SOUTH PORTLAND – South Portland is on the verge of creating a new arts and historic preservation group, something advocates of documenting and preserving the city’s architectural history have long called for.

Even before the entire city landed on a list of places at risk this past fall, efforts were under way in South Portland to do a better job identifying and preserving the community’s “historic treasures,” according to Jon Jennings, assistant city manager and economic development director.

Now, with the anticipated creation of the city’s first Arts and Historic Preservation Committee and financial aid from a grant for which the city has applied, South Portland would create an inventory of its most important historic structures and places.

In addition, the committee would also “foster the beautification of public areas” with recommendations for installations of public art from sculptures and murals to fountains or special landscaping, according to Jennings.

The City Council is scheduled to vote on creation of the new committee during its meeting at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 2, Jennings said this week.

In late September 2013, the historic preservation advocacy group Greater Portland Landmarks included the entire city of South Portland on its annual list of Places in Peril, but Jennings said the 2012 comprehensive plan update had already made preservation and pursuing public art opportunities a community priority.

However, he admitted that landing on the list of places at risk made creation of the Arts and Historic Preservation Committee even more important. Jennings said the hope is to have the committee, which would consist of nine members, up and running sometime this summer.

He also said the city “didn’t disagree with the analysis by (Greater Portland) Landmarks,” which said one reason it put the city on its list of Places in Peril is because South Portland has no protections for historic architecture, and its historic structures are under constant threat from new development and loss through demolition, deterioration and neglect.

Only three structures in South Portland are on the National Register of Historic Places. Two of those are Bug Light and the Spring Point Ledge Light. The other is the Seavey-Robinson House, a Gothic Revival home on Ocean Street.

In its report on South Portland, Landmarks specifically pointed out the historic value of various neighborhoods in the city from Ferry Village to Willard Beach and Meeting House Hill.

Kate Lewis, the director of development at Landmarks and a South Portland resident, said this week that she’s excited about the creation of the Arts and Historic Preservation Committee, which also has the support of the South Portland Historical Society.

Lewis has lived in the city for the past seven years and practices what she preaches by owning a 110-year-old home. She said creation of the new committee would be good for South Portland because “we have incredible historic resources and cultural assets (here).”

She added, “The creation of this committee is a crucial step toward identifying those resources, and then encouraging or advising on how to incentivize their protection to preserve the desirability of the city as a place to live, work and visit.”

As noted by Landmarks when it put the city on its list of places in jeopardy, Lewis also pointed out that right now, “there are virtually no protections for historic architecture in South Portland. As the city rapidly changes we are at risk of losing the very tangible history that defines this place.”

Lewis also said that, “Having an experienced advisory group examine these resources in South Portland, recommend opportunities for their protection and incorporation into long-term city plans, and encourage best practices in historic preservation will lend to greater overall community sustainability.”

What’s special about the historic architectural resources in South Portland, she said, is that, “they are quite varied, cover an enormous time span, and are still largely intact.”

“This is rare,” according to Lewis, and “because of these resources, we are distinguished from many other cities around the country. What we have is worth protecting before it is gone. Formalizing an advisory committee is an excellent start to exploring the maintenance of this important aspect of what makes our city special.”

In introducing the City Council to the concept of an arts and preservation committee, City Manager Jim Gailey said in a position paper that the goal is for the group to have “specific responsibilities to preserve the historical and architectural integrity of South Portland, foster beautification of public areas, and promote the educational, cultural and general welfare.”

He said all the members of the committee would be appointed by the council and would be selected based on their “interest in art, historic preservation and familiarity with the city of South Portland.”

Gailey also said the council “should strive to include members (that represent) a diverse community.” During a workshop session last week, Jennings said the council also decided it wanted one member of the committee to come from the historical society and one from Landmarks.

Under the ordinance creating the arts and preservation committee, the listed duties include providing resources to those who are interested in the “rehabilitation of structures that have historic, cultural or architectural significance.”

Other duties are creating and maintaining an inventory of “historic, cultural and architectural areas, sites, structures and objects,” as well as developing policies to advance historic preservation, fostering a culture of preservation and “making recommendations to the City Council regarding allocation and budgeting of funds for the acquisition or commissioning of public art and/or for the maintenance of public art.”

In terms of the public art duties of the new committee, the ordinance says the goals would include using Maine artists when commissioning art projects, encouraging public input into the design and selection of public art and working with city staff to seek out grants, donations or other funds for the purpose of expanding or maintaining the public art collection.

While South Portland does not have a history of pursuing public art opportunities, Jennings said this week that “public art should be a focus for any dynamic city.”

Mount Pleasant Cemetery at Meeting House Hill in the 1890s. In the distance is the Old North Church.