Park City wants to preserve architectural elements of the town's transition from a ghost former mining town into a ski town by preserving several of the town's emblematic A-frame homes built in the '60s and '70s. Structures that have been around for fewer than fifty years are not subject to historic preservation guidelines, but Park City is hurrying along its consideration of A-frames since there are applications into the Planning Department to demolish two of them in town. The city is planning a very military-sounding "Reconnaissance Level Survey" of the 158 A-frames built in town during the '60s, and would determine which of the 158 would qualify for "protection," although none will be available for "preservation." We can only assume the difference between terms is that between providing an armed guard for a given historic building versus slapping a National Register of Historic Places plaque on it.
However, the Park Record did find out that City Councilor Alex Butwinski was aware that some people (with good taste) do not care for the aesthetics of an A-frame, but who are we to tell you what kind of buildings are ugly?* Park City now hopes to follow in the footsteps of ski towns like Aspen, which have historic structures and most other structures wrapped up in so much red tape they look like presents, and who have done a dutiful job of preserving their "ski era architecture."
· City Council considering A-Frame house preservation [Park Record]
*Ed's note: A-frames are extremely ugly.