Statewide NAPC CAMP - 2026 Carson City

The Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) invites all Certified Local Government (CLG) historic preservation commission members and staff, elected officials, and preservation partners throughout the state to attend the upcoming National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program (CAMP) which will be held in Carson City, Nevada.  This FREE training will be a one-day, in-person workshop (virtual option available) on Friday, September 25.  For those interested, the SHPO will also be hosting optional networking opportunities and historic building tours on both Thursday, September 24 and Saturday, September 26.

Register Here for Free

Registration deadline is Wednesday, September 16th.

CAMP is the signature training offered by the NAPC, led by qualified preservation professionals, in support of the NAPC's mission to build strong local preservation programs and leaders through education, training, and advocacy.

CAMP provides high quality, engaging and informative training to preservation related boards and commissions through presentations, hands-on exercises, group discussions, networking and mentoring via live and virtual training.

NAPC has an exceptional team of CAMP trainers including commissioners, local, state, and federal staff members, attorneys, consultants, planners and commission partners.  Please see the list of Speakers scheduled below.

Agenda

• Thursday, September 24th (optional)
  • Morning neworking for CLGs & Preservation Partners.
  • Optional Afternoon Carson City Westside Historic District tours and site visits.
• Friday, September 25th
  • 8:00am-9:00am Welcome, check-in and networking
  • 9:00am-5:00pm NAPC CAMP Presentations with an hour lunch break on your own.  See below for Presentation descriptions and learning objectives.

1.    Legal Basics
2.    Standards and Guidelines for Design Review
3.    Preservation Planning
4.    Meeting Procedures and the Role of the Commissioner
5.    Design Review Exercise
6.    Community Outreach and Building Public Support

• Saturday, September 26th (optional)
  • ​ Optional morning tour of the Virginia City Historic District National Historic Landmark led by staff of the SHPO Office.

The Presentations

1.  Legal Basics

Description: The strongest defense commissions have against accusations of arbitrary and capricious decisions is to consistently follow established review procedures. Customized for each state, this workshop covers the legal basis for commission operation. This topic will provide an overview of procedural due process, takings, appeals, property rights, and economic hardship.  Participants will examine common preservation legal issues and acquire tools to improve decision-making and build a defensible record.

Learning Objectives:

• Distinguish between how the law enables and how the law constrains.
• Explore common preservation legal issues.
• Acquire tools to improve decision-making.
• Identify how to build a defensible record.

2.  Standards and Guidelines for Design Review

Description: The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation are the foundation of preservation practice, with the goal of retaining the character-defining features that convey a historic resource’s significance while enabling contemporary updates. Their value lies in flexibility—leaving room for interpretation and adaptation to fit local contexts.  This topic will take a close look at the Standards, focusing on how they guide decision-making while allowing commissions to exercise judgment. Learn where the Standards provide clear direction, where there’s room for discretion, and how they can relate to local design guidelines to support thoughtful, context-sensitive decisions. Participants will leave with a stronger grasp of how to use the Standards as a practical, flexible tool in day-to-day preservation work.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain a working understanding of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
• Identify where the Standards allow for flexibility and interpretation.
• Explore how commissions apply the Standards in real-world situations.
• Understand how the Standards and local guidelines can work together to support consistent, context-sensitive decisions.

3.  Preservation Planning

Description: A preservation commission is most effective when its work is guided by thoughtful planning and aligns with the community’s vision for the future. A preservation plan establishes meaningful goals through collaboration with other city departments and the public and paves the way for preservation commissions to have a regular seat at the larger decision-making table. A well-crafted preservation plan can also enhance grant applications and lead to more successful funding of preservation programs. This topic focuses on the components of and the processes for successfully developing a preservation plan. Participants will learn how to: identify the appropriate type of preservation plan needed; fund a plan; gather community input; implement a plan once complete; and integrate preservation into broader planning efforts. This topic is most useful for communities that are thinking about adopting a preservation plan or communities that simply want to gain a better understanding of the importance of preservation planning.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss why enforcement is an essential part of an effective preservation program.
• Discuss the challenges of successful enforcement along with suggestions for overcoming them.
• Explore some of the methods developed by cities to prevent violations and how enforcement can be more proactive.
• Identify what resources are needed for successful enforcement and the roles of commissioners and staff.

4.  Meeting Procedures and the Role of the Commissioner

Description: How a local commission conducts its meetings is critical to maintaining its credibility and reputation. It is also critical to avoiding legal challenges. This topic will address how to work within the legal framework of state law and local statutes and how to establish clear rules of procedure to ensure a defensible decision-making process. Participants will also discuss ethical issues and learn how professionalism, courtesy, and consistency build support for the commission and its work.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify how to operate a meeting consistent with state and local statutes, ordinances, and regulations which govern meeting procedures.
• Discuss how to conduct meetings with professionalism, consistency, and courtesy to all persons involved in order to maintain the reputation and credibility of the community’s preservation program.
• Identify and discuss ethical issues encountered by commissions.

5.  Design Review Exercise

Description: This interactive exercise provides an opportunity for participants to practice design review with a simplified application and set of design guidelines. Participants will determine what questions they would want to ask of the applicant and explore a potential motion. Appropriate for both seasoned professionals and new commissioners, this session provides opportunities for participants to learn from each other in a lively and fun format.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the roles and objectives of the players in the design review process: commissioner, property owner, staff, members of the public and design professionals.
• Articulate an appropriate and defensible design review response in conformance with established guidelines.
• Recognize that a number of design solutions may be possible within the design standards and guidelines.
• Develop confidence in future decision-making.

6.  Community Outreach and Building Public Support

Description: Historic preservation commissioners often get bogged down in the day-to-day administration of their local ordinance and forget that one of their key responsibilities is to be an effective spokesperson for historic preservation in their community. This topic helps participants identify and communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, whether it’s building support for designations, defending sometimes unpopular decisions, or working with reluctant elected officials.  CAMP Trainers offer fun and creative suggestions for promoting historic preservation that have been proven to work during this session.

Learning Objectives:

• Explore common situations where a preservation commissioner would need to step into the role of preservation spokesperson.
• Discuss how to communicate effectively with various audiences, such as elected officials, property owners, tenants, business interests, etc.
• Explore best practices and tools for community engagement.
• Identify and capitalize on opportunities to promote historic preservation in their community.

The Speakers

Rory Hays is a sole Practitioner Attorney, specializing in public affairs and administrative law for 27 years. Her practice is active in areas of government regulation, natural resources, environment, criminal justice and health care. Rory is a former Arizona Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Division. She has also served as a Caseworker in Phoenix and Washington, D.C. Congressional offices serving as liaison with federal and state agencies for constituent problems. Rory holds a B.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University and a juris doctor degree from Arizona State University School of Law. She is a former member and chair of the City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Commission and Personnel Board and has served on the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions board of directors. She is a member of the Governor’s Commission on Scenic Highways.

Kate Singleton, consultant, has over 40 years’ experience in historic preservation, downtown revitalization and economic and community development. Kate is the former Executive Director for Preservation Austin. She has served as Chief Preservation Planner for the City of Dallas, Executive Director of the West Fort Bend Management District, Planning Manager for Downtown Dallas, Inc. and State Coordinator of the Arizona Main Street program as well as Main Street Manager in Waxahachie and Grapevine. She has extensive experience in cultural resources management. Kate has offered professional consulting services in the areas of historic preservation, downtown revitalization, economic development, financial incentives, strategic planning, community development, municipal planning, zoning, urban design, and project implementation. She has written preservation plans, design standards for commercial and residential historic districts, downtown redevelopment plans and preservation ordinances. Kate has also developed financial incentives for cities including the highly successful City of Dallas Historic Tax Incentive Program. She also wrote amendments to the Dallas building code some of which were codified into the International Existing Building Code. Kate has also completed over $150 million in Federal Historic Tax Credit projects. Kate has conducted training for numerous historic preservation commissions and downtown associations around the state of Texas and has presented at several state preservation and downtown conferences in Texas, Arizona and Arkansas as well as the National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference and National Main Street Conference on subjects including advocacy, financial incentives, preservation design standards, downtown authenticity. Kate has her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of North Texas. She has served on the Dallas Landmark Commission, on the Tourism Commission for the City of Austin, Austin Creative Alliance Board, the boards of Texas Downtown Association, Preservation Texas and Preservation Action.

Michael Houser, as the Architectural Historian for the State of Washington for almost 20 years, Michael has a long record of helping owners understand the architecture and history of their buildings. Houser has a common sense, down-to-earth approach about historic preservation issues and prides himself on simplifying the often complex issues of preserving historic resources. Currently he manages the State and National Register programs for Washington State; as well as Washington’s unique Heritage Barn Program. Houser helped bring post WWII resources into the states focus by establishing the “Nifty-from-the-Last 50 Initiative” in 2003 which initially documented over 300 mid-century modern buildings across the state. As the state’s go-to expert, he has reviewed numerous post WWII resources as part of the Section 106 process, from small ranch houses to cold war military facilities. His current pet project includes creating biographies of architects and designers who practiced Washington state, and he has recently developed a study of Seattle area Parade of Homes. Houser holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho and a Master of Science Degree in Historic Preservation from Eastern Michigan University. A native of Vancouver, Washington, Michael returned to the Washington state via Bend, OR where he served as the Historic Preservation Planner for six years managing the CLG programs for the County and three incorporated cities. His previous work experience includes time at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, MI; survey work for the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana; and historic home inspections and architectural work for Thomas Hickey Architects in Chicago.

Questions

• If you have any questions about the NAPC CAMP or registration, please contact: Jean-Guy Dube, CLG, National and State Register Coordinator, 775-684-3439 or by email at jean.dube [at] shpo.nv.gov.

The activity that is the subject of this NAPC CAMP has been financed entirely with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior.