Hendersonville, TN Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Enforcing body
- Historic Zoning Commission
- Final designation
- Board of Mayor and Aldermen, by ordinance
- Permit required
- Certificate of Appropriateness
- Illegal demolition penalty
- 5-year building permit hold
- Governing chapter
- Zoning Ordinance Chapter 9, Ord. 2025-19
Summary
Hendersonville's Historic Zoning Commission designates buildings, sites, or structures as historic landmarks under Chapter 9 of the 2025 Zoning Ordinance, then requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before any landmark can be altered, moved, or demolished.
Any demolition of a landmark structure without first securing a Certificate of Appropriateness shall result in the withholding of building permits for the subject property for the period of five years from the date of demolition.
Full Breakdown
The Historic Zoning Commission surveys sites of historic, architectural, or cultural significance and reviews nominations against five criteria, association with a significant event or person, distinctive architecture, archaeological potential, or National Register listing, before recommending designation to the Planning Commission and Board of Mayor and Aldermen, which designates the landmark by ordinance after a public hearing. Once designated, no landmark structure may be demolished, removed, or exteriorly altered without a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Commission; demolishing one without a certificate triggers a five-year hold on building permits for that property.
Violations & Fines
Demolishing a designated landmark without a Certificate of Appropriateness bars new building permits for that property for five years; unauthorized exterior alterations can also be denied a certificate and ordered corrected by the Historic Zoning Commission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I demolish a building in a Hendersonville historic district?
Who decides if a site becomes a historic landmark in Hendersonville?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hendersonville
Compare Hendersonville to another location·View the Tennessee historic preservation overview
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