Pawtucket, RI Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

L. 1, and establishes the Historic District Commission (HDC) to administer them. Under § 410-36B, before a property owner may authorize construction, alteration, repair, removal, or demolition affecting the exterior of a structure or its appurtenances in a designated district, including any window replacement, the owner must obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the HDC, and the Director of Zoning and Code Enforcement cannot issue a building permit until that certificate issues. The Commission reviews only exterior features, weighing the historical and architectural significance of the structure, how it contributes to the district, and whether the proposed design, materials, and siting are appropriate, using the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation as its primary guide.

Section 410-37B(1) defines a 'significant historic building' as one at least 50 years old that is listed on, or eligible for, the National Register of Historic Places, is a designated landmark, sits in the local historic district, or is found by a Commission majority to be importantly associated with a historic person, event, or architectural style. Once the HDC determines within 30 days that a demolition application involves a significant historic building, § 410-37E(3) blocks the Director from issuing a demolition permit for six months from the application date, unless the owner shows a documented, unsuccessful good-faith effort to sell the building to a buyer willing to preserve it. The Commission must act on any application within 45 days, extendable to 90 days for complex cases, or the application is deemed approved.