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Pasco, WA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Minimum age
50 years (or exceptional importance)
Consent required
Property owner's consent
District consent threshold
75% of owners
Pre-work approval
Certificate of appropriateness
Pre-demolition approval
Waiver of certificate

Summary

Pasco designates local landmarks through the City of Pasco Register of Historic Resources under PMC 20.15, open to any building, site, object or district at least 50 years old with the owner's consent. Listed properties need a Historic Preservation Commission certificate of appropriateness before any work or demolition.

With owner's consent, any building, structure, site, object, or district may be designated for inclusion in the City of Pasco Register of Historic Resources if it is significantly associated with the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or cultural heritage of the community; if it has integrity; if it is at least 50 years old, or is of lesser age and has exceptional importance; and if it falls in at least one of the following categories.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4837, passed May 4, 2026).

Full Breakdown

010 sets the designation criteria: 'With owner's consent, any building, structure, site, object, or district may be designated for inclusion in the City of Pasco Register of Historic Resources if it is significantly associated with the history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, or cultural heritage of the community; if it has integrity; if it is at least 50 years old, or is of lesser age and has exceptional importance,' and the property must also fall into one of eleven listed categories, from association with significant historical events to being an outstanding work of a noted designer or architect.

30 RCW) before recommending listing to City Council; for historic districts, consent from 75 percent of property owners counts as adequate owner consent. 040 spells out the practical effect of listing: before any work on a register property, other than ordinary repair, maintenance, or defined emergency measures, the owner must obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the Commission, and before whole or partial demolition, the owner must instead obtain a waiver of that certificate. 010 extends this review to any change of use, new construction, reconstruction, alteration, restoration, remodeling, repair, moving or demolition affecting a listed property or a contributing property within a listed historic district, covering all interior and exterior features that contributed to the original designation. 25 PMC.

Violations & Fines

Undertaking work on a register property without first securing a certificate of appropriateness, or demolishing one without the required waiver, is grounds under PMC 20.15.040(2) for the Historic Preservation Commission to review the property for removal from the register; PMC 20.15.030 further allows the Commission to remove a listed property without owner consent if it fails to maintain minimum register standards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old does a building need to be for Pasco's historic register?
Generally at least 50 years old under PMC 20.15.010, though a younger property can qualify if it has exceptional importance and meets one of the criteria such as architectural distinction or association with a significant historic event.
Can the City list my building without my permission?
No. PMC 20.15.010 and 20.15.020 both require the owner's consent for designation to the City of Pasco Register of Historic Resources, and for historic districts the Commission treats consent from 75 percent of property owners as adequate.
What do I need before remodeling a listed Pasco property?
A certificate of appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission under PMC 20.15.040(2), unless the work is ordinary repair, maintenance, or an emergency measure; demolition instead requires a waiver of that certificate under PMC 20.15.040(3).

Sources & Official References

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