This November election, Camden can take a huge step forward in preserving town history and character by voting yes on Article 7: a nonbinding advisory vote that is the community’s opportunity to endorse drafting a Historic Preservation Code to be developed with input from the public in concert with the Select Board, Town Planning, and the Historic Resources Committee. Once that language is finalized, the new code will appear on a future ballot for voter approval.

Historic Preservation is already in place in over 20 towns in Maine and has proven to be essential for smart development; increasing property values; saving landmark properties; maintaining tourism; attracting families and new businesses; and demonstrating public commitment to shared community values. Additionally, a preservation code is required to access sources of state and federal funding for local projects like the restoration of Curtis Island Lighthouse.

Camden is amidst generational and transient changes with many properties changing ownership. Most citizens assume that a property on the National Register or in a Historic District is protected from demolition, but currently the town can only require a 120-day delay. The proposed code would not regulate interiors or scrutinize details like exterior paint, but it would aim to broadly preserve character and streetscape in the registered Historic Districts and Landmarks (Curtis Island Lighthouse; Camden Opera House; Camden Yacht Club; Camden Public Library; Camden Post Office; the Village Green; and the High Street, Great Fire, and Chestnut Street Historic Districts).

Sadly, many towns now attempt to recapture their lost history, Camden has a chance to protect hers before it is gone.

A Historic Preservation Code for Camden

If the Town of Camden voters approve Article 7 so that the process of drafting a Historic Preservation Code begins, the immediate question arises: Why does Camden need a preservation code? In practical terms, there are great economic benefits. Historic Preservation stabilizes property values and leads to strong appreciation over time. Older landmarks and neighborhoods are tourist destinations, and those heritage visitors stay longer and spend more.

Like so many Maine communities, Camden is experiencing an influx of residents and an increasing need for housing. This puts pressure on historic neighborhoods with new construction, renovations, and other modifications. Currently, without a code, the Town can only exercise a 120-day delay when an owner applies for a demolition permit.

Another compelling reason is that a Preservation Code is required to become a Certified Local Government (CLG) and therefore qualify for certain state and federal Historic Preservation funds. Camden has many public and commercial buildings on the National Historic Register who would benefit from these grants and programs. Over 20 towns in Maine currently have preservation codes and eleven of those are CLGs.

What will and will not be in Camden’s Historic Preservation Code? Town Planning, the Select Board, and the Historic Resources Committee will work together with the public to draft a code that is not burdensome and does not dictate details like exterior house colors. Instead, the code will broadly aim to meet CLG standards while working with homeowners and businesses to maintain the streetscape of our Historic Districts and the exterior integrity of our historic properties and landmarks (Curtis Island Lighthouse; Camden Opera House; Camden Yacht Club; Camden Public Library; Camden Post Office; the Village Green; and the High Street, Great Fire, and Chestnut Street Historic Districts).

It's vital to understand that historic preservation and sustainability are intimately intertwined. Forward thinking codes call for more than just saving old buildings, they provide the means for intelligent deconstruction and reuse within the community of reclaimed material. Furthermore, studies have shown that it can take up to eighty years to offset the negative environmental impact of embodied carbon in the production, transportation, and manufacturing of a new building. In other words, saving an old building is often more sustainable than replacing it, even with the most energy efficient green construction.

Ultimately, our Historic Preservation Code is vital because most of us live in Camden for similar reasons. We share community values that honor the past that surrounds us. Our historic buildings enhance our lives daily and are the tangible record of who we are and where we came from. Far too often, communities fail to appreciate what they have until it's gone. Camden’s Historic Preservation Code is an opportunity to ensure a way of life and pass that to future generations.

For further information, visit the Camden Historic Resources Committee on social media and on the Town’s website (www.camdenmaine.gov), and explore the Maine Historic Preservation Commission website to learn more about historic preservation and CLGs (www.maine.gov/mhpc).

Members of the Town of Camden’s Historic Resources Committee

Chris Friden, chair

Rhonda Ryznar

Chris Fasoldt

Danny Salomon

Brian Boyd

Ann Waigand. alternate

Roger Akeley, alternate

Pat Skaling, past chair