The League’s Commission Partners training program was developed to provide local historic preservation commissions with the legal expertise and training necessary to make and administer informed decisions with regard to the local landmarking of historic structures and sites. This program will provide commission members and other town officials and departmental staff with on-site training and legal services specific to the implementation of your local historic preservation ordinance.            Commission Partners provides the following training and services which are delivered by Preservation League attorneys, staff, and consultants at local workshops. The contents of each training session are tailored to meet the particular needs of your local ordinance, commission, and architectural history, and covers such topics as:    Understanding your local ordinance: A section-by-section walk through of your local preservation ordinance, explaining the legal background, terminology and administrative procedures required of the commission to enact local historic preservation law.    Designating local landmarks and historic districts: A presentation of the criteria and evidence that must be used to determine which properties are worthy of historic designation, as well as instructions on handling controversies or misconceptions that can arise with such designations or local administrative review.    Making legally sound decisions: Instruction in the administration and recording of procedures that must be followed to assure that the commission’s decisions are enforceable and will withstand potential legal challenges.    Design review: Details of basic design review principles for historic architectural styles to provide your commission with a working knowledge of the character-giving features of your community’s historic buildings, as well as instructions for how the commission evaluates if proposed physical alterations are appropriate.    This community-tailored training is provided on a fee-for-service basis. Please call Daniel Mackay, Director of Public Policy, to discuss fees and potential scheduling. These training services are eligible to be covered by grants through the Certified Local Government (CLG) program for eligible communities. For more information about the CLG program, link to: http://nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/certified/index.htm.