Santa Clara County maintains a Heritage Resource Inventory under SCC Ordinance NS-1200.27. Landmarked properties receive county Historical Heritage Commission review before alteration, demolition, or relocation, and qualify for state Mills Act tax relief.
Designation as a county Heritage Resource follows SCC Ordinance NS-1200.27 and the County General Plan policy framework. The Historical Heritage Commission, an eleven-member advisory body, reviews nominations using criteria modeled on the National Register: architectural merit, association with significant events, embodiment of distinctive characteristics, or potential to yield archaeological information. Listed resources require commission concurrence on demolition permits and major exterior alterations under Title C zoning rules. Designation also unlocks Mills Act contracts, the State Historical Building Code, and CEQA categorical exemption for in-kind repairs. Non-designated properties on the Heritage Resource Inventory still trigger CEQA review when demolition is proposed.
Demolishing or altering a designated heritage resource without commission review triggers stop-work orders, mandatory restoration, CEQA enforcement actions, and administrative fines compounding daily until the violation is cured.
Santa Clara County, CA
Demolition of a designated Santa Clara County heritage resource triggers full CEQA review and a Heritage Commission stay of up to 180 days. Loss of historic ...
Santa Clara County, CA
Santa Clara County has no countywide HPOZ. A handful of cities run their own heritage districts, including Mountain View's Whisman and Old Mountain View, plu...
Santa Clara County, CA
California Government Code §50280 lets local governments grant property tax reductions to owners of designated historic properties who sign ten-year preserva...
See how Santa Clara County's historic-cultural monuments rules stack up against other locations.
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