Roswell, GA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Minor COA decision
- 10 working days after complete application
- Major COA hearing
- 45 calendar days, silence means approval
- Certificate validity
- 1 year, up to two extensions
- Appeal deadline
- 30 calendar days to City Council
- District/landmark notice
- Published 3 times, mailed 10-20 days ahead
- State review
- GA DNR gets 30 days to comment
Summary
Roswell's Historic Preservation Commission designates local historic landmarks and administers Certificate of Appropriateness review for the city's Historic Overlay District (-HOD) under UDC Article 13.7. A property qualifies as a landmark only if it meets two or more statutory criteria tied to architectural, historic or cultural significance to Roswell, Fulton County, Georgia or the region. No Land Disturbance Permit or Building Permit can issue on a -HOD or landmark property without an approved Certificate of Appropriateness.
The historical and architectural heritage of Roswell is among its most valued and important assets. The purpose of historic review is to safeguard the heritage of Roswell by preserving the City's historic and architecturally worthy properties, areas, buildings, structures, monuments, streetscapes, squares and neighborhoods. ... A local historic landmark is a historic resource that must meets two or more of the following criteria: i. It is an outstanding example of a building, structure, site or object representative of its era; ii. It is one of the few remaining examples of past architectural style; iii. It is a place or structure associated with an event or persons of historic or cultural significance to the City of Roswell, State or Georgia, or the region; or iv. It is the site of natural or aesthetic interest that is continuing to contribute to the cultural or historical development and heritage of the municipality, county, state or region.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 17 | Unified Development Code: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Historic Review applies to every property inside the -HOD and to any individually designated Historic Landmark located outside it (UDC § 13.7.2(A)). It covers new construction and any activity requiring a building permit, building additions, parking lot and site expansions, and tree removal, land disturbance or grading work reviewed under § 13.8; ordinary maintenance that does not change a building's design, material or outer appearance is excluded (§ 13.7.2(E)). Two tracks exist: a Minor Certificate of Appropriateness, approved administratively by the Zoning Director for changes such as windows, roofs, fences, gates, HVAC, exterior lighting and siding (§ 13.7.4), and a Major Certificate of Appropriateness for everything else, decided by the Historic Preservation Commission after a public hearing (§ 13.7.5, § 13.7.10).
A Minor Certificate gets a decision within 10 working days of a complete application; a Major Certificate must be approved or rejected within 45 calendar days, and Commission inaction for 45 days is deemed approval (§ 13.7.9(C), § 13.7.10(B)). An approved Certificate expires 1 year after issuance unless a Land Disturbance or Building Permit application is filed, and the Commission can grant up to two extensions (§ 13.7.14). To designate a new local historic landmark, the property owner, the Historic Preservation Commission, or Mayor and Council files an application describing the property, listing its owners, and explaining how it meets the designation criteria, supported by photos and a current survey (§ 13.7.18(C)).
The Historic Preservation Commission investigates and holds a public hearing, and the staff report goes to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Historic Preservation Division, which has 30 days to comment before Mayor and Council acts on the designation (§ 13.7.18(F)). Expanding the -HOD boundary or creating a new, non-contiguous historic district follows the same criteria and requires notice published three times in the city's paper of general circulation, mailed 10 to 20 days before the hearing (§ 13.7.17(D)). Where strict application of these rules works an undue hardship not of the owner's own making, the Historic Preservation Commission may vary or modify the standard while keeping the property's historic character intact (§ 13.7.16).
Violations & Fines
No Land Disturbance Permit or Building Permit may be issued on -HOD or landmark property without a prior, approved Certificate of Appropriateness (§ 13.7.2(B)(4)); work that proceeds without one is treated as unpermitted construction and can be halted through normal building-permit enforcement. A denied Major Certificate is issued in writing with the Commission's reasons, and the applicant may appeal to the Roswell City Council within 30 calendar days, with further appeal to the Superior Court of Fulton County under O.C.G.A. § 44-10-28 (§ 13.7.15).
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifies a property as a Roswell historic landmark?
Can I start construction before my Certificate of Appropriateness is approved?
How long does Historic Preservation Commission review take?
What happens if the Historic Preservation Commission denies my application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Roswell
Compare Roswell to another location·View the Georgia historic preservation overview
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Historic-Cultural Monuments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Fulton County handle historic-cultural monuments.