The Kansas Preservation Act was enacted in 1977. The initial legislation declared historic preservation the policy of the state and required the activities of governmental entities which encroached on national or state register properties to be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).  

In 1981, lawmakers widened the law to require review of all projects involving national and state register properties and their environs which needed local building permits. Thus, projects undertaken by individuals, firms, associations, organizations, partnerships, businesses, trusts, corporations or companies became subject to review if they required permits. A 1988 amendment further defined the "environs" of historic properties, requiring that the SHPO receive notice of any proposed project within 500 feet of a listed historic property located within the corporate limits of a city or within 1,000 feet of a listed historic property located in the unincorporated portion of a county.

Submitting a Review

It is the responsibility of the City's staff person who issues your building permit to initiate the review of projects on historic properties or their environs. The City of Winfield has superimposed the 500' environs markings of each of the 5 designated sites in Winfield onto GIS maps, enabling staff to quickly determine whether a project will affect a historic property or its environs.

If the project does occur within the environs of a listed property, the state office must be notified. City staff will assist the property owner with notification. It should include the following information: a letter requesting the preservation office's comments on the proposed project in accordance with K.S.A. 75-2724, a written description of the work to be done, the address and legal description of the property, photographs of the property and its environs including, in the case of a property in environs, and the relationship between the listed building and the project property. Requests for larger projects, such as additions to historic properties, should also include architectural drawings and specifications. Interiors of buildings in the environs of historic properties are not subject to review.