Historic Preservation Design Review
The Landmarks Preservation Commission reviews projects for historic compatibility at its regular public meetings, and, if the work meets the standards for historic treatment, issues a certificate of approval. In general, any exterior work on City Landmarks that is visible from public rights of way requires design review. In the North Slope Historic District, exterior changes that require building permits also require design review.
Historic design review is conducted using the online Accela platform, which offers a number of efficiencies including online permit applications, online payment processing, and permit tracking throughout the entire process.
About Historic Design Review
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Design review is a required part of the permitting process for projects involving properties listed on the Tacoma Register of Historic Places, including buildings within locally designated historic districts. Many simple projects take two to four weeks for the Commission to review from the point of application. More complex projects can require several meetings, including informational briefings during design development.
Review the Standards and Guidelines for Historic Buildings
The Landmarks Preservation Commission reviews projects according to a set of standards, which include design guidelines for historic districts and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. In some cases, pre-application meetings or Commission briefings are beneficial for larger or more complex projects.
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For information or technical assistance pre-register for a Tacoma Permits account, visit tacomapermits.org, email TacomaPermits@tacoma.gov or call (253) 591-5030.
Submit Your Plans for Preliminary Review
By submitting your plans through the Accela permitting system you are ensuring your application will be reviewed for applicable codes and avoids delays. Generally, variances and conditional use permits must be obtained prior to Landmarks Commission review.
Submit Your Plans to the Historic Preservation Office
Plans should be submitted electronically through the Accela portal. If you have any questions about the submittal requirements, please contact us by phone or email (see below).
Fee Schedule – Commercial Projects
Fee Schedule – Residential Projects
Scheduling
Once your application is received, staff will review it for completeness and schedule it for the next available agenda. The Landmarks Commission generally meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Applications must be complete two weeks in advance of the desired meeting date. You will be notified when your application has been scheduled for review.
Present Your Application to the Commission
It is highly recommended that applicant be present to respond to questions or recommendations from the Commission.
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Apply for Permits
Once the Commission has granted approval, you may obtain permits. In some cases, land use review or plans review may occur concurrently with the historic design review process.
Applications for Design Review
Standards for Historic Projects
The Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission uses several sets of standards and guidelines to evaluate the appropriateness of proposed changes to historic buildings.
In general, these guidelines are intended to prevent the removal or destruction of historically important architectural elements and materials, to ensure that additions are compatible with the character of a historic property, and to ensure that alterations are reversible should a future restoration seek to undo the alterations.
The guidelines include:
- Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
- National Park Service’s Preservation Briefs
- Historic District Design Guidelines for Individual Historic and Conservation Districts
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings
First published in 1976 by the National Park Service, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings are the primary basis for reviewing changes to historic properties.
The Standards are to be applied to specific rehabilitation projects in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.
- A property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment.
- The historic character of a property shall be retained and preserved. The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.
- Each property shall be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or architectural elements from other buildings, shall not be undertaken.
- Most properties change over time. Those changes that have acquired historic significance in their own right shall be retained and preserved.
- Distinctive features, finishes and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property shall be preserved.
- Deteriorated historic features shall be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features shall be substantiated by documentary, physical, or pictorial evidence.
- Chemical or physical treatments, such as sandblasting that cause damage to historic materials shall not be used. The surface cleaning of structures, if appropriate, shall be undertaken using the gentlest means possible.
- Significant archaeological resources affected by a project shall be protected and preserved. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures shall be undertaken.
- New additions, exterior alterations or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment.
- New additions and adjacent or related new construction shall be undertaken in such a manner that if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.
For illustrated examples of the application of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, please visit The National Park Service interactive rehab yes/no learning program.
Preservation Briefs
Explore numerous Preservation Briefs (PBs) provided by the National Park Service. The briefs are easy-to-read reports that provide guidance for preserving, rehabilitating, and restoring historic buildings.