Las Vegas, NV Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

150 creates the HD-O Historic Designation Overlay District and, under Subsection (C), establishes the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission (HPC), which acts in an advisory capacity to the Planning Commission and City Council on designation and has final authority over other preservation decisions, appealable to the City Council. Subsection (I)(1) sets the designation criteria: a landmark, district, site, building, structure or object can be listed on the City's Historic Property Register if it demonstrates exceptional historical significance by either meeting the criteria for the State or National Register of Historic Places, or being of exceptional local significance where a significant portion is at least 40 years old, it reflects the City's cultural, social, political or economic past, and it is either associated with a person or event significant in local, state or national history or represents an established, familiar visual feature of an area because of its location or singular appearance.

Under Paragraph (2), a property can be elevated to the higher status of Historic Landmark if it meets both of those criteria and a significant portion is at least 50 years old. Applications require a pre-application conference with the Historic Preservation Officer, are made on City forms with a fee, and once a district, site or object is designated it is marked with an 'H' symbol on the Official Zoning Map, and any alteration, demolition or removal requires HPC or, for minor work, Historic Preservation Officer approval before a building permit can issue.