Austin Planning

Austin Planning

Historic Landmark Commission

The Historic Landmark Commission encourages and supports historic preservation in Austin. The Commission’s duties are to:

  • Promote historic preservation activities in Austin
  • Review applications for historic zoning cases
  • Review certificates of appropriateness and tax exemption applications for city landmarks
  • Review project applications

For meeting documents, members, and more, see the Historic Landmark Commission Boards and Commissions page.

Application Deadlines

Historic Landmark Commission 2026 Meeting Dates & Deadlines

Fees for the Historic Landmark Commission must be paid in full prior to the fee deadline to be placed on the agenda for the corresponding HLC meeting.

Application DeadlineFee DeadlineMeeting Date
Friday, December 12, 2025Thursday, December 18, 2025Wednesday, January 7, 2026
Friday, January 9, 2026Thursday, January 15, 2026Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Friday, February 6, 2026Thursday, February 12, 2026Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Friday, March 6, 2026Thursday, March 12, 2026Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Friday, April 10, 2026Thursday, April 16, 2026Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Friday, May 8, 2026Thursday, May 14, 2026Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Friday, June 5, 2026Thursday, June 11, 2026Wednesday, July 1, 2026
Friday, July 10, 2026Thursday, July 16, 2026Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Friday, August 7, 2026Thursday, August 13, 2026Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Friday, September 11, 2026Thursday, September 17, 2026Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Friday, October 9, 2026Thursday, October 15, 2026Wednesday, November 4, 2026
Friday, November 6, 2026Thursday, November 12, 2026Wednesday, December 2, 2026

 

Historic Landmark Commission FAQs

    My property/project was referred to the Historic Landmark Commission. What does that mean?

    If your project has been referred to the Historic Landmark Commission, first see which category best fits your situation:

    1. Designated historic properties: historic landmarks, historic districts, National Register historic districts
    2. Properties that are more than 45 years old and not designated as historic

    Designated Historic Properties

    If you own a historic property and want to make exterior changes, you must submit a Historic Review Application online through Austin Build + Connect. At the next available Historic Landmark Commission meeting, the Commission will discuss your application and determine whether it complies with the applicable historic design standards. For more information on the historic review process and what historic design standards to use for your project, visit the Historic Review page.

    There are several potential outcomes from this meeting:

    • The Commission approves the application and releases the permit.*
    • The Commission postpones the application to its next meeting.
    • The Commission refers the applicant to the Architectural Review Committee to provide more detailed guidance.
    • The Commission denies the application.

    *If the Commission approves a demolition application, the applicant typically is required to submit a documentation package for the permit to be released. See What is a documentation package? below.

    Non-Designated 45+ Year-Old Properties

    If you own a 45+ year-old property and are applying to make exterior changes, relocate, or demolish the building, the Historic Preservation Office will review your application. If the property may meet the criteria for historic landmark designation, staff refer the application to the Historic Landmark Commission for review.

    If the Commission determines that the property does not meet the criteria for historic landmark designation, it releases the permit. If the Commission determines that the property does meet the criteria for historic designation, it initiates historic zoning. At a subsequent meeting, the Commission decides whether to recommend historic zoning to the land use commission (Planning Commission or Zoning and Platting Commission) and City Council. If the Commission decides not to recommend historic zoning or takes no action, the original permit application is released. If the Commission recommends historic zoning, the application proceeds to public hearings of the land use commission and City Council. City Council makes the final determination to designate the property or deny historic zoning.

    I received a letter about a Historic Landmark Commission hearing. What happens next?

    Certain types of applications require a public hearing before the Historic Landmark Commission: applications for historic landmark or historic district designation (a rezoning process), applications for Certificates of Appropriateness, applications for demolitions and building permits in National Register historic districts, and applications impacting properties that have been identified as potential historic landmarks.

    When one of these applications is scheduled for a public hearing before the Historic Landmark Commission, City code requires that the following groups are notified:

    • All property owners within 500 feet
    • People who have a City utility service address within 500 feet
    • Registered environmental or neighborhood organizations whose declared boundaries are within 500 feet

    Applicants and/or their agent(s) are expected to attend Historic Landmark Commission meetings, but attendance is optional for members of the public. If you do attend, you can speak for or against the proposed application. During a public hearing, the Commission may recommend approval or denial, or postpone an application’s hearing to a later date. If the Commission announces a specific date and time for a postponement that is not later than 60 days from the announcement, no further public notice is required.

    To provide input on the proposed application, you can:

    • Provide comments by email: Email comments to preservation@austintexas.gov and include the Historic Landmark Commission, the date of the public hearing, and the case number and contact person listed on the notice. This method is recommended over mail for timing purposes.
    • Provide comments by mail: Use the comment form provided in the notification letter and mail it back to the listed address.
    • Attend the Historic Landmark Commission meeting: You may 1) attend virtually by registering to speak in advance and viewing the meeting online or 2) attend in person (see question below for more details).
    When and where are Historic Landmark Commission meetings held?

    The Historic Landmark Commission typically holds meetings on the first Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall (301 W. 2nd Street). Parking in the City Hall garage is validated at the meeting.

    Some exceptions to the date and time of a meeting may apply for holidays and special called meetings. Please check the Historic Landmark Commission website to confirm the date and location. The meeting agenda is posted three business days before the day of the meeting.

    Do I need to attend?

    If you are the applicant, either you or your agent should attend the Commission meeting in case the Commission has a discussion on the application or has questions about the application. If no one is present to answer questions, the Commission may postpone your case.

    If you are a member of the public who has received a public hearing notification, you are not required to attend the Commission meeting. If you do attend — virtually or in person — you have the opportunity to speak for or against the proposed application.

    How do I sign up to speak at a Historic Landmark Commission meeting?

    Everyone who wishes to address the Commission must register to speak. People may speak at the meeting by phone or in person.

    • Phone registration: You must register to speak by phone by 12 p.m. the day before the meeting. The registration form will open when the meeting agenda is posted (three business days before the day of the meeting). Dial-in information will be provided after the deadline and prior to the meeting. Register to speak by phone. 

    • In-person registration: You must register to speak in person by 5:45 p.m. the day of the meeting. Speakers are encouraged to register in advance — the registration form will open when the meeting agenda is posted (three business days before the day of the meeting). 

    You may only register to speak on an item once. You will be allowed up to three minutes to provide comments. Please email presentations and handouts to preservation@austintexas.gov by 12 p.m. the day before the meeting.

    What does it mean if my case is on the consent agenda?

    Staff prepares the agenda for the meeting. Commission members may request that a case be removed from the consent agenda for a full public hearing. If the case remains on the consent agenda, there will be no formal public hearing and the Commission will approve the application along with any conditions recommended by staff. Conditions may include the preparation of a documentation package of the existing building, particularly if the application is for demolition.

    What is the hearing procedure for a regular agenda item?

    1. The Commission Chair announces the agenda item.

    2. Staff presents a summary of the case and the staff recommendation.

    3. The applicant or their agent speaks for up to 5 minutes. Then, people supporting the application speak for up to 3 minutes each. Each speaker should present new information rather than repeating information already presented by another. No time may be donated.

    4. People opposing the application have an opportunity to speak for up to 3 minutes each. Each opposing speaker should present new information, and no time may be donated.

    5. The applicant or their agent may rebut information presented by the opposition for up to 3 minutes.

    6. The Commission closes the public hearing through a formal motion and vote.

    7. The Commission discusses the application. Commissioners may ask questions of staff or a speaker at this time.

    8. The outcome depends on the type of case:

      1. For cases regarding historic landmarks or in local historic districts: The Commission votes to approve, deny, or postpone the application.
      2. For cases in National Register historic districts: The Commission votes to comment on and release the application, postpone the application, or initiate historic zoning.
      3. For 45+ year-old properties without historic designation: The Commission votes to release the application or initiate historic zoning.
      4. For 45+ year-old properties where historic zoning was previously initiated: The Commission votes to recommend historic zoning or release the application.
      5. For historic landmark or historic district applications: The Commission votes to recommend historic zoning or deny the application.
    Do I need to have a formal presentation?

    You are not required to have a presentation as an applicant or member of the public. However, you are welcome to submit a slideshow presentation in advance or bring physical handouts/displays. Many prefer to speak without visual aids. If you do choose to present, you must email the presentation to preservation@austintexas.gov by 12 p.m. the day before the meeting. We will not accept a flash drive at the meeting.

    How long can the Commission postpone a case?

    In most situations, a case can be postponed for up to 75 days from the date it first appears on the agenda. Applications to demolish a contributing building in a National Register historic district or pending local historic district can be postponed for up to 180 days from the date they first appear on the agenda.

    What happens if my property is identified as a potential historic landmark when I apply for demolition or relocation?

    If the Commission finds that a building proposed for demolition or relocation has possible historical, architectural, and/or other significance, it may initiate a historic zoning case for landmark designation. Initiation provides staff, the applicant, and the Commission time to compile information to make an informed decision about the case. No new public notice will be sent upon the initiation of a historic zoning case.

    After a historic zoning case has been initiated, staff places the case on the Commission’s next meeting agenda for a recommendation. At that meeting, the Commission decides to recommend or not recommend a property for historic landmark designation, based on the historic landmark designation criteria.

    Possible outcomes:

    • If the Historic Landmark Commission does not recommend historic landmark zoning, the permit will be released, generally upon submittal of a documentation package.

    • If the Commission does recommend the property as a historic landmark, the case will proceed to the appropriate land use commission (Planning Commission or Zoning and Platting Commission) for a recommendation, and then finally to the City Council for a final decision on the zoning change.

    Note: When a property owner files a valid petition opposing historic zoning, the case must be supported by a supermajority (at least 9 members) of both the Historic Landmark Commission and City Council.

    What happens after my case is approved?

    When the Commission approves a case involving building plans, city staff will email the applicant stamped approval of the plans within 3 business days of the meeting. The applicant will need to submit these materials to the Development Services Department with other documentation to obtain the requested permit. If the Commission approves a proposal with conditions, those conditions must be met before staff will release the permit. Any changes to the plans once approved by the Commission or by staff must be re-submitted to staff for either administrative approval or another review by the Historic Landmark Commission. No field changes are allowed without historic review.

    What is a documentation package?

    If the Historic Landmark Commission approves a demolition application, the applicant is typically required to submit a documentation package. The documentation package requirements are as follows:

    1. 8 x 10” photos of each elevation of every structure being demolished. The photos must be printed on photographic paper. Label the back of each photo in pencil with the date of the photograph, the address of the structure, and the directional elevation (north, south, east, west).
    2. An 8.5 x 11” dimensioned site plan survey of the property.
    3. A dimensioned sketch of the floor plan of every structure being demolished (optional).
    4. The occupancy history. This can be printed from the staff report on the Historic Landmark Commission page.