This is the second part in a series.

Many concerns regarding the Cultural Resources Management Plan were voiced by those in attendance at the project update to the Board of County Commissioners on April 7.  The County Land Use Division staff would like to provide the following questions and answers to address some of those concerns.

What are cultural resources?

Cultural resources are the buildings, structures, archaeological sites (both historic and prehistoric) and landscapes that are the physical remains of past human activity. These resources can range in value from the mundane to the truly magnificent. In Clear Creek County, the cultural resources that we know about date mostly to the period from 1860 to 1920 when mining was the mainstay of the economy, along with recreation and logging. Most of the cultural resources from that time period are archaeological in nature, meaning all that is left are the remnants of the mines and the technologies used in the mining process.

What is historic preservation?

Historic preservation is the process we use for making decisions about cultural resources that balances honoring our past while building our future. Cultural resources are fragile and finite, and once they are gone, they are gone forever. As cultural resources are lost over time, this will diminish our ability to tell the story of our people and to celebrate their achievements. An important first step in anticipating this problem is to prepare a Cultural Resources Management Plan.

What is a Cultural Resources Management Plan?

A CRMP is a planning tool that gathers information about the known cultural resources in a particular area and describes what they are, where they are located and why they are important. Often these tools include an assessment of how these resources are being lost now and could be lost in the future. With a CRMP, informed decisions can be made about what to do, if anything, to consider these resources in relation to other community priorities.  

How did the CRMP project begin?

During the construction of Interstate 70, many of the cultural resources in proximity to the interstate were affected or completely lost without much consideration given to their historic value to the citizens of Clear Creek County. Consideration of cultural resources has been more important during the more recent I-70 effort (MIS and PEIS).  The number and kinds of cultural resources potentially affected by I-70 expansion have revealed that the county has no organized understanding of the resources we have.

What is the purpose of the CRMP project?

The project is intended to draft an advisory-only document that recommends management goals and objectives for those identified cultural resources located in the unincorporated areas of the county, outside of the municipalities and excluding federal and state lands.  

How is the project being funded?

In the fall of 2008, the county applied for and later received a 75/25 percent State Historical Fund matching grant for $80,500.

How will the product of this project be used?

The result of the project will be an advisory-only planning document submitted by the steering committee to the county commissioners. Consideration of those recommendations will be addressed by the county in consultation with the citizens, voters and taxpayers through the existing legal means for public debate and decision making.

How can I find out more about the project?

More information regarding the project can be found at www.co.clear-creek.co.us under “County Projects” page.  In addition, the county will announce future meetings on the website and in the Clear Creek Courant.