Boulder City has received a prestigious award from the Nevada Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) for its efforts to preserve its historic charm. The city won the 2024 DeBoer Excellence in Planning Award for its Historic District Design Guidelines and Interactive Webmap project. Acting City Manager Michael Mays expressed pride in this achievement and the recognition from the planning community, honoring the legacy of Saco Reink DeBoer, the master planner behind Boulder City. The awards were presented at the 52nd Annual Nevada State Planning Conference, according to the Boulder City announcement.
The city's guidelines, adopted in May, establish standards for preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and reconstructing Boulder City's historic buildings. These rules apply to all properties in the Historic District, including both contributing and non-contributing ones, offering more flexible standards for non-contributing properties to encourage their restoration. City Planner Nakeisha Lyon accepted the award on behalf of Boulder City.
A key part of Boulder City's preservation efforts is the Interactive Webmap, which helps property owners identify the historic status of their homes, access design guidelines, and find important property information.
For any visible exterior changes in the historic district, Boulder City's Historic Preservation Ordinance requires compliance with the Historic Preservation Exterior Design Guidelines. A Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) must be obtained before reviewing and approving any related building permits. Depending on the project, a COA may need administrative approval or approval from the Historic Preservation Commission. For more details, visit the city's Historic Preservation Webpage or contact the City Planner directly.
