California Historic Route 66 Corridor Management Plan
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
California Historic Route 66 CMP: Needles to Barstow Page 9 2. Planning Context Historic Route 66 through the Mojave Desert travels through a mosaic of publicly and privately owned landscapes. This chapter documents land ownership, agency responsibility for land use and resource management, and ongoing plans and programs relevant to the development and implementation of the Corridor Management Plan (CMP). This chapter also documents efforts made as part of the planning process to reach out to various stakeholders—both within and outside the corridor—with an interest in its preservation and enhancement as an historic travel route managed for heritage tourism. RELATED PROGRAMS, PLANS AND STUDIES Throughout the corridor there are related and ongoing planning, development and management efforts that need to be coordinated with the CMP. Route 66 is in the County of San Bernardino maintained road system (CMRS), except for the portions that travel through the City of Needles, the City of Barstow, and that follow segments of U.S. Route 95 and Interstate 40. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for more than 58.6 percent of the lands that can be seen from the route. The Department of Defense (DoD) operates two military bases that overlap with the corridor. The National Park Service (NPS) manages the Mojave National Preserve lands visible from portions of the route. Tribal lands are visible from the route near Needles. Use of private lands in the corridor is governed by San Bernardino County, the City of Needles or the City of Barstow. INTERAGENCY AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT EFFORTS There are many related interagency planning and management efforts that could influence the future of the route. These include • Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP) • Mojave Trails National Monument (proposed by Senator Feinstein) • Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, NPS • World Monument Fund (WMF)– The Road Ahead • Old Spanish National Historic Trail, managed by NPS • Castellus Acquisition Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan According to its web page “the purpose of the DRECP is to conserve and manage plant and wildlife communities in the desert regions of California while facilitating the timely permitting of compatible renewable energy projects.” The DRECP is a collaborative effort being developed under the California Natural Community Conservation Planning Act (NCCPA), the Federal Endangered Species May 2015 Chapter 2: Planning Context Page 10 California Historic Route 66 CMP: Needles to Barstow Route 66 Economic Impact Act (FESA), and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act Study (FLPMA)1. A public draft of the proposed DRECP was released in September 2014. The proposed DRECP and its effect on the context Rutgers, the State of Historic Route 66 is discussed further in Chapter 4, Stewardship. University of New Jersey, was commissioned by the World Monuments Fund Mojave Trails National Monument (Proposed) to assess the potential A draft proposal has been developed and has been widely circulated economic impact of Historic by Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office for the establishment of the Route 66 from Chicago to Mojave Trails National Monument. A map of the proposed boundaries Santa Monica, California. can be found at: http://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/ files/serve?File_id=b60bcf4e-f659-a3fe-640a-6cdea1e4429b A survey of travelers found that Route 66 attracted The boundary of the proposed monument includes much of the visitors • to authentic places and Historic Route 66 corridor west of Needles and east of Ludlow, local businesses northward to the Mojave Preserve and southward to 29 Palms Marine • that are mostly middle Corp Base and BLM Wilderness Area boundaries of Old Woman age and middle/upper Mountains, Stepladder Mountains and Chemehuevi. The proposed income monument boundary is also referenced in the proposed DRECP. • that spend $1,500- 2,000 per travel party National Park Service Corridor Preservation Program 40-60 percent of which is NEW spending in In 1999, Congress passed Public Law 106-45, to preserve the cultural communities resources of the Route 66 corridor and to authorize the Secretary The study also found that: of the Interior to provide guidelines and a program of technical • 85 percent of travelers assistance and grants that will set priorities for the preservation of visit historic places and the Route 66 corridor. museums • $38 Million a year is The resulting Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program, administered spent in communities by NPS: • $94 million in annual “collaborates with private property owners; non-profit investments are organizations; and local, state, federal, and tribal governments made in Main Street to identify, prioritize, and address Route 66 preservation Revitalization and museums needs. It provides cost-share grants to successful applicants for The study found the the preservation and restoration of the most significant and following economic gains representative properties dating from the route’s period of • 2,400 jobs outstanding historical significance, 1926 through 1970.” • $90 million in income The program is scheduled to legislatively terminate at the end of • $262 million in overall fiscal year 2019, at which time NPS will appoint a non-federal entity output (or entities) to continue the program’s purpose. • $127 million in GDP • $37 million in tax revenues World Monument Fund – The Road Ahead • Tourism contributes The mission of WMF, an independent organization dedicated to significantly to local, saving the world’s most treasured places, is to preserve important county, state and architectural and cultural heritage sites around the globe. Route 66 national economies was listed on the 2008 World Monuments Watch “to draw attention to the complex challenges of preserving not only an iconic cultural Study available at www. landscape, but a historic American experience.”2 The WMF, in cr.nps.gov/rt66 and http:// wmf.org 1 http://www.drecp.org/whatisdrecp/ accessed March 08, 2014 2 http://www.wmf.org/project/historic-route-66 accessed March 08, 2014 Chapter 2: Planning Context May 2015 California Historic Route 66 CMP: Needles to Barstow Page 11 addition to calling attention to the preservation challenge sponsored an economic impact study by Rutgers University that documented the benefits of preservation and heritage-based tourism along the route and sponsored workshops with key stakeholders along the route to help call attention to the economic opportunities. ROUTE Old Spanish National Historic Trail World Monuments Fund Since 1965, World Monuments Fund has worked to preserve important architectural and cultural heritage sites around the globe, with projects in more The Old Spanish National Historic Trail wasthan designated ninety countries. Through partnerships by with localCongress communities, funders, and governments, WMF inspires an enduring commitment to stewardship for future generations. Headquartered in New York, WMF has offices and affiliates worldwide. in 2002. The trail runs through New Mexico,wmf.org, Colorado, twitter.com/worldmonuments, Arizona,and facebook.com/worldmonuments. A Synthesis of Findings of the Route 66 Economic Impact Study, along with a Utah, Nevada and California. The BLM andtwo-volume NPS Technical administer Report, are available at: http://www.wmf.org/dig-deeper/ the trail THE ROAD AHEAD publication/route-66-economic-impact-study-synthesis-findings. together to encourage preservation and public use. These two A strategic roundtable to leverage new opportunities and innovative partnerships in heritage tourism and historic preservation along the Mother Road. federal agencies work in close partnership with the Old Spanish Trail November 20–21, 2013 Association; American Indian tribes; state, county, and municipal Anaheim, California The event will be hosted at Disney’s Cars Land, which is helping to tell the story of Route 66 to a new generation. governmental agencies; private landowners; nonprofit groups; and many others. Organized by World Monuments Fund with generous support from American Express Charleston Cruise Tourism Conference Of particular importance to the CMP is that portion of the Old Planning Meeting April 30, 2012 Spanish Trail where all three routes come together with Historic Figure 11 The World MonumentWorld Monuments Fund, New York Route 66 at Fork of Roads, east of present-day Barstow in the Mojave Fund hosted a strategicATTENDEE roundtable CONTACTS Ackerman, Lisa Hildreth, John Sanchis, Frank of RouteExecutive 66 Vice partners President and Chief to discussDirector, Southern Regional Office Program Director, United States desert. The Desert Discovery Center and the Mojave River Valley Operating Officer National Trust for Historic Preservation World Monuments Fund World Monuments Fund [email protected] 350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2412 new opportunities350 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2412 and innovative New York, NY 10118 Museum, both in Barstow, provide interpretation related to historic New York, NY 10118 Honey, Martha [email protected] (646) 424-9594 Director [email protected] in heritage tourismCenter for Sustainable and Travel Thompson, Evan 1333 H Street, NW Executive Director travel routes, providing an important context for Historic Route 66. Avrami, Erica Suite 300, East Tower Preservation Society of Charleston Research and Education Director Washington, DC 20005 147 King Street historicWorld preservation Monuments Fund along(202) Route 347-9203 66 . Post Office