Local Historic District Application

Local Historic District Application Instructions

Who May Apply:
Requests by the public for the study of properties for Local Historic District (LHD) designation in Arlington County must be accompanied by this completed application form (available online below or in PDF here.) Paper copies of the form are also available at 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 700.

• For single properties (one building, site, structure, object, parcel, or property), requests may be made by any Arlington County resident or property owner.
• For multiple properties, requests may be made by:
  • Civic, Homeowner’s, or Condominium Associations for properties within their own boundaries; or
  • A petition signed by 25% or more of property owners within the proposed study boundary. Each property counts as one vote in the petition (two owners of one property equals one vote).

Filing Requirements and Timeline:
To ensure compliance with application requirements, applicant(s) is required to speak with the Arlington County’s Historic Preservation Program (HPP) staff prior to submittal of the form. Please email hpp@arlingtonva.us to set up a phone call or virtual meeting. The form cannot be submitted prior to this meeting occurring. For questions or assistance, please call 703.228.3838.

This flowchart illustrates the process of designating a Local Historic District, starting with application submission.

Applications for LHD requests can be submitted digitally or physically. If wanting to submit a paper copy, those can be submitted to the HPP in the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development (2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 700) weekdays, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Digital applications can be submitted by email to hpp@arlingtonva.us or by completing the form below. 

All sections of the application form must be completed and are required. If any data is missing, the form will be deemed "incomplete." Upon deeming the form complete, the HPP staff will then notify the applicant(s) that the form has been accepted, and will contact the property owners, if different from the applicant(s).

Timeline:
The HPP staff will notify applicant(s) that the application form has been received. Within 45 days of receipt, the HPP staff will notify the applicant(s) if the form has been deemed "complete" and therefore, is accepted. 

Within 90 days of the acceptance of the application, the Chair of the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB) will schedule a preliminary public hearing to:

1. Review the designation request;
2. Determine if the property potentially meets two of the eleven designation criteria in §11.3.4.A.6 of the Arlington County Zoning Ordinance (ACZO); and
3. Determine if the proposed request should continue through the designation process.

The scheduling of a public hearing does not imply that the request will be approved; rather, it is an indicator that sufficient information has been provided for the HALRB (or the County Board if properties are owned or ground-leased by Arlington Public Schools/APS), to make an initial determination as to if properties warrant additional study. The decision to schedule an item on the HALRB’s public hearing agenda is at the sole discretion of the HALRB Chair.

If the HALRB determines further research should be conducted on the nomination, then the HPP staff will prepare a detailed report that will be presented at a second HALRB public hearing to be scheduled by the HALRB Chair. At that hearing, the HALRB may recommend the nomination be sent forward to the Planning Commission and County Board, or the HALRB may make a finding that ends the nomination process.

Important Reminders:
The LHD designation process is an independent one that can occur simultaneously with other planning processes, such as pending site plans, use permits, planning studies, etc. While these processes can intersect, there is no current procedural requirement that LHD designation studies be completed prior to the finalization of other planning studies. Unless directed by County leadership, HPP staff review LHD designations in the order received.

All communication about the LHD nomination form and process will be with the HPP staff; no direct communication between the HALRB and/or property owner(s) will occur prior to the nomination's preliminary or secondary hearing should the application progress to this stage. 

For properties owned or ground-leased by APS, the County Board has the sole authority to determine whether the properties potentially meet two of the eleven designation criteria in the ACZO and if proposed designations should continue through the designation process. 

Once a LHD application is submitted, it becomes a public document and cannot be returned to the applicant to be updated or changed. When the application is publicly posted, personal information, such as contact information or addresses, will be redacted.

This application is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements.

Please apply by using this PDF or by submitting the form below:

Click here to view form.