Clayton County, GA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Sec. 74-53(c)(1) sets four alternative qualifying grounds for landmark status: the property is an outstanding example of a building, structure, object, or work of art representative of its era; it is one of the few remaining examples of a past architectural style; it is associated with an event or person of historic or cultural significance to the county, state, or region; or it is a site of natural or aesthetic interest that continues to contribute to the area's cultural or historical development. Only one ground needs to apply.

A historical society, property owner, or the Board of Commissioners can apply to the seven-member Historic Preservation Commission for the designation (Sec. 74-53(d)(1)(b)), which is administered by the Clayton County Planning Department. The Commission must hold a public hearing, recommend approval, conditional approval, or denial to the Board of Commissioners, and notify the state Historic Preservation Office of the Department of Natural Resources before the Board's own hearing, giving that office 30 days to comment (Sec. 74-53(d)(6)). Notice of the hearings runs in the county's legal organ or a newspaper of general circulation for at least three consecutive issues, published 10 to 20 days before the hearing, and owners get individual mailed notice.

Once designated, the property is shown on the official zoning map, and owners get 30 days' written notice after adoption that a certificate of appropriateness will be required before any material exterior change (Sec. 74-53(d)(8)). While a designation ordinance is pending, the Commission can delay any alteration or demolition application for up to 60 days (Sec. 74-53(d)(10)).