This plan was selected as an exceptional example of a preservation plan by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The plan evaluates the current state of historic preservation initiatives in the borough and recommends changes and new initiatives to help insure the protection of the borough’s built environment. The planning process involved an extensive community participation component that included a public work-shop and individual meetings with six active neighborhood associations plus two active friends of parks associations. The project was prepared under the direction of the West Chester Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan Task Force, which included representatives from Borough Council, the Planning Commission, the Historical and Architectural Review Board, and the Business Improvement District.