DEPARTMENT: Office of Historic Preservation
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Shanon Shea Miller
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT:
The Conservation Society of San Antonio Grant Acceptance
SUMMARY:
This ordinance ratifies the submission of a grant application and authorizes acceptance of funds upon award, not to exceed $9,300, from the Conservation Society of San Antonio for consultation services for the ScoutSA survey.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The City seeks to identify and inventory significant historic resources through the ScoutSA survey initiative. This proactive effort responds to the community need for up to date information on properties that are potentially eligible for designation as local landmarks or historic districts.
In FY18, OHP staff designed, tested, and implemented a new mobile app for collection of digital survey data and developed a prototype interactive map to share the information with the public more efficiently. Prior digitization projects have produced records for over 10,000 properties citywide, but some of these records are over 15 years old. Efforts to update and expand the survey through staff and volunteer projects are ongoing. Additional professional support for OHP staff would allow for greater coverage geographically and would help speed up the process for making survey data publicly available.
The City has preliminarily been awarded a cost reimbursement grant of $9,300. The estimated completion date for the project is December 2020.
ISSUE:
The expanded inventory and update to the ScoutSA Survey will result in an improved process for property owners to explore use of tax incentives and increase transparency in demolition permit requests which will reduce time and workload for City staff. City will be able to more effectively promote tax credits and provide property owners with clarity regarding their property’s eligibility for designation. The availability of the grant for this effort reduces the fiscal impact to the City.
ALTERNATIVES:
Non-acceptance of the grant would limit funding available to complete the project.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This ratifies the submission of a grant application and authorizes acceptance of funds upon award, not to exceed $9,300, from the Conservation Society of San Antonio for consultation services for the ScoutSA survey. There is no match requirement.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council ratify the grant proposal and authorize the acceptance of the cost reimbursement grant.