One trait of Puyallup’s downtown is its historical significance.

Since the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Puyallup has gone from an agricultural-based economy to an auto-, small business- and service-based economy. All the while, it’s retained its historic allure by preserving many of its period architecture.

Last summer, Puyallup completed the move to bring a Certified Local Government in-house, thus allowing the city to have a more hands-on approach to approving properties for the historic register.

For many years, the city contracted with Pierce County’s Landmarks Commission to process applications for the register.

“Part of the process of being a CLG was creating a historic preservation board,” said Lindsey Sehmel, an associate planner for the city. “It keeps things local to have city residents and city professionals on the board.

“The community is interested in historic preservation. Hopefully we will get public interest in preserving those properties and bringing them back to their original structure.”

The newly named historic preservation and design review board had its first order of business last Thursday in city council chambers when it listened to a presentation by BOLA Architecture. The Seattle-based agency, specializing in historic preservation consulting, presented findings on three separate historic surveys it performed on Puyallup’s downtown in 2007, 2010 and 2011, respectively.

BOLA Architecture principal Susan Boyle and Sonja Molchany, preservation planner, outlined commercial and residential properties deemed eligible to be put on the historic register.

Sehmel and the board hope to take that list and use it for an education campaign to let eligible property owners know about the opportunity.

“The city is looking at low-cost public outreach,” Sehmel said. “We may have a booth at the Puyallup Farmers Market, informing people about historic preservation options.”

Molchany mentioned to the board that May is historic preservation month. Sehmel said it could be too late to plan for any major events around that month.

Board member Andy Anderson, historian for the Ezra Meeker Historical Society, said the board should consider organizing a historic preservation day.

“We don’t revel in the historic buildings that we have,” he said. “As a community, we need to be recognizing the properties that are never going to reach the level of a formal register but that are at least 50 years old and are in the condition they should be.”

With a CLG now in the city, property owners are eligible to bring forward an application to be put on the Puyallup Register of Historic Places. Applications are approved by the board and then moved on to the Puyallup City Council for final approval.

“Being on the historic register doesn’t mean you get a tax break, but it does mean you’re eligible to apply for a tax break if you have upgrades to your property,” she said.

Upgrades to a property are classified as improvements that take a property back to its original look. Strict guidelines must be followed to qualify. They are included in a council-approved ordinance.

Tax exemptions can last up to 10 years, Sehmel said.

“At any point they no longer want to be on the register and aren’t getting any tax breaks, they can be removed,” Sehmel said.

Sehmel said the board is welcoming applications at this time. She suggests property owners look at the city website, read through the information and acquaint themselves with the process.

Reach Puyallup reporter Andrew Fickes at 253-841-2481 Ext. 313 or email at andrew.fickes@puyallupherald or follow him on Twitter at @herald_andrew.