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Kentucky Heritage Council

Certified Local Government (CLG) Program

”Maysville”

 Maysville has been a CLG community since 1988    

Jointly administered by the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Park Service, Kentucky's Certified Local Government Program is a local, state, and federal partnership that promotes historic preservation planning and protection of prehistoric and historic resources at the local level. Because local community planning staff often plays a key role in CLG procedures and projects, the thread of historic preservation is usually woven into the fabric of local land-use policy.

Goals of the CLG Program

  • Historic preservation issues are understood and addressed at the local level and integrated into local planning and decision-making processes at the earliest possible opportunity.
  • Local interests and concerns are integrated into the historic site identification, evaluation, nomination, and protection functions of the State Historic Preservation Office.
  • Local historic preservation legislation and historic preservation commissions are established in cities where they do not yet exist and are updated, if necessary, where they already exist.
  • Existing Kentucky Historic Buildings Inventory and Kentucky Archaeological Inventory Information is made available to local communities to use in identifying and defining community and neighborhood development and conservation areas.
  • Information concerning local historic preservation issues is shared with the Kentucky Heritage Council and the public more readily.

Benefits of Becoming a Certified Local Government

  • Eligibility to compete annually for matching grants for approved projects. According to federal law, at least 10% of the state's annual federal Historic Preservation Fund [HPF] allotment must be allocated to the Certified Local Government fund.
  • Access to expert technical advice from the Kentucky State Historic Preservation Office as well as the National Park Service.
  • CLGs have a formal role in the National Register nomination review process.
  • Participation in the establishment of regional and state historic preservation objectives.
  • Partnerships with the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, Preserve America, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the National Main Street Center.

Requirements for the Program

The National Historic Preservation Act [NHPA] and the State of Kentucky require a local government seeking certification to meet five broad standards:

  • Enforce appropriate state and local legislation for the designation and protection of historic properties. In Kentucky, a local government must adopt a local historic preservation ordinance that meets KHC guidelines (see the Kentucky CLG Manual for complete information). The preservation ordinance is usually a section of the local zoning ordinance.
  • Establish an adequate and qualified preservation commission [architectural review board], as stipulated in state and local legislation.
  • Establish and maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic properties.
  • Provide for adequate public participation in the local historic preservation program, including the process of recommending properties for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Satisfactorily perform any other responsibilities delegated in the CLG agreement.

For information:

Certified Local Government Program and Planning Coordinator
(502) 892-3606


Kentucky's Certified Local Governments

Directory of CLG programs and local contact information (Sept. 2021)
Directory of Local Elected Officials in CLG communities (March 2020)