At 11:04 AM 10/7/98 -0400, Dan and Ken tag teamed to write....
>Dan Becker wrote:
>
> I was really surprised during the NAPC Denver conference at the degree to
>which our compadres out where the sun sets late must struggle with the
> "Wise" Use movement and the underlying free range mentality that colors
> land use regulation.
>
>What is the "Wise" Use movement? What is the NAPC?
>
The "Wise Use Movement" is, essentially and industry funded "astroturf"
movement that seeks to end most forms of government regulation or require
just compensation under the "takings" clause of the Constitution.  Wise Use
proponents tend to argue that "any" limitation on private property is an
unfair confiscation of property and so must be paid for by the regulatory
agency.  This is little more than an end run around planning, zoning, etc.
and has been a major issue in the Far West for years.  In Oregon, where
historic preservation and cultural resource issues are usually the weak
sister to the more traditional environmental movement concerns, we are now
saddled, courtesy of "Oregonians in Action," our local wise use front, with
an "owner consent" provision.  What this means is that NO property in
Oregon may be designated as historic unless the CURRENT owner agrees.  In
this area, as a result, our once model statewide land use planning process
has essentially become voluntary and the legislature which adopted it has,
so far, not provided us with any effective carrots or incentives that would
actually give an owner a realistic reason to consent....you can imagine the
results to those of us who try to protect the past for the future....

As to the NAPC, the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, it is a
nationwide coalition of local (city and county) historic review boards,
preservation commissions, architectural review boards, their staffs, and
interested parties.  Dan is alluding to the first-ever NAPC "Forum" held in
Denver this summer.  It brought together hundreds of folks from all over
the nation, swapping strategies and stories about how small, medium, and
large communities deal with the same issues.  It was a remarkable
experience.  The NAPC is based in Georgia.  If folks want membership info
you can write me off list.





George Kramer, M.S.
Historic Preservation Consultant
Ashland, Oregon