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Historic Preservation Commission reviews implementation table for draft plan, seeks broader outreach and inclusivity
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Summary
Commission reviewed the preservation plan implementation table and objectives across six goals, instructed staff to refine priorities and outreach materials, and asked for targeted engagement with United Tribes and immigrant communities before forwarding the plan for city approval.
BISMARCK, N.D. — The Historic Preservation Commission spent the bulk of its Nov. 19 meeting reviewing an implementation table that accompanies a draft historic preservation plan, discussing how to prioritize objectives, expand outreach, and ensure underrepresented community histories are documented.
Chair Angle asked commissioners to review objectives, time frames and priority rankings in the table before formal approval and submission to the City Commission. Staff said the implementation table will appear as an appendix in the plan and that many objectives already have links to resources or program ideas.
The commission walked through six goals. Under Goal 1 (celebrate Bismarck’s heritage), members supported continuing annual preservation awards, partnering with community organizations on oral‑history programs, and expanding presence at events such as Founders Day. Commissioners discussed running a home‑show booth and handing out walking‑tour brochures, bookmarks and QR codes linking to digital story maps. Lauren (staff) said walking tour brochures and timeline booklets are running low and staff will inventory available materials.
On Goal 2 (preserve places that represent the city’s heritage), members reiterated a plan to maintain an inventory of potentially eligible sites and structures and noted the commission agreed on a 45‑year threshold for tracking structures (50 years is NRHP eligibility but a 45‑year threshold helps identify properties earlier). Commissioners also recommended adding resilience and disaster planning (for example, documenting structures at flood risk) to support future grant applications.
Under Goal 3 (historic preservation in economic planning), commissioners discussed adaptive reuse as a tool for affordable housing and promoting Renaissance Zone success stories. The commission also discussed a potential public exhibit for the city’s restored 99‑year‑old fire truck and agreed to coordinate with Public Works, the Fire Department and administration to identify next steps and responsibilities.
Goal 4 emphasized coordination with other city departments and continued Section 106 reviews embedded in regular agendas. Commissioners asked for annual portfolio updates from partner bodies. Goal 5 covered education and resources for schools, including a traveling education kit and curriculum ties; commissioners suggested partnering with local career academies and teacher groups. Goal 6 focused on public participation frameworks, QR codes and story maps to expand engagement.
Commissioners raised inclusivity concerns: one commissioner described the lack of explicit reference to Native American cultural resources in plan materials as a "glaring omission" and asked staff to reach out to United Tribes and other community groups to include those histories. Commissioners also requested outreach to immigrant communities to document and incorporate their histories into plan resources.
Staff said next steps are final review by the commission, aligning the plan with the city’s draft strategic plan, and forwarding the approved plan to the City Commission for final approval and publication. No final adoption of the plan occurred at the Nov. 19 meeting; staff will return with a revised implementation table and any requested supporting materials for approval.
