Babylon, NY Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval needed
- certificate of appropriateness
- Who approves
- Town Board, on Planning Board review
- Covers
- exterior work, trees, signs, fences
- Designation body
- Historical Preservation Commission, 15 members
Summary
Any exterior change, demolition, or move of a designated Town of Babylon landmark or historic-district property needs a Town Board-approved certificate of appropriateness first.
No person shall undertake any exterior alteration, restoration, reconstruction, demolition, new construction or moving of a landmark or property within an historic district, nor shall any person make any material change in trees or other vegetation, its light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, paving or other exterior elements visible from a public roadway or highway which affect the appearance and cohesiveness of the landmark or historic district, without first obtaining a certificate of appropriateness recommended by the Planning Board and approved by the Town Board.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941158; v66 updated 2026-05-13; through 05-13-2026).
Full Breakdown
Town of Babylon Code § 137-6 requires a certificate of appropriateness, recommended by the Planning Board and approved by the Town Board, before anyone alters, restores, reconstructs, demolishes, moves, or builds on a designated landmark or property inside a historic district. The requirement reaches trees, vegetation, light fixtures, signs, sidewalks, fences, steps, and paving visible from a public road. Designation itself runs through the 15-member Historical Preservation Commission and Planning Board under § 137-4, which weighs a property's historic, architectural, or cultural significance before the Town Board amends the zoning map to protect it.
Violations & Fines
No building permit may issue for landmark work until the certificate of appropriateness is approved by the Town Board; proceeding without one is enforced as unpermitted construction under the Town's code.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to change the exterior of a historic property in the Town of Babylon?
How does a property get designated a Town of Babylon landmark?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Babylon
New York rules heatmap·Compare Babylon to another location·View the New York historic preservation overview
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Historic-Cultural Monuments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Suffolk County handle historic-cultural monuments.