The Guidelines stress the preservation of original building fabric and compatibility of changes or additions with historic buildings, structures, and landscapes. Civil War Historical Commission The Battlefield Task Force was established in 2007, which over time became codified by BOMA as the Battlefield Preservation Committee and later renamed the Civil War Historical Commission. This advisory body includes representatives of historic preservation and Civil War-related organizations and advises the City government for matters relating to the identification, preservation, maintenance, and recognition of sites related to Civil War. It helps produce forums on Franklin’s Civil War heritage, makes recommendations for the implementation of battlefield preservation plans, and serves as a resource for the City and representatives of historic sites. MORE STREETSCAPES WERE IMPROVED The City funded and completed more streetscape improvement projects around Downtown, including 3rd Avenue North, 5th Avenue North, Columbia Avenue between 5 Points and Fowlkes, and Martin Luther King Jr Avenue through Bicentennial Park. These improvements included curb and gutter, sidewalks for pedestrian connectivity, major water and sewer infrastructure upgrades, relocating overhead utility lines underground, and planting street trees. MORE CITY INITIATIVES The ethos of preservation is not only evident within the community, but it is also ingrained in the identity and work of the City Leadership and staff. It is articulated in the City’s vision statement, “America’s finest hometown, driven by excellence, balancing preservation, and progress.” Many more initiatives were undertaken by the City dating from 2000: • The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 4-3 to increase the hotel/motel tax from 2% to 4% in 2004 to finance the acquisition of Harlinsdale and the City’s match of $2.5 million to acquire the Eastern Flank battlefield. It has been used for numerous other projects over the year; • The Parkland Impact Fee was implemented, which required that developers place monies into a fund that can be used for preservation of open space, as well as trails and sidewalks making it easier to view historic resources; • The development and increase in City staff, including establishing a full-time Assistant Preservation Planner position, along with growth of the Parks Department to manage and care for the historic parks; • City funding was allocated to many major preservation-related projects, such as battlefield parks, Harlinsdale, Creekside, improvements to Fort Granger; • The City passed an Honorary Street Names policy in 2022 for approving honorary designations of public streets. This policy enables the City to recognize individuals and non-profit organizations that demonstrate significant contributions to the community and humanity as part of our ongoing history. CONVENTION AND VISITOR’S BUREAU In the decades following the nation’s first heritage tourism pilot program in the 1990s, Franklin’s heritage tourism leadership continued to expand through the Williamson County Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Franklin), as a nationally recognized model for community engagement and careful planning to welcome visitors. 83
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