Santa Clara County, CA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum age
- 50 years
- Approval by
- Board of Supervisors resolution
- Alteration/demolition requires
- landmark alteration permit
- Owner consent
- required before designation
Summary
Historic and architecturally significant properties in unincorporated Santa Clara County can be designated county 'landmarks' if they are 50 years or older, retain historic integrity, and meet at least one significance criterion set by the Board of Supervisors.
For the purposes of this Chapter, the Board of Supervisors may designate those historic resources as "landmarks" which meet the following designation criteria: A. Fifty years or older...B. Retains historic integrity...C. Meets one or more of the following criteria of significance: 1. Associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of local or regional history, or the cultural heritage of California or the United States...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 65).
Full Breakdown
The County of Santa Clara designates buildings, structures, objects, and sites as 'landmarks', its version of a cultural or historic monument, through the Historical Heritage Commission and Board of Supervisors. To qualify, a resource generally must be 50 years or older, retain its historic integrity, and be tied to significant events or people, embody a distinctive architectural type or a master's work, or hold research value for local or state history. Owner consent is required before designation, and once listed, any exterior alteration or demolition needs a landmark alteration permit and can be denied.
Violations & Fines
Altering or demolishing a designated landmark without a landmark alteration permit violates the ordinance; the County can require compliance with Secretary of the Interior preservation standards or deny the work outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the county designate my property as a landmark without my consent?
What happens if I want to alter a designated landmark?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara County to another location·View the California historic preservation overview
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