General Information

Steps in the SHPO Review Process for State Projects

There are eight steps in the State Historic Preservation Review process for state projects.

1. Determine Statutory Action
2. Historic Eligibility or Listing
3. Will the Action Affect the Property?
4. Request for SHPO Review
5. SHPO Review
6. Response from SHPO
7. Negotiation
8. Project Moves Forward

Determine Statutory Action
The state agency determines whether it has a statutory action.
Criteria for determining a statutory action include:
- Exercise of state agency authority in the issuance of a permit, license, authorization, variance, exception or any grant of financial assistance
- Any state agency action related to property owned by the state agency or related to its long-range planning and facilities development
Historic Eligibility or Listing
The state agency determines whether the action involves a property that is recorded in the Wisconsin Inventory of Historic Places — now referred to as the Wisconsin Historic Preservation Database (WHPD).
If there is such a property, then the state agency must determine whether the recorded property is eligible for listing or listed in the State or National Register of Historic Places.
Will the Action Affect the Property?
If the property is recorded in the WHPD and is eligible for listing or is listed, then the state agency must determine whether its action may affect that property.
To affect means: alter the characteristics of the historic property that cause the property to be eligible for, or listed in, the State or National Register of Historic Places.
Request for SHPO Review
If the state agency determines that there may be an effect, then the state agency must submit materials describing the action, the listed property and the effect to the State Historic Preservation Officer.
- Submission Form and Guidelines
SHPO Review
Upon receipt of the state agency’s submittal, the State Historic Preservation Officer must review the proposal to determine whether there may be an adverse effect to the recorded property as a result of carrying out the proposed action.
Response from SHPO
The State Historic Preservation Officer must respond to the state agency with its initial comments within 30 days of having received the submittal materials.
The SHPO may determine that the submittal is insufficient, and will request additional material to complete the review.
The State Historic Preservation Officer must respond to the state agency with its determination: either there is an adverse effect or there is not. The State Historic Preservation Office may require negotiation to address an adverse effect in an effort to avoid, minimize or mitigate that adverse effect.
Negotiation (If Required)
If necessary, the state agency and the State Historic Preservation Officer will negotiate an outcome to avoid, minimize or mitigate the adverse effect to the listed property. The outcome of the negotiation will be incorporated into the project proposal.
Project Moves Forward
The project moves forward.