Minutes, Cultural and Historical Resources Technical Advisory Team
Priority Cultural Resources Subcommittee Meeting
December 15, 2000

The subcommittee met in Conference Room D at the Pima County Public Works Center, 201 N. Stone Avenue, Tucson, Arizona on Thursday, December 15, 2000 at 10:00 a.m. Those present are listed as follows:

Present:
Dr. Beth Grindell, Arizona State Museum
Ms. Marty McCune, City of Tucson
Dr. Jonathan Mabry, Desert Archaeology, Inc.
Dr. Terry Majewski, Statistical Research Inc.
Mr. David Cushman, Pima County Archaeological and Historic Preservation Office

Absent:
Dr. Paul Fish, Arizona State Museum

1.CALL TO ORDER

The meeting began at approximately 10:10 a.m.

OLD BUSINESS

2.APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FOR NOVEMBER 30, 2000 MEETING

 

The notes from the meeting of November 30, 2000 were not available for review and so approval was put off until the next meeting.


NEW BUSINESS

3. DEFINITIONS, CRITERIA, PROCESS

 

The meeting focused on defining key concepts proposed for use in selecting priority cultural resources. Mr. Cushman handed out a copy of the preliminary listing of criteria developed at the November 30 meeting for consideration. He agreed to write up the terms defined today and to circulate them to the subcommittee members for further review. It was agreed that these are to be broad enough to apply to all cultural resources.
It was further agreed that the subcommittee adopt the National Register definitions for criteria a through d. The team then set about defining each of six criteria proposed at the November 30 subcommittee meeting.


1. Integrity - In essence this concept means the ability to convey significance.

 

"A Priority Cultural Resource (PCR) has enough preserved cultural remains to convey its significance for understanding past peoples, places and landscapes." For example: Intact buildings or structural remnants; relatively undisturbed surface distributions of artifacts and/or features; relatively undisturbed surface artifacts, features and/or cultural deposits.
2. Research Value - "A PCR has significance in terms of one ro more research theme that helps us understand past peoples, places and landscapes."


Dr. Mabry suggested the following research themes:

 

3. Ubiquity/rarity - "A PCR may represent a unique or limited occurrence, such that its destruction would be an irreplaceable loss to our understanding of peoples, places, and landscapes."
The was considerable debate on the concept of landscape with a recommendation that we look at how the National Park Service defines this term. The National Register focuses on context (thematic, spatial, temporal) to provide a framework within which nominations can be justified. The question was what role the concept of landscape should play in the selection process.
4. Landscape - "A PCR may be a landscape whose natural and cultural features taken collectively offer us a comprehensive view of the relationship between past peoples and places."
5. Community recognition - " A PCR may be recognized by one or more segments of the community as significant to its heritage and identity."
6. Current Use - " A PCR may exhibit continuity between past and present uses." There may be continuity of function and/ or visual continuity.


4.NEXT MEETING

 

The next meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, January 16, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the Public Works Center in Conference Room D.


5.ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at approximately 12 noon.