Karana Hattersley-Drayton Retires as Historic Preservation Project Manager
In December 2016, City of Fresno Historic Preservation Project Manager Karana Hattersley-Drayton announced that she was retiring from that position after more than fourteen years. Hattersley-Drayton took the position in 2002, and served in that role longer than any other person in the history of Fresno. Before coming to the City of Fresno, she was an Associate Planner/Architectural Historian for Caltrans District 6.
Among the noteworthy accomplishments of Hattersley-Drayton's tenure were:
- Organizing the 2008 Vernacular Architecture Forum Conference in Fresno, and publishing an interpretative book for the event that won a Governor's Historic Preservation Award.
- Spearheading the Fresno Green Incentive Building program and Public Act Incentives
- Writing the Historic and Cultural Resource Element of the General Plan, which was adopted in 2014
- The creation of official historic districts for Chandler Field/Fresno Municipal Airport, Huntington Boulevard, and the Wilson Island.
- Designation of several dozen individual properties to Fresno's Local Register of Historic Resources
- Creation of numerous historic context documents and surveys
- Coordination of many special events, including six "Bike Through History" rides and the Mayoral Historic Preservation Awards
Hattersley-Drayton's accomplishments as Historic Preservation Project Manager were wide-ranging and significant. Her tireless promotion of preservation initiatives in Fresno significantly raised public understanding and support for historic preservation, and she left Fresno's historic preservation programs in a much stronger condition than they had been in 2002. We offer our heart-felt thanks to Karana and wish her well in her ongoing endeavors.