NEWS RELEASE

August 28, 2018

For Immediate Release

Mayor Issues Statement on National Parks Service Assessment 

SAVANNAH, GA (August 28, 2018) — The City of Savannah acknowledges the report of the National Park Service released today.  We agree with many of its recommendations, and appreciate their emphasis that we are not at risk of losing our Landmark designation.

Over the past decade, the City has successfully adopted new planning policies to restore the Town Plan left to us by General Oglethorpe. Together with the private sector, millions of dollars have been invested to save historic homes, buildings and our cultural landscape.

Most recently the City has been aggressive in its efforts to revisit outdated policies and ordinances to reflect this community’s commitment to preservation, quality of life and economic vitality.  We thank the National Park Service for acknowledging our efforts.

The report itself states, “No single entity can care for a historic district alone.”  In this spirit of collaboration, the City will reach out to our partners to create a panel to study the recommendations and develop an action plan to upgrade our status. Several of these recommendations are already being worked on.

I have already spoken with Bob Vogel, Regional Director of the National Park Service, and have requested that we begin a bi-annual status review with the Park Service of our Landmark District. We don’t need to wait another 16 years for the Park Service’s next review to occur.

We look forward to continued progress and working closely with our partners in our collective effort to keep Savannah a great place to live, work and visit.