OSPCD - Historic Preservation

Regulations

If you own a historic property, you’ll have to follow certain rules if you want to make repairs or changes to your home. Preservation planners at the OSPCD can help you with technical information throughout the process. The Historic Preservation Commission also offers advice to homeowners who need help adhering to design standards and other guidelines. Below, you’ll find links to important information that may impact your property:

List of Somerville Local Historic Districts by Address

Demolition Review

• Demolition Review Ordinance | Amendment to the Ordinance (12/8/2022)
• Demolition Review Exempt Area Map

Historic Districts

• Historic District Ordinance
• Minimum Maintenance Standards Ordinance
• Design Guidelines

Forms, Applications, & Instructions

Local Historic Districts

• Application for Proposed Work on a Historic Property
• HPC Application Submission Requirements & Instructions

Demolition of Non-LHD Structures 75 Years of Age or Older

• Application for Demolition Authorization
• HPC Application Submission Requirements & Instructions

Cases & Decisions

Cases & Decisions

Meetings, Agendas, & Minutes

Historic Preservation Commission meetings are generally held on the third Tuesday of each month.

Please see published legal notifications and online agendas at somervillema.gov/events. Agendas are published at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance of the meeting. The meeting dates below are tentative: meetings will only be held if there are items of business on the agenda to be addressed at the meeting, and meetings may be rescheduled or cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

View 2025 Meeting Schedule

View Agendas & Minutes

Historic Preservation Commission

Established in 1985, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission (SHPC) enforces the City's Historic District Ordinance as well as its Demolition Review Ordinance. The Commission has seven regular members and seven alternates. All fourteen (14) members are volunteers from various backgrounds. By Ordinance the regular members must be Somerville residents and include an architectural historian, an architect, a licensed real estate broker, a city planner, a lawyer, and two resident members with a demonstrated commitment to historic preservation. The alternates include a resident of a historic district, a landscape architect, a licensed general contractor or person in the building trades, and a person with a background in any of the above-mentioned categories, and five of the alternates must be Somerville residents. All members of the SHPC are appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council. Members typically serve for three-year terms and can be re-appointed.

Purpose

The SHPC reviews any alterations or repairs to properties in a Local Historic District (LHD) that are visible from a public way and that would result in an irreversible change in the design, materials, or outward appearance of the structure. It also reviews any changes in the general arrangement of the building's features or its architectural details, such as the arrangement of windows or doors. The SHPC does not review cases that involve routine maintenance or replacement of any part of the property using the same design and materials as the original building. The SHPC also does not review cases in which buildings have been destroyed by fire or other disaster, as long as the reconstruction occurs within a year and is substantially similar to the original building in exterior design, type of use, and size. The SHPC offers pro bono professional advice, practical information, and pertinent references about materials and techniques used in historic preservation and restoration, and provides technical assistance throughout design and construction. SHPC has developed specific guidelines to aid historic property owners in making appropriate and sensitive decisions about alterations, additions, and repairs to their properties.