the landmark designation process and a second flier about CLG benefits, review drafts at the May meeting, and then print materials for events and neighborhood nights beginning in June.

Staff noted the commission already has a landmark application form and reiterated that the commission can accept landmark nominations regardless of CLG status. Commissioners requested that printed materials include a QR code linking to the application or additional information on the city website. Communications channels discussed for distribution included the city magazine, Facebook, and Nextdoor.

Commissioners also discussed attendance at state or regional historic-preservation events. Staff said conference registration costs can be covered by the HPC budget and that some conferences offer virtual attendance. The commission asked staff to track upcoming events and notify commissioners about registration and availability.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Approve minutes of the March 19 meeting. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: Aye (unanimous of members present). Outcome: approved. - Motion: Approve amendments to HPC bylaws (agenda item 4a). Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: Aye (unanimous of members present). Outcome: approved. - Motion: Adjourn meeting. Mover: not specified. Second: not specified. Vote: Aye (unanimous of members present). Outcome: approved.

The commission set follow-up steps for communications and outreach: draft handouts to be reviewed at the next meeting, coordinate with city communications for print and social distribution, and limit in-person event representation to avoid open-meetings conflicts (staff advised a maximum of two commission members per event to avoid a majority at a public gathering).