The Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program, (CAMP®), is the signature training offered by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC). The goal of CAMP® is to provide high-quality, engaging, and informative training to preservation-related boards and commissions, city staff, and other community partners through presentations, hands-on exercises, group discussions, networking, and mentoring. This half-day virtual training is open to Texas historic commissioners and their staff and will cover the fundamentals of serving on a preservation commission:
- Legal Basics: The strongest defense commissions have against accusations of arbitrary and capricious decisions is to consistently follow established review procedures. Customized for each state, this workshop covers the legal basis for commission operation. This topic will provide an overview of procedural due process, takings, appeals, property rights, and economic hardship. Participants will examine common preservation legal issues and acquire tools to improve decision-making and build a defensible record.
- Meeting Procedures: How a local commission conducts its meetings is critical to maintaining its credibility and reputation. It is also critical to avoiding legal challenges. This topic will address how to work within the legal framework of state law and local statutes and how to establish clear rules of procedure to ensure a defensible decision-making process. Participants will also discuss ethical issues and learn how professionalism, courtesy, and consistency build support for the commission and its work.
- Standards and Guidelines for Design Review: This topic gives participants a deeper understanding of the relationship between federal standards and local design guidelines. CAMP Trainers will guide participants through the Secretary of the Interior’s (SOI) Standards for Rehabilitation. This topic will also compare the roles of the SOI Standards and local guidelines, reasons to develop local guidelines, how local guidelines can be adapted to meet community needs, and suggestions for developing and/or revising local guidelines.
DATE: March 20, 2024
TIME: 1:00 – 4:45 PM (Central Time)
LOCATION: Virtual (Zoom; additional access details shall be provided closer to the training date)
REGISTRATION FEE: $25.00