The Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department provides historic preservation planning services through its Current Plans Division. Planning staff are responsible for the following activities:
- Serving as the staff liaison for the City of Wichita Historic Preservation Board;
- Maintaining historic preservation planning files on all local, state, and national register listed properties;
- Maintaining an Undesignated Historic Resource List;
- Reviewing Certificate of Appropriateness applications;
- Administration and marketing of the following City of Wichita programs:
- Historic Revolving Loan Program and
- Historic Deferred Loan Program;
- Providing historic preservation education opportunities for the public – hosting workshops, publishing materials, and more.
- Assisting property owners regarding preservation techniques and incentives – through publications, on-site inspections and more;
- Managing historic preservation grant projects as appropriate; and
- Review of any activities that might impact City of Wichita archaeological sites.
Certified Local Government
The City of Wichita is a Certified Local Government. The Certified Local Government program is a partnership between local, state, and federal governments focused on promoting historic preservation. Certification provides the City of Wichita with expert technical advice from the Kansas Historical Society and the National Park Service. Certified communities are also able to access federal funds set aside by the State Historic Preservation Office.
The City of Wichita is a Certified Local Government that is in agreement with the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) to conduct state preservation law review on behalf of the SHPO. For more information on state preservation law review, please visit the Kansas State Historical Society's website.
City of Wichita Historic Preservation Ordinance
The City of Wichita's Preservation Ordinance protects the architectural and cultural heritage of the city's historic properties. Recognizing the importance of Wichita's historical and architectural heritage and the need for its protection, the Wichita City Council adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance in 1975 (Chapter 2.12.1015-1026, as amended). The ordinance created the Historic Preservation Board (HPB) to advise the City Council on City-owned historic resources and to safeguard the architectural and cultural heritage of Wichita through the preservation of its historic resources.
Historic Places
There are over 600 structures in the City of Wichita that are listed in the local, state and/or national registers of historic places either as individually listed properties or are properties within a historic district. You can look up the location of listed places using the City of Wichita GIS system (link below).
