The preservation of historic resources by government action can, and has, occasionally generated controversies and even conflicts with other public policy goals and laws. The most common of these difficult cases are those that involve the preservation of historic resources that are in distressed condition, where the need for public safety may conflict with the public benefit of preservation. Public agencies involved in preservation must also be mindful of obligations to make their properties accessible to all persons and the need to reduce harmful environmental impacts.
In recent months, the preservation of certain buildings and objects that either remind us of painful history, or in some cases even glorifies it, has attracted concern both in the United States and internationally, raising some of the most fundamental questions about preservation as public policy and public law. This year’s CLE on Preservation Law will delve into these issues by providing the perspectives of the agencies involved, and attorneys who routinely deal with these matters in what will be a lively and informative discussion.
All attendees will receive the course materials as a digital book.
Recorded in June 2021.