Project Impact Analysis (SOI)

Modifications to historic resources trigger specific planning review processes at the local, state and federal level to ensure that the proposed project is sensitive to the historic character of the resource. Specifically, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) states that projects that are consistent with the “Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation” (Secretary’s Standards) have no material adverse impact on historic resources. In general, these standards were developed by the National Park Service to “provide guidance to historic building owners and building managers, preservation consultants, architects, contractors, and project reviewers prior to treatment.” Local planning departments and commission frequently require project applicants to document that their proposed projects meet these standards.

Alice works with clients in all stages of the design process to develop projects that are both informed by and consistent with the “Secretary’s Standards.” In the resulting analysis and documentation, Alice compares project plans to each of the ten standards to ensure that the proposed work is sensitive to the “character defining features” and that the work is consistent with generally accepted historic preservation practices. The resulting document is a report ready for submittal to the requesting agency or commission.