Columbia, MO Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Review board
- 7-member Historic Preservation Commission
- COA required for
- landmarks and historic district features
- Local historic districts
- 4 currently designated
- Demolition review window
- up to 45 days
Summary
Columbia, Missouri requires a certificate of appropriateness from its 7-member Historic Preservation Commission before altering, removing, or demolishing a designated landmark or historic district feature.
A certificate of appropriateness shall not be required for interior construction or alteration of any structure in a historic district unless the structure has been designated a landmark. A certificate of appropriateness shall be required before the following actions affecting any historic or architectural feature identified in the ordinance placing the property in the HP-O district may be undertaken:(i)Any construction, alteration, removal, or any demolition in whole or in part regardless of whether a permit from the city is required.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
The HP-O historic preservation overlay lets the city council designate individual 'landmarks' or entire 'historic districts', Columbia currently has four local historic districts, including the David Guitar House and the Wright Brothers Mule Barn (now Fay Street Lofts). Once designated, any construction, alteration, removal, or demolition affecting a listed historic or architectural feature needs a certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission, regardless of whether a building permit is otherwise required. Separately, any demolition permit application anywhere in the city, landmark or not, must be routed to the Commission, which gets up to 45 days to object before the permit can issue.
Violations & Fines
Altering or demolishing a designated landmark without a certificate of appropriateness lets the city sue to force restoration of the property to its prior appearance and impose a demolition-without-a-permit fee under Chapter 6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I demolish a historic building in Columbia, Missouri without review?
What happens if I alter a designated Columbia landmark without approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
Compare Columbia to another location·View the Missouri historic preservation overview
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