Whittier, CA Historic Preservation: Historic-Cultural Monuments (2026)

050 sets the substantive test the city council applies before designating any property a historic landmark. A resource qualifies automatically if it meets the criteria for listing on the National Register of Historic Places or the California Register of Historical Resources. Absent that, the council may designate a landmark if the resource satisfies at least one of nine local criteria: it is particularly representative of a distinct historical period, type, style, region, or way of life; it is connected with a renowned or important person; it reflects a once-common but now-rare use; it represents the work of a master builder, engineer, designer, artist, or architect whose individual genius influenced their age; it is the site of an important historic event or is associated with events of meaningful contribution to the nation, state, or city; it exemplifies a particular architectural style or the best remaining architectural type of a neighborhood; it embodies outstanding architectural or engineering design, detail, material, or craftsmanship; or it has a unique location, singular characteristic, or established and familiar visual feature of a neighborhood, community, or the city. 100. 050 direct legal teeth over what an owner can change.