LaFayette certified for preservation

LaFayette, Ga., has been certified by a state historic preservation group, and local residents hope the new status will give them a leg up on grants and other funding.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources announced last week that the Walker County city qualified as a Certified Local Government under the Historic Preservation Division's guidelines.

With the status, LaFayette will be eligible for federal grants for which only certified governments can apply, according to the state.

"The designation should help LaFayette to tap additional resources to step up its historic preservation efforts," Catherine Edgemon, the city's Main Street and economic development director, wrote in an e-mailed statement.

Leigh Burns, preservation planner and Certified Local Government coordinator for Georgia, said many communities use the grants to survey downtown areas for revitalization or for work on national historic registration.

Ms. Burns said LaFayette leaders have a history of working on preservation, and the city was certified after meeting standards on having guidelines for preservation, an active body overseeing the work and working with the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission.

"It's really to kind of just build on what they're already doing locally," she said.

LaFayette joins 76 other governments in the program, including Dalton, Fort Oglethorpe, Walker County, Rome and Cartersville in Northwest Georgia.

Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell called the certification a "wonderful opportunity" for the city.

"I think it will be a great advantage for LaFayette and Walker County," she said.