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Los Alamos HPAB finalizes 2026 work plan, urges county to fund cultural-resources support
Summary
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board approved its 2026 meeting schedule and work plan, pressed for a county cultural-resources specialist to manage a unified historic-sites list, and welcomed a newly contracted master-plan consultant, Design Local, which will begin site visits ahead of an 18-month timeline.
The Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB) on Jan. 7 approved its 2026 meeting schedule and finalized a work plan that prioritizes outreach, a countywide inventory of historic properties and stronger coordination with county departments.
Patrick Cruz, chair of the HPAB, said the boards top operational request is additional county staffing: "The advisory board thinks that the county should employ or contract a cultural resources specialist to support their projects and initiatives and implement the upcoming historic preservation master plan." The board discussed that persons role as a liaison who would maintain the compiled site list, advise on project triggers and help pursue grant funding.
Why it matters: board members said Los Alamos Countys existing lists of cultural resources are a patchwork and that a single, maintained inventory — and a staff contact who knows county land-use and capital-project procedures — would reduce the risk that preservation concerns are missed during project reviews.
Department staff told the board the master-plan RFP closed, a consultant was selected and initial site visits will start soon. "It's Design Local," staff said when announcing the selection; staff projected the master plan as closer to an 18-month effort with adoption expected in mid-2027. The RFP includes a survey component; board members said the RFP contractor is expected to compile and deliver the consolidated list but that the county will need a staff person or contractor to manage ongoing maintenance.
Members also confirmed outreach and education as ongoing priorities: continued participation in Historic Preservation Month (May), updated brochures/rack cards and the option to staff a farmers-market table to explain the master-plan survey and recruit volunteers. Members discussed open-meetings limits for group attendance at public events and asked staff to flag any quorum issues before participating.
Votes at a glance: the board recorded motions to approve the meeting agenda, approve the Nov. 5, 2020 minutes and to continue first-Wednesday monthly meetings for calendar year 2026; approvals were announced on the record during the meeting.
What comes next: the board will finalize the work-plan text and submit it to the council liaison and staff for publication; members also proposed forming a small working group to draft recommendations and potential grant applications to support hiring or contracting the cultural-resources specialist.
The HPAB set the next regular meeting for Feb. 4, 2026 and placed working-group membership, Romero Cabin follow-up and Historic Preservation Month planning on the next agenda.
