Salt Lake City, UT Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)
Key Facts
- Designating body
- Historic Landmark Commission + City Council
- Core standard
- City Code § 21A.51.040
- Permit required
- Certificate of appropriateness, § 21A.34.020
- Landmark demolition fine
- $500 per day
Summary
Salt Lake City designates landmark sites and historic districts through the Historic Landmark Commission using criteria tied to local, state, or national historic, architectural, or cultural significance.
Significance in local, regional, state or national history, architecture, engineering or culture... Historic integrity in terms of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association... The designation would be in the overall public interest.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 40-26, passed June 16, 2026).
Full Breakdown
To designate a property as a landmark site, the Historic Landmark Commission and City Council must find it meets standards in City Code § 21A.51.040, including significance in local, regional, state, or national history, architecture, engineering, or culture, plus historic integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. Once designated, exterior work on the site requires a certificate of appropriateness under § 21A.34.020 before any permit issues.
Violations & Fines
Demolishing or altering a landmark site without a certificate of appropriateness draws a $500-per-day civil fine under § 21A.20.040.C once the citation deadline passes; ordinary certificate-of-appropriateness violations run $50/day, contributing-structure demolition $250/day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a property eligible as a Salt Lake City landmark site?
Can I alter a designated landmark site without city approval?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake City
Compare Salt Lake City to another location·View the Utah historic preservation overview
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Historic-Cultural Monuments in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Salt Lake County handle historic-cultural monuments.