Historic Resources Designation

The Historic Landmarks Commission does not review any interior changes.

Only exterior alterations must be reviewed by the HLC and determined to not cause a substantial adverse change in the historical significance of the resource in order to be approved. Additions or alterations are also likely to be approved if they are compatible with the neighborhood, with the existing structure and if essential features that make the structure historically significant are retained.

Historic resources are integral components of the City’s heritage because they are historically or architecturally significant. The Structure of Merit designation status was established to encourage the preservation of our City’s streetscapes and building fabric. Structures of Merit are historically significant, but to a lesser degree than a City Landmark.

The HLC designates a resource a Structure of Merit, whereas the City Council designates a City Landmark. The determining factors of a Structure of Merit designation rather than a City Landmark designation are: the amount of eligibility criteria met, the level of integrity of the historic resource and, the quality or number of resources of this type remaining in the City. Once designated a Structure of Merit, all exterior alterations are under the jurisdiction of the HLC.

Before a project is approved, the Historic Landmarks Commission must determine that one or more of the following findings are applicable to the proposed alteration, relocation, or demolition. Please reference the Historic Resource Design Guidelines for design assistance:

Landmark: Under no circumstances is a City Landmark allowed to be demolished unless there is an unforeseeable act of nature such as earthquake, fire, or other natural disaster. 

Structures of Merit: 

1. The exterior alterations are being made to restore the historic resource to its original appearance or in order to substantially aid its preservation or enhancement as a historic resource; and
2. The exterior alterations are consistent with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.
3. The Structure of Merit has been damaged by an earthquake, fire, or other similar casualty such that its repair or restoration is not reasonably practical or economically feasible and specific measures have been imposed as pre-conditions on the demolition or alterations, which measures mitigate the potential for adverse historic resource impacts resulting from loss of the Structure to a less than significant level or which measures are sufficient to warrant a finding of overriding considerations pursuant to the CEQA.
4. Specific measures have been incorporated into the project scope to mitigate the loss of the Historic Resource to a less than significant level;
5. The Historic Landmarks Commission may require, as conditions of approval of a demolition, that the property owner(s) salvage historic materials from the property and /or provide archival quality photo documentation of the remaining historic materials of the structure, site or feature to the City; Structure of Merit Information
6. Preservation of the historic resource is not economically feasible or practical, or no viable measures could be taken to adaptively use, rehabilitate, or restore the historic resource as supported by substantial evidence provided by at least one qualified historic preservation specialist, structural engineer (qualified in historic preservation), or architect (qualified in historic preservation) sufficient to warrant demolition; or
7. A compelling public interest justifies demolition

Any property listed on the City's Historic Resources Inventory may be eligible to join the list of important designated historic structures contributing to the City’s unique historical and architectural traditions. The City recognizes the excellent stewardship of caring for historic resources and provides benefits and incentives to property owners for designated buildings.

To verify if the Architectural Historian has already performed an historical assessment or to determine if your property is a designated historic resource, check out the City's Historic Treasures interactive map. The Historic Treasures map identifies designated historic properties, and can be searched by address to determine if there is a historic evaluation on file. 

Not all properties in the city have been surveyed to verify if they are historic. If the Historic Treasures map does not have any information about your property, and you have a structure that is 50 years or older, your property must be evaluated in order to identify it as a potential historic resource prior to any proposed addition, alteration, or demolition.