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Frequently Asked Questions

Is my property a historic resource?
Historic resources are buildings, structures, objects, sites, districts, or cultural landscapes listed in or eligible for listing in the Elk Grove Register of Historic Resources, the California Register of Historical Resources, or the National Register of Historic Places, to include resources identified as cultural, archaeological, or prehistoric resources. Click on the "Historic Resources" tab on the left side of this page to access lists of known historic resources in Elk Grove. The City usually requires developers survey properties over fifty years old that have not been previously evaluated for their eligibility as historic resources when development that may impact them is proposed.
My property is a historic resource. What does that mean?
Congratulations! Your property has lasted through fads, economic downturns, severe weather, and numerous residents. The community has realized what you did when you bought it: your building is truly significant.

Historic resources are essential in helping establish a community’s identity rooted in its shared past. To preserve the ability of your property to communicate its historical significance, the Historic Preservation Ordinance states that all proposed exterior alterations, demolitions, and relocations to/of your property must be reviewed by a board of citizen volunteers: the Historic Preservation Committee. Applications are usually free. Please contact the Planning Department at (916) 478-2265 with questions.
If my property is important to this community, will the community help me preserve it?
Yes! Click on the "Historic Preservation Incentives" tab on the left side of this page to learn more about preservation incentives.
How do you define what is historic?
We all value certain aspects of the past, but everyone does not always agree about what is historic enough to preserve. The Historic Preservation Ordinance lays out a process for determining what is historic but does not specify exactly what is or is not historic.
If I have to “preserve" my property, I assume I cannot make any changes to it. Is that correct?
The term “historic preservation” encompasses a variety of ways to treat historic properties that extend far beyond freezing the appearance of a property. The Historic Preservation Ordinance permits changes to historic resources, provided the changes do not damage the property’s ability to communicate its historical significance to the general public. The ordinance only regulates alterations to the exterior of properties, not the interior.

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