CORRESPONDENCE - 75A SEXLINGER FARMHOUSE

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I. DEFINING BOUNDARIES FOR NATIONAL REGISTER PROPERTIES The preparer of a National Register nomination collects, evaluates, and presents the information required to document the property and justify its historical significance. Among the decisions the preparer must make is the selection of the property's bound- aries: in addition to establishing the significance and integrity of a prop- erty, the physical location and extent of the property are defined as part of the documentation. Boundary infor- mation is recorded in Section 10, Geographical Data, on the National Register Registration Form. This bulletin is designed to assist the preparer in selecting, defining, and documenting boundaries for National Register properties. The bulletin addresses the factors to consider and includes examples that illustrate properly defined boundaries for a variety of property types. WHY BOUNDARIES ARE IMPORTANT Carefully defined boundaries are important for several reasons. The boundaries encompass the resources that contribute to the property's significance. Boundaries may also have legal and management implica- tions. For example, only the area within the boundaries may be consid- ered part of the property for the purposes of Federal preservation tax incentives and charitable contribu- tions. State and local laws that require consideration of historic resources may also refer to boundaries in the application of implementing regula- tions or design controls. National Register boundaries, therefore, have legal implications that can affect the property's future. Under Federal law, however, these considerations apply only to government actions affecting the property; National Register listing does not limit the private owner's use of the property. Private property owners can do anything they wish with their property, provided no Federal license, permit, or funding is involved. , Under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, Federal agencies must take into account the effect of their actions on historic properties (defined as properties in, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places) and give the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation the opportunity to comment. To be in compliance with the act, Federal agencies must identify and evaluate National Register eligibility of properties within the area of potential effect and evaluate the effect of the undertaking on eligible properties. The area of potential effect is defined as the area in which eligible properties may be affected by the undertaking, including direct effects (such as destruction of the property) and indirect effects (such as visual, audible, and atmo- spheric changes which affect the character and setting of the property). The area of potential effect may include historic properties that are well beyond the limits of the under- taking. For example, a Federal undertaking outside of the defined boundaries of a rural traditional cultural property or an urban historic district can have visual, economic, traffic, and social effects on the setting, feeling, and association of the eligible resources. Large properties present special problems. For example, an undertak- ing in a narrow corridor, such as a pipeline, may affect part of a large archeological site, traditional cultural property, or rural historic district. Such properties may extend far beyond the area of potential effect or access may be denied in areas beyond the undertaking. It is always best to consider the entire eligible property, but it may not be possible or practical to define the full extent of the prop- erty. In such cases, reasonable, predicted, estimated, or partial boundaries encompassing resources within the area of potential effect may be the only way to set the limits of contributing resources when the entire property cannot be observed or evaluated from historic maps or other documents (as in the case of subsur- face archeological resources). Con- sider all available information and select boundaries on the basis of the best information available. When defining boundaries of large resources extending beyond the area of poten- tial effect, it is advisable to consult the State historic preservation office. GETTING HELP In addition to the guidance in this bulletin, assistance is also available from State Historic Preservation Officers, Federal Preservation Offic- ers, and the staff of the National Register of Historic Places. These professionals can help preparers with general questions and special prob- lems. For assistance with specific questions or for information on how to contact the appropriate State Historic Preservation Officer or Federal Preservation Officer, contact the National Register of Historic Places, National Register, History and Education, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240.