The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners recently adopted a policy to protect the historical, cultural and architectural sites and structures at the Port of Los Angeles. The Port of Los Angeles Cultural Resource Policy emphasizes the port’s leadership role in encouraging and establishing priorities for the identification, evaluation and protection of these resources. 

"This policy provides a comprehensive and proactive framework for the ongoing identification of historical resources and consideration for their preservation and reuse," said Port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D. "It assures that these resources are identified early in the planning process for proposed projects or potential leasing of vacant properties."

The new policy will incorporate practices to help identify resources to be protected. It includes: 

• Preparing and maintaining an inventory of historical, cultural and architectural resources of the port.
• Completing a comprehensive survey to evaluate port historical resources within two years of adoption of the policy and every five years thereafter. Buildings, objects, districts and sites within the port that are at least 50 years old will be evaluated; resources less than 50 years old that have exceptional importance may also be reviewed.
• Establishing priorities for preservation and adaptive reuse, where possible, of historical buildings, structures, districts and other sites owned by or located on property owned by the harbor department. Port staff will consider historical resources at the earliest stages of planning. Adaptive reuse in leasing transactions will be encouraged. 

The full text of the "Built Environment Historic, Architectural and Cultural Resource Policy" can be found here.