Heritage

Preserve the elements and promote the protection and continued use of our built environments that reflect the heritage of Routt County.



Possible interest groups/stewards

Citizens; planning commissions and planning staff; elected officials; Historic Preservation Advisory Committee; Routt County Historic Preservation Board; Partners in Preservation; Historic Routt County!; MainStreet Steamboat Springs; schools; colleges and museums; Yampa Valley Recycles; chambers of commerce, Sustainability Committee

• Design and implement an evaluation process for the impacts of proposed actions (decision making or policies) on historic resources.

• Define, encourage and adopt a community preservation ethic that encompasses our western heritage, small town feel and friendliness as the basis for policy-making and from which decisions and development impacts are evaluated.

• Instill a historic preservation education and ethic for K-12 and beyond.

• Implement sustainable building practices that include historic preservation as a green initiative.

• Develop, seek public approval and implement a Purchase of Development Rights Fund for historic buildings . Build capacity to buy-down the difference between existing square footage and the maximum allowable by zoning and to purchase façade easements.

• Seek and research methods to develop and implement financial incentives for owners of historic properties who agree to preserve their properties in coordination with a Purchase of Development Rights fund.

Preserve the elements and patterns of the rural cultural landscape shaped by agriculture, mining, recreation, the arts, forestry, industry, transportation, water and commerce.



Possible interest groups/stewards

Economic development councils; chambers; organizations such as Community Agriculture Alliance; Yampa Valley Land Trust and others; citizens; government; elected officials; finance directors; schools; colleges; planning commissions; grocers; Historic Routt County!, museums


What is a cultural landscape?
“Distinct geographical areas or properties uniquely representing the combined work of nature and of man.” – World Heritage Committee

“A geographic area, including both cultural and natural resources and the wildlife or domestic animals therein, associated with a historic event, activity, or person or exhibiting other cultural or aesthetic values.” – National Park Service

What is cultural heritage tourism?
“Traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes historic, cultural and natural resources.” – National Trust for Historic Preservation

• Encourage public policy and economic development that promotes and enhances the financial viability of local farming and ranching to maintain the cultural landscape.

• Encourage preservation of the structures that contribute to and help define the cultural landscape.

• Foster the stewardship of our heritage through education and awareness in k-12 and life-long learning.

• Identify the elements and patterns of the cultural landscape and use this as the framework to incorporate into future design and new construction.

• Preserve and maintain the integrity of conservation and access easements on those properties that contribute to our cultural landscape.

• Connect people to their food sources and teach them where their food comes from.

• Invest in and implement cultural heritage tourism programs that interpret and showcase local history.

• Transform the Legacy Ranch and other public spaces into interpretive centers for agriculture and the working landscape.

• Continue to expand the County Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) program to fund conservation/ preservation of cultural landscapes.

• Seek methods to develop and implement financial incentives for property owners in coordination with Purchase of Development Rights program.

Western heritage continues to define us. Outdoor recreation, agriculture and arts and culture events are the backbone and building blocks of our regional identity.



Possible interest groups/stewards

Economic development councils, chambers, business communities, local governments; citizens, planning officials, planning commissions, elected officials, media, organizations such as MainStreet Steamboat Springs; Community Agriculture Alliance; Historic Routt County!; Steamboat Springs Winter Sport Club

• Encourage economic development that builds from our natural and historical resources and our western heritage.

• Encourage and foster local gathering places.

• Continue to support traditional events and celebrations (Winter Carnival; Routt County Fair; Labor Day; Fourth of July; Colorado Days, Olympic Legacy, rodeo; homecomings, etc.) and encourage new traditions to evolve that reinforce our western heritage (farmers markets, South Meets West, Coureur des Bois, Steamboat Springs Marathon, etc.).