Eureka Springs Historic Preservation Officer Glenna Booth commented on a proposed voter referendum that would dissolve the Eureka Springs Historic District Commission.
Gillette: Do you think abolishing the HDC would harm the city?
Booth: Yes! Heritage tourism is the main element in Eureka Springs’ economy. At the time of the town’s centennial in 1979, national and state legislation had been passed to allow local historic district legislation. Eureka Springs civic leaders believed that showcasing our unique combination of architecture and geography was the key to drawing a new type of visitor to Eureka Springs and thus saving the dying town – the heritage tourism traveler.
In 1970, Eureka Springs was one of the first historic districts in Arkansas to have the prestige of being placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service (NPS) of the U.S. Department of the Interior. They determined that the entire city limits would be included. However, the National Register provides little or no protection from demolition, alterations, or neglect.
In 1978, when the Arkansas legislature enacted laws that would allow local legislation for local historic districts, Eureka Springs was among the first to take advantage of this option. The key element in these laws is oversight by a local HDC to protect a community’s historic and architectural treasures.
The HDC is seven volunteers nominated by the mayor and approved by city council. In recognition of their work, they were awarded the “Commission of the Year” award in 2010 by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions.
In 2005, our diligence in preservation was rewarded by a rise in historic status when the National Park Service honored Eureka Springs as a “Nationally Significant” Historic District. Our town was the first in Arkansas to be named a “Preserve America Community” by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The National Trust for Historic Preservation included Eureka Springs as one of their “Distinctive Destinations.”
The local legislation that created the HDC also allowed Eureka Springs to be part of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program. This gives access to an enhanced partnership with the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program (AHPP), which is the state historic preservation office, and the NPS. It includes training opportunities for HDC commissioners and staff, technical support and grant funding.
CLG grant funds are used to cover training workshops and conferences for commissioners and staff, to purchase resources for community education, for local projects and to nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Since Eureka Springs began, our state and national partnerships in historic preservation in 1979, more than $15.5 million has been received in grants and tax credits. This does not include the accompanying economic benefits of construction work, retail or heritage tourism jobs.
Grant funds have been used for city projects such as The Auditorium restorations, restoring the cupola to the Courthouse tower, restoration of The Doughboy War Memorial in Basin Park, restoration of the Centennial Mural, restoration of the log cabin that is the Parks & Recreation Office, and replacing the entry to the Carnegie Public Library.
Grant funds paid a consultant to prepare the nomination of the Eureka Springs City Cemetery to the National Register of Historic Places. After acceptance by the NPS, the cemetery was then eligible to receive a state grant to repair, restore and preserve the grave markers. The cemetery has also had an increase in visitors due to the National Register honor. A CLG grant is currently funding work to create a website with a mapped database to pinpoint burials to increase ease of ancestry research.
Many local non-profits have received AHPP grants for the very-hard-to-fund, expensive bricks and mortar projects such as the Eureka Springs Historical Museum, Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow, Main Stage Creative Community Center, St. James Episcopal Church, First Church of Christ Science/Heart of Many Ways and Eureka Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Federal and Arkansas Tax Credits for private property rehabilitation total $93,400 in credits and $1.6 million in associated construction costs. While not all of these grants and credits are CLG grants to the City of Eureka Springs, the fact that Eureka Springs has an active, well regarded Historic District Commission is a factor in the funding.
Gillette: One criticism that has been made is that most of the housing stock in Eureka Springs is not historic and was built after World War II. Can it be difficult for HDC to have guidelines that fit everything built from the late 1800s to the present?
Booth: Our National Register of Historic Places boundaries were set in 1970 and affirmed in 1978 when Eureka Springs passed local legislation. Eureka Springs was an early Historic District in both a state-wide and national context. The boundaries do present a challenge.
Nominations are no longer generally done in this manner. However, narrowing the district boundaries would be a daunting process through the NPS. The ratio of historic housing for the National Register of Historic Places is 51 percent. In our last nomination in 2005, the determination of eligibility date was 1955. In Eureka Springs there are neighborhoods from the 1960s that are still architecturally intact. Since these areas relate directly to a historic event, the economic revival created by the building of Beaver Dam, a case can be made to include these in the next survey ratio. And, of course, a future decision could be made to undertake the process of narrowing the district boundaries.
The HDC does have two sets of guidelines used to determine appropriateness, one for the part of the Historic District with mostly pre-1955 buildings and another for Non-Historic Residential Neighborhoods with no pre-1955 buildings. And the HDC can make exceptions to specific guidelines based on the location of the application project keeping in mind the character of the neighborhood and noting the reasons for the exceptions.
Gillette: Have some commissioners been concerned that there is not adequate enforcement when work is done without an HDC permit?
Booth: Enforcement is always an issue when you have limited staff. By Municipal Code, citations may be issued by the Code Enforcement Officer, but fines are determined by the District Court Judge. It is my understanding that citations must usually be issued in person, which can be problematic if the owner lives out of town. A hearing before the judge must include the officer, as well as the owner.
However, the Code Enforcement Officer is very diligent about requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness from the HDC or staff before issuing a Building Permit. Some projects do not require a building permit, but he informs them that a COA is needed before a permit will be issued. If work is done without a building permit, that causes multiple violations of Municipal and Building Codes.
To help prevent violations, the Eureka Springs HDC communicates with local real estate agents about the added responsibilities associated with properties within the Historic District. A brochure is available for them to give to their clients. This brochure was also mailed to all properties in the district. The City of Eureka Springs’ website has extensive information on the process. Staff for the Historic District Commission is available for consultation before and after property purchase. Residents and potential residents are always welcome to request information on the COA process which staff and the Commission try to make as user-friendly as possible.
Gillette: Do residents get any public notice when guidelines are changed?
Booth: Yes. Discussion of major guideline changes are begun in a workshop. The information is included on meeting agendas which are posted on the city’s website and in city hall. It notes that the public is invited. After discussions, a guideline change is drafted for the commission to consider. It is read at one meeting. If there are changes proposed, it is read again, with the changes, at the next meeting. Once a final is approved, that is read at the next meeting and a vote taken. Public comment on the guidelines is always welcome.