TranslatePrograms and Services
Designation of Historic Landmarks and Districts
Historic Landmarks
The Landmarks Commission:
- evaluates the property and determines whether it is a significant historic resource, and identifies the physical and other characteristics that convey that significance
- makes a recommendation to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors as to whether the property is a significant historic resource and qualifies as an Historic Landmark
More Information: Designation of Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts
Historic Districts
The Landmarks Commission:
- evaluates the group of properties proposed and determines whether they qualify as an Historic District
- proposes the boundary of the Historic District
- identifies the architectural and design characteristics of the properties which need to be preserved
- proposes design guidelines that would apply to new construction in the Historic District
- makes a recommendation to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors on all of the above
More Information: Designation of Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts
Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts
The Landmarks Commission reviews the design of proposed projects and approves, approves with conditions, or denies building permits to:
- repair, alter, or add to the exterior of an existing structure
- construct a new structure
- demolish an existing structure
For discretionary permits (ex: use permits), where there is another decision maker, such as the Board of Zoning Adjustments, the Landmarks Commission’s actions are advisory to the applicable decision maker.
Other Potential Historic Resources – Not Historic Landmarks or in Historic Districts
The Landmarks Commission reviews the design of proposed projects requiring discretionary permits (ex: Use Permits) on referral from the Project Review Planner and makes recommendations to the applicable decision-making body whether to approve, approve with conditions, or deny building permits to:
- repair, alter, or add to the exterior of an existing structure
- construct a new structure
- demolish an existing structure
In such cases, the Landmarks Commission may also recommend rezoning to the Historic District.
More Information: Design Review of Historic Resources
The County no longer offers new grants under the Historic Preservation Grant Program. On April 16, 2019, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors approved changes to the Community Investment Program. The updated program included eliminating funding for several grants, including the Historic Preservation Grant, over the next four fiscal years. For more information about the changes, and other local opportunities for grant funding, please refer to the Community Investment Program.
State and Federal incentives for historic preservation are still available. Visit the California Office of Historic Preservation online for more information.
The Landmarks Commission uses the Historic Resource Inventory as a tool to manage the implementation of the Historic Preservation Program and to prioritize their recommendations for designating eligible historic resources as County Landmarks. Landmarks Commission staff compiles and maintains records on historic resources in the County. The Historic Resource Inventory is an index that corresponds to Historic Resource Surveys and Historic Evaluation Reports on file at Permit Sonoma (PRMD). The Historic Resource Inventory contains records for designated historic resources, resources that are eligible for historic designation, and resources that are potentially eligible but need further evaluation.
More Information: Inventory, Surveys, and Evaluations
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