Va. seeks public review, comment on preservation plan

Posted August 18, 2009
By Virginia Department of Historic Resources

8/18/2009 - RICHMOND, Va. — Just as history is a dynamic process, so too is planning for the preservation of its tangible evidence. The proper stewardship of Virginia's abundance of historic riches—spanning roughly 16,000 years of prehistory and history—requires diligent statewide planning to protect them for future generations.

The Department of Historic Resources is the state agency tasked with developing and implementing a comprehensive preservation plan for Virginia. Periodically that plan must be revised to reflect changes in the state's various preservation goals, challenges, and accomplishments, as well as the views and concerns of Virginia's citizens, communities, local governments, businesses and other groups with an interest in historic preservation.

Recognizing that the most effective preservation planning arises from the ground up, DHR bases the plan on on-going public involvement in DHR programs. Now DHR invites the public to review and comment on the recently revised draft of Virginia's Comprehensive Preservation Plan.

Comments received prior to September 8, 2009, will be most helpful to DHR in fine-tuning the final draft of the plan. However, feedback at any time is welcomed by the department and will be considered as DHR carries out its programs and services.

The 37-page plan, which includes an appendix and a list of preservation organizations around the state, is available from DHR as a print document or online in a downloadable format for reading or printing.

To review the document online, go to the DHR Website at www.dhr.virginia.gov. From the agency's homepage, click on the "What's New" link near the top of the page. On the "What's New" page, visitors will find a link to the comprehensive plan.

Persons interested in a printed version should contact Catherine Slusser, deputy director of DHR, by telephone (804-367-2323, ext. 104) or by email or by mailing their request to DHR, 2801 Kensington Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221.