CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (CLG) REGIONAL TRAINING
Historic Preservation Planning for CLGs
Workshop Dates, Location, & Registration Details
In-Person Workshop
Wednesday, June 14, 2023 – 9 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Building, Second Floor Grand Hall
636 South Main Street
Grapevine, Texas 76051
Registration Details
Cost of Workshop is $25.00
Breakfast, lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Workshop Description
This workshop is geared towards staff, commission members, and other interested parties from city and county CLG communities. The workshop fulfills CLG program requirements that commission members and staff attend a THC-led or THC-approved training at least once a year.
Preservation planning is a proactive way to protect a community’s historic resources and character. It is an ongoing process that recognizes challenges, opportunities, and threats to preservation while setting priorities and focusing future efforts to achieve a community’s goals. The goal of this workshop is to connect our city and county CLGs with some of the preservation planning tools available to them and equip them with an understanding of how CLGs activities fit into preservation at the local, state, and federal level.
The workshop will start with a brief overview of the CLG Program’s requirements, responsibilities, and benefits from state coordinator, Kelly Little.
Justin Newhart and Lorelei Willett from the City of Fort Worth’s Preservation & Design program will discuss how the City is managing change in its historic districts in response to the intense development pressure in the city and region. Their talk will give attendees insight into effective planning tools available to communities in rapidly growing areas, and provide examples of strategies that may utilized in other area communities.
City or county preservation programs are often invited to consult on federally-funded projects (i.e. Section 106 consultation), but are uncertain of their role in the process. This may include street and sidewalk improvement projects, installation of cellular towers, transportation projects, etc.; all of which can have an effect on a community’s historic resources. Justin Kockritz from THC and Rebekah Dobrasko of TxDOT will provide guidance on the Section 106 process and how CLGs can be engaged to preserve the history and character of their community. Mr. Kockritz will provide an overview of the Section 106 process and how CLGs can effectively participate in consultation. Ms. Dobrasko will present how local governments can partner with TxDOT to ensure effects on historic properties are considered when regional transportation projects are planned. Mr. Kockritz and Ms. Dobrasko will also lead the group on a short walking tour of Grapevine’s downtown commercial historic district to illustrate sample TxDOT project types and the character-defining features (such as decorative streetscape elements, sidewalks adjacent to storefronts and decorative street scape elements).
CLG REGIONAL TRAINING – GRAPEVINE
Meet the Presenters:
Rebekah Dobrasko lives in Austin, Texas and is the Cultural Resources Manager Section Director for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). She holds a masters degree in public history from the University of South Carolina and an undergraduate history degree from Tulane University in New Orleans. Prior to joining TxDOT in 2013, Rebekah worked at the South Carolina State Historic Preservation Office in Columbia, South Carolina for ten years. Rebekah is an avid public historian and national expert on the history of African American schools in the South. Her recent projects include a digital exhibit on equalization schools in Charleston, South Carolina in partnership with the College of Charleston; nominating Austin’s African American L.C. Anderson High School stadium to the National Register of Historic Places, and writing interpretive plaques for the historic materials on the interior of the new East Side Memorial High School.
Justin Kockritz has worked for the Texas Historical Commission (THC) for over nine years where he serves as the lead project reviewer for the History Programs Division, focusing on transportation projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. He previously served as a regional architectural reviewer for the THC, and as an environmental review specialist for the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. A native of Dallas, Justin holds a master’s degree in historic preservation from the University of Maryland, and undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas in urban studies and geography.
Kelly Little serves as state coordinator for the Certified Local Government Program at the Texas Historical Commission, where she works with a network of 77 CLG communities across the state to empower local communities to better protect historic resources. Kelly actively volunteers on the board of Preservation Austin and served as a council-appointed member of Austin’s Historic Landmark Commission for four years. She has a Master’s in Historic Preservation from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and a Bachelor’s in Journalism and Mass Communications.
Justin Newhart has over a decade of experience in cultural resource management and protection across the southeast and southwest United States. Since graduating from Tulane University in 2011 with a Masters in Preservation Studies, Justin has focused on protecting tangible and intangible heritage, particularly in Louisiana and Texas. Justin currently serves as Manager of the City of Fort Worth’s Preservation & Design program. Justin enjoys exploring the great outdoors with his wife and corgi, and recently welcomed twin boys into his family last year!
Lorelei Willett is the Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Fort Worth and has over 10 years’ experience in preservation planning and education. Lorelei has worked at the state and local level to increase capacity for and support community preservation efforts, and currently oversees the City’s growing preservation program. She also serves as the Vice President for the Texas Chapter of the Association for Preservation Technology. She earned a B.A. in History from Texas A&M University and a M.Sc. in Architectural Conservation from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK.
CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT (CLG) REGIONAL TRAINING
Historic Preservation Planning for CLGs
In-Person Workshop
Wednesday, June 14, 2023
9 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau Building
Second Floor Grand Hall
636 South Main Street
Grapevine, Texas
| 8:30 – 9:00 am | Coffee, pastries, and networking |
| 9:00 – 9:30 am | Welcome and CLG Overview Kelly Little, THC |
| 9:30 – 10:45 am | “Managing Change in Historic Districts – How Fort Worth Responds to Development Pressure” Justin Newhart and Lorelei Willett, City of Fort Worth |
| 10:45 – 11:00 | Break |
| 11:00 am – Noon | Educational Walking Tour of Grapevine’s Historic Commercial District Justin Kockritz and Rebekah Dobrasko |
| Noon – 1:00 pm | Lunch and Welcome from the City of Grapevine (box lunches provided) |
| 1:00 – 2:00 pm | “What is Section 106 and How Can CLGs Participate?” Justin Kockritz, THC |
| 2:00 – 3:00 pm | “TxDOT and Local Planning Efforts” – Rebekah Dobrasko, TxDOT |
| 3:00 – 4:00 pm | Questions and discussion with THC and TxDOT staff |