What is a Historic Resource Survey?
By Andrea Dumovich Heywood
Historic resources are valuable aspects of the cities in which we live--they provide a sense of place, give a location its character, and are truly representative of humanity: revealing who we once were and who we continue to be today. Every city should try its best to maintain historic resources within its boundaries. But how does a city protect its historic resources if it doesn’t even know what it has? This is when historic resource surveys come into play and are so important for maintaining and protecting the life of valuable historic gems, such as a residential Craftsman, a Mid-Century Modern commercial complex, or a mural, to name a few.
Historic resource surveys collect data and identify historic resources within a defined boundary. Typically, a resource that is 50-years or older is considered of historic age and is included in a survey. Surveys involve research and field work, collecting information such as construction date, building type, architectural style, and integrity analysis, resulting in a final list or inventory of historic resources, which may include buildings, objects, structures and landscapes within the limits of a city. An inventory is not the same as a historic register: it does not confer historic designation on a resource. However, an inventory is a starting point for understanding what places may be eligible for listing on a local, state or national register. Historic resource surveys can encompass an entire city (SurveyLA was a citywide survey—see the sidebar) or they may be partial- used to identify resources in a specific neighborhood or section of a city.
The following list is an overview of common order-of-operations cities may follow for conducting historic resource surveys:
Identify a project team; if budget allows, hire consultants to assist with the survey
Hold a kick-off meeting to identify resource boundaries, resource types, project team members, and action items for staff
Conduct desktop historical research
Draft or update a historic context statement
Complete field survey
Evaluate survey properties for significance and integrity
Finalize inventory list and survey findings
Present survey findings to Architectural Commission, local heritage groups, property owners, and the general public through community outreach
Incorporate survey data into city’s GIS or database system
1Publish data on the city’s website
Set a goal to reevaluate survey area at a later date (i.e. every 3, 5, or 10 years)
Historic resource surveys are a key component of a city’s preservation program and are integral to understanding their existing cultural resources. Historic resource inventories help cities make informed decisions regarding project review and long-range community planning, and can aid cities in determining broader goals and policies regarding historic resources. A resources’ historic status, or lack thereof, can impact development proposals and review of building permit applications. Survey status may also illuminate what level of California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review is necessary. For example, if the survey indicates that a resource is of high significance, it would merit greater CEQA review to limit any significant impacts on the resource.
Another benefit to cities of conducting and updating historic resource surveys is that they may be entitled to grants from the State of California through the Certified Local Government (CLG) program. With a robust preservation program that includes a survey, a city may become a CLG and gain access to money for preservation initiatives. Readily available preservation funds ultimately contributes to neighborhood conservation efforts and community development.
The City of Placentia (incorporated in 1926) did a survey of historic resources in 1989 and in 2002 it was updated. In recent years, residents have been advocating for the adoption of design guidelines and an updated survey.
Orange County’s Survey Efforts
Here in Orange County, our research shows that out of 34 cities,16 cities have conducted a historic resources survey of some breadth since the 1980s but only a handful of these surveys encompassed the entire city and an even smaller number have been updated in recent years.
For example, Garden Grove’s last survey was done in 1986, which means that that City has not officially accounted for historic properties built after the 1930s within its city limits. Newport Beach last conducted a survey in 1992, and Costa Mesa in 1999. The Huntington Beach inventory was updated in 2014. Only Tustin and Dana Point have undertaken surveys in the last five years. Though not yet approved by the city council, Dana Point’s last survey was done in 2016, while Tustin’s update is underway and will be completed this year.
Some cities such as Orange, San Juan Capistrano, and Santa Ana conducted surveys in the 2010s but on a limited scale. Outside historic districts or original town centers, most post-war resources have not been recorded in these cities.
Many more historic resources exist that are not known to our city governments. Eleven Orange County cities incorporated on or before 1971 have never undertaken a historic resources survey that we know of. And although historic resources have been identified in environmental impact reports for projects in the unincorporated communities of the county, the County of Orange has not sponsored a formal survey of the building heritage that exists in communities such as Modjeska or Silverado Canyons.
What Resources Have Been Lost?
The survey “bible,” National Register Bulletin 24 published by the National Park Service. Available at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB24-Complete_Part1.pdf.
Cities are defined by constant change and these existing Orange County surveys will need to be resurveyed to determine if any resources have been altered or lost. Resurveying also gives the chance for new research to potentially identify new historic resources that were not originally included in the survey. While it is positive that some Orange County cities have conducted historic resource surveys in the past, the number of completed surveys remains relatively low considering the age and density of the county.
Orange County cities must be proactively protecting their historic resources. The most effective way to do so is to first understand what each city has by surveying it and then prepare an inventory of historic resources. If a citywide survey is not feasible, starting small with a neighborhood survey is better than nothing. If a survey has already been completed, it is best practice to assess the survey’s relevance. Is it comprehensive enough? Is it out of date? Does it include resources beyond architecture, such as intangible cultural heritage or cultural districts? Historic resource inventories are not static lists. Cities should be proactive in their enthusiasm to survey and protect their resources.
If your city is thinking of conducting a survey, the National Park Service’s 50-page document, National Register Bulletin 24: Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning, is the best place to start. It covers all the basics, such as how to define a survey boundary, establish a survey timeline, include community input in the survey process, etc. (Derry 1977).
References:
Derry, Anne et al. 1977. National Register Bulletin 24: Guidelines for weal Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning. National Park Service. Revised 1985. Parker, Patricia L. Accessed: March 20, 2021. Available: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB24-Complete_Part1.pdf.
Los Angeles City Planning. 2021. “Historic Resources Surveys.” Accessed: March 20, 2021. Available: https://planning.lacity.org/preservation-design/historic-resources-survey.
Los Angeles Conservancy. 2020. “SurveyLA: The Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey.” Accessed: March 20, 2021. Available: https://www.laconservancy.org/surveyla-los-angeles-historic-resources-survey.
San Francisco Preservation Bulletin No. 11 https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB24-Complete_Part1.pdf.
Andrea Dumovich Heywood
Andrea Dumovich Heywood received her Bachelor’s in English Literature and Sustainable Design at UC Berkeley in 2011, and her Master's in Heritage Conservation at USC in 2018. During graduate school, Andrea interned as a Cultural Resource Specialist for the consulting firm Page and Turnbull. After graduating USC, she worked in San Francisco as a historic preservation specialist for the consulting firm ICF for approximately three years. She currently works as Associate Planner for the City of Claremont.
Map showing the scope of SurveyLA. Source: City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning.
Looking at successful past surveys as a model is another way to help prepare your city for its own survey. Los Angeles’ citywide survey, known as SurveyLA, is an excellent resource. Conducted between 2010-2017, the Los Angeles Conservancy calls SurveyLA, “The largest and most comprehensive survey ever completed by an American city.” It was conducted by a mighty team of city staff and consultants who surveyed 880,000 land parcels spread over approximately 500 square miles. (Los Angeles City Planning 2021 and Los Angeles Conservancy 2021).
While it seems hard to fathom the level of effort it took to complete SurveyLA, try imagining it without the aid of technology. Field survey and data collection were conducted on tablets using Field Guide Survey System (FiGSS), a city-developed program that allowed quick access to city data while in the field. Information could easily be referenced, such as address, build date, previous survey data, and historic resource designation. With technical aid from the Getty Conservation Institute, SurveyLA’s digital savviness won it recognition as the “first all-digital citywide historic resources survey in the nation.” (Los Angeles City Planning 2021)
Funding was made possible by the city’s partnership with the J. Paul Getty Trust and Getty Foundation grants. (Los Angeles City Planning 2021) Cities around the nation and globe continue to turn to SurveyLA as a prime case study for comprehensive citywide historic resource surveys. For more detail about Survey LA, go to https://planning.lacity.org/preservation-design/historic-resources-survey.