Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 110-37-5-.01 - Historic Preservation Fund Preservation Grants Program

(1) Statutory Basis: The Historic Preservation Fund preservation grants program is established in accordance with and under the authority provided to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs by the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 USC 470), O.C.G.A. § 12-3-5, § 12-3-50.1, and § 12-3-58.

(2) Purpose: The purpose of the Historic Preservation Fund preservation grants program is to provide financial assistance for projects that encourage the preservation of historic properties, that support the programs and services authorized in the National Historic Preservation Act, that strengthen community abilities for developing sound preservation projects, and that address the goals and objectives of the State Historic Preservation Plan. These federal grants are available through the Historic Preservation Fund, as authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act, appropriated by the U.S. Congress, and administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

(3) Program Administration:

(a) The Georgia Department of Community Affairs- Historic Preservation Division (HPD) shall develop procedures, applications, forms, contracts, and other materials as necessary to administer the Historic Preservation Fund Grants program, which shall include, but not be limited to: establishing timelines and deadlines on an annual, cyclical basis for announcing grant application availability, application due date, project awards date, project reporting dates, and project completion date; developing application and project review procedures; establishing minimum requirements for project management of grants by recipients; developing guidance and informational materials, including providing definitions; and developing policies and procedures to rescind grant awards for non-performance and to re-award recaptured funds.

(b) Notice of the start of the grant cycle shall be posted by the first Friday in December through HPD's electronic newsletter, website posting, and by other means as determined appropriate by HPD. The notice shall include, at a minimum, a summary description of the grant program and eligibility and eligible activities requirements, date of application availability, deadline for submitting applications, and directions for obtaining an application.

(c) Grant application forms and instructions shall be available in electronic format; paper format application materials shall be available upon request.

(4) Eligibility Requirements:

(a) Eligible applicants include any designated Certified Local Government in Georgia, officially designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

1. Applicants must be current in their CLG Annual Report submittals.

(b) Eligible project activities fall into three categories:

1. Survey and planning activities, including historic resource surveys, archaeological surveys, historic contexts, National Register nominations, preservation planning projects, and public education activities and as further defined in program application instructions.

2. Pre-development activities, including plans and specifications, historic structure reports, feasibility studies, and other building-specific or site-specific preservation plans.

(i) Eligible resources for pre-development projects include historic properties such as buildings, structures, sites, districts, objects, and archaeological sites and as further defined in program application instructions.

3. Development activities, including stabilization, preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and archaeological investigation of historic properties; restoration and protection of historic landscaping; and archaeological site protection.

(i) Eligible resources for development projects include historic properties such as buildings, structures, sites, districts, objects, and archaeological sites and as further defined in program application instructions.

(ii) Ground disturbing activities shall require archaeological investigation to identify and locate any archaeological resources and to collect information to evaluate National Register eligibility prior to finalizing the development proposal.

(iii) Archaeological site protection and stabilization projects shall require resurvey of the site to confirm boundaries, location, and condition prior to finalizing plans and specifications for proposed treatments.

(iv) Properties and resources owned or controlled by a church, religious denomination, or sectarian institution are not eligible for development projects.

(c) For development projects:

1. Properties must be listed, either individually or as a contributing property to a historic district, in the National Register of Historic Places prior to the awarding of funds; and

2. Prior completed pre-development documentation for the project property must be submitted with the application, including reports, plans, project design/architectural drawings, and specifications that:

(i) Are relevant and sufficient to assess the potential impact of the proposed work on the historic resource; and

(ii) Demonstrate conformity with the Secretary of the Interior's "Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties."

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 110-37-5-.01

O.C.G.A. §§ 12-3-5, 12-3-32, 12-3-50.1, 12-3-50.2, 12-3-58.

Original Rule entitled "Historic Preservation Fund preservation grants program" adopted. F. July 17, 2020; eff. August 6, 2020.