Historic Preservation Plan

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Building On History, Growing With Vision

The City of Steamboat Springs is embarking on the development of its first, city-wide Historic Preservation Plan (Plan), and making updates to the existing Historic Design Guidelines (Guidelines).

The plan is financed in part by a grant from the State Historical Fund, and will advance local preservation by articulating community supported preservation goals, initiatives, short to long-range milestones, and measurements for success. The final plan will dovetail and support historic preservation goals within our updated Area Community Plan (Community Canvas), in addition to formalizing action items for a variety of broad historic preservation goals found in various city and county plans.

The guidelines update will integrate survey and context results from the Mountain Area Historic Survey and Context, account for commercial property guidelines, and develop guidelines for properties built after 1950.

This effort is being developed alongside a separate Education, Engagement, and Outreach Strategy (Strategy), funded by a Certified Local Government pass-through grant. The intent is to advance local preservation planning, increase ability for the Historic Preservation Commission and staff to educate the community, and enhance the community's perception of, and participation in, the preservation program. The project will identify outreach strategies with stakeholder groups within Steamboat Springs to ultimately create a preservation network across the community to benefit preservation of the community's shared history. Results of the strategy will dovetail and support the plan.

Goals

  • Define historic character and determine what aspects of the city are most important to preserve into the future.
  • Facilitate the creation of community-defined preservation goals.
  • Co-create and redefine a historic preservation program that serves the needs of the community and works to enhance community character and quality of life.
  • Examine tools that manage historic properties in Steamboat Springs and evaluate their efficacy.
  • Assess additional/alternative historic resource management tools to fulfill community-defined preservation goals.
  • Provide short, mid, and long-term recommendations and action items to guide the historic preservation program into the future.
  • Celebrate the historic resources of Steamboat Springs in new ways.

Key Audiences

  • Industry Professionals (Architects, Developers, Design Professionals)
  • Preservation Advocates
  • Community Members (Renters, Homeowners, Visitors, Unheard Community)

Building On History, Growing With Vision

The City of Steamboat Springs is embarking on the development of its first, city-wide Historic Preservation Plan (Plan), and making updates to the existing Historic Design Guidelines (Guidelines).

The plan is financed in part by a grant from the State Historical Fund, and will advance local preservation by articulating community supported preservation goals, initiatives, short to long-range milestones, and measurements for success. The final plan will dovetail and support historic preservation goals within our updated Area Community Plan (Community Canvas), in addition to formalizing action items for a variety of broad historic preservation goals found in various city and county plans.

The guidelines update will integrate survey and context results from the Mountain Area Historic Survey and Context, account for commercial property guidelines, and develop guidelines for properties built after 1950.

This effort is being developed alongside a separate Education, Engagement, and Outreach Strategy (Strategy), funded by a Certified Local Government pass-through grant. The intent is to advance local preservation planning, increase ability for the Historic Preservation Commission and staff to educate the community, and enhance the community's perception of, and participation in, the preservation program. The project will identify outreach strategies with stakeholder groups within Steamboat Springs to ultimately create a preservation network across the community to benefit preservation of the community's shared history. Results of the strategy will dovetail and support the plan.

Goals

  • Define historic character and determine what aspects of the city are most important to preserve into the future.
  • Facilitate the creation of community-defined preservation goals.
  • Co-create and redefine a historic preservation program that serves the needs of the community and works to enhance community character and quality of life.
  • Examine tools that manage historic properties in Steamboat Springs and evaluate their efficacy.
  • Assess additional/alternative historic resource management tools to fulfill community-defined preservation goals.
  • Provide short, mid, and long-term recommendations and action items to guide the historic preservation program into the future.
  • Celebrate the historic resources of Steamboat Springs in new ways.

Key Audiences

  • Industry Professionals (Architects, Developers, Design Professionals)
  • Preservation Advocates
  • Community Members (Renters, Homeowners, Visitors, Unheard Community)

  • Historic Preservation Plan Open House Set For June 11

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    Community Invited to Review and Shape Draft Recommendations

    STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO-June 6, 2025-The community is invited to take part in the next phase of developing Steamboat Springs’ comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan during a public open house on Wednesday, June 11, 2025.

    Hosted at the Tread of Pioneers Museum (800 Oak Street) from 4 to 6 p.m., the event will unveil the draft Vision and Goals, Program Constraints and Opportunities, and preliminary recommendations for the citywide plan. These elements are based on public feedback gathered during a previous open house and numerous stakeholder sessions.

    “Historic preservation touches everyone in different and meaningful ways,” said Historic Preservation Planner Caitlin Berube-Smith. “Whether you’re a long-time local or new to the Yampa Valley, your voice is critical in shaping the future of preservation in our community.”

    The evening will feature interactive activities that allow participants to provide input on the draft recommendations and help guide the development of the final plan. Representatives from Logan Simpson, a nationally recognized multidisciplinary consulting firm leading the project, will be on hand to share key findings and facilitate discussions.

    Contrary to the idea of preserving everything old, historic preservation is a strategic tool that can support housing, recreation, sustainability, and community identity. By embracing adaptive reuse and creative placemaking, communities can thoughtfully integrate the past into a vibrant, resilient future.

    Following this open house, the Historic Preservation Plan and updated Historic Design Guidelines will be finalized and presented to the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) in July. HPC will forward its recommendations to City Council in August, with a public hearing and formal adoption anticipated in September or October 2025.

    The development of the Historic Preservation Plan and associated community engagement opportunities is funded in part by grants from the State Historical Fund and the Certified Local Government program.

    -WeServeTheCity-

    Contact

    Caitlin Berube-Smith, Historic Preservation Planner, 970-871-8228 or email

    Rebecca Bessey, Planning & Community Development Director, 970-871-8202 or email

    Michael Lane, Marketing & Communications Manager, 970-871-8220 or email

  • Your Voice Matters - We Want To Hear From You

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    This questionnaire follows the structure of the initial open house where the community was invited to share feedback regarding historic preservation in Steamboat Springs. The following questionnaire is intended to further articulate community ideas that were shared during the open house.

    Fill Out The Historic Preservation Plan Community Questionnaire

  • Results From Public Open House #1 - January 22, 2025

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    Open House #1 featured interactive opportunities for community members to provide input regarding multiple aspects of historic preservation in Steamboat Springs. Community members had the opportunity to share what aspects of historic preservation matter most to them, identify which parts of Steamboat Springs' history are significant to them, articulate which architectural designs they feel contribute to the character of the community, and provide feedback regarding what improvements in the historic preservation process they feel would benefit the city.


Page last updated: 09 Jun 2025, 04:14 PM