State explains how to designate a building as an historic landmark

Takes 90 days to begin process

Local agencies, private groups and citizens can “identify, evaluate, register and protect California’s historical resources.”

By Allen D. Payton

In response to the sale of the historic El Campanil Theatre in Antioch’s downtown Rivertown, it was revealed that it is not yet designated an historic building by either the state or federal governments. Last year and earlier this year, District 4 Councilwoman Monica Wilson requested to be placed on a meeting agenda having the City look into how to preserve it as an historic site and members of the public have recently made the same request. (See related article, specifically the paragraphs below the sub-headline entitled, “One Councilmember Made Requests to Agendize Protection, But Not Purchase of El Campanil Theatre”).

A simple internet search produced the following: for state designation, the building must meet certain criteria, the owner must not object, the clerk of the local government agency must be notified 90 days prior to submitting the nomination package to the California Office of Historic Preservation – which can now be done electronically as of September 1, 2026; be recommended by the CA Historical Resources Commission; and be officially designated by the Director of California State Parks.

According to the California Historical Landmarks Registration page of the state Department of Parks and Recreation’s website, “California Historical Landmarks are sites, buildings, features, or events that are of statewide significance and have anthropological, cultural, military, political, architectural, economic, scientific or technical, religious, experimental, or other value. The specific standards now in use were first applied in the designation of Landmark # 770.  California Historical Landmarks #770 and above are automatically listed in the California Register of Historical Resources.

According to that page, “The State Historical Resources Commission has designed this program for use by state and local agencies, private groups and citizens to identify, evaluate, register and protect California’s historical resources.”

California Historical Landmarks (Landmarks) have statewide significance and California Points of Historical Interest (Points) are of local (city or county) significance.

To be designated as a California Historical Landmark, a resource must meet at least one of the criteria listed below; have the approval of the property owner(s); be recommended by the State Historical Resources Commission; and be officially designated by the Director of California State Parks.

If a site is primarily of local interest, it may meet the criteria for the California Points of Historical Interest Program.

Criteria for Designation

• Is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of California’s history and cultural heritage (Criterion 1).
• Is associated with the lives of persons important in our past (Criterion 2).
• Embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, region, or method of construction, or represents the work of an important creative individual, or possesses high artistic values (Criterion 3).
• Has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history (Criterion 4).

According to “the California Historical Building Code (CHBC), which is defined in Sections 18950 to 18961 of Division 13, Part 2.7 of Health and Safety Code (H&SC). The CHBC is intended to save California’s architectural heritage by recognizing the unique construction issues inherent in maintaining and adaptively reusing historic buildings. The CHBC provides alternative building regulations for permitting repairs, alterations and additions necessary for the preservation, rehabilitation, relocation, related construction, change of use, or continued use of a ‘qualified historical building or structure.’”

Furthermore, according to the Office of Historic Preservation,  “Section 18955 of the Health and Safety Code defines a ‘qualified historical building or structure’ as ‘any structure or property, collection of structures, and their associated sites deemed of importance to the history, architecture, or culture of an area by an appropriate local or state governmental jurisdiction. This shall include structures on existing or future national, state or local historical registers or official inventories, such as the National Register of Historic Places, State Historical Landmarks, State Points of Historical Interest, and city or county registers or inventories of historical or architecturally significant sites, places, historic districts, or landmarks. This shall also include places, locations, or sites identified on these historical registers or official inventories and deemed of importance to the history, architecture, or culture of an area by an appropriate local or state governmental jurisdiction.’”

The Technical Assistance Series #13 report by the California Office of Historic Preservation in the Department of Parks and Recreation, “describes the criteria and procedures for nominating a historical resource under two of the state registration programs: California Historical Landmarks (Landmarks), and California Points of Historical Interest (Points).”

STATE REGISTRATION

How to Nominate a Property as a California Historical Landmark or California Point of Historical Interest

1. Download the Nomination Packet, including all appropriate DPR 523 forms. Only use the DPR 523 Forms that are applicable to the nominated resource (generally, one DPR 523A, one DPR 523B, and, if needed, the DPR 523L Continuation Sheet) If you need assistance, contact Registration Unit staff.
2. Complete application, including all necessary supplemental forms, according to instructions. If you need assistance, contact Registration Unit staff. Note: Applicants are no longer required to submit 35mm slides as part of California Register nominations. You may follow the National Park Service Photo Policy for photos included with the DPR forms.
3. Notify the clerk of the local government in whose jurisdiction the resource is located by certified mail that an application will be filed with the OHP and request that the local government provide written comments within 90 days. The notification must include a copy of the application.
4. At the end of the 90 days, you may submit the completed application and any comments to the OHP.
5. OHP staff will send notification to the property owner (if the applicant is not the property owner) and ensure that the nomination packet is complete. Please include the Property Owners Excel Template.

How to submit a Nomination to the OHP:

As of September 1, 2026, nominations and supporting documents can be submitted to the OHP electronically. The OHP will provide each applicant with a secure folder to upload the nomination and supporting documents.

To request a nomination folder:

1. Email calshpo.registration@parks.ca.gov with the subject line “Request for nomination folder link.”
   • In the body of the email, include the
     • The name, address, city, and county of the property
     • Include the email addresses of applicants needing access to the folder.
2. A hyperlink to the folder will be emailed back to the original sender.
3. Upload a Complete Nomination Packet with the following documents:

1. Cover letter identifying
2. which registration program is being pursued,
3. the property being nominated,
4. all property owners and their complete contact information,
5. the applicant and their complete contact information, and
6. any person or organization on whose behalf the nomination is being submitted
7. Excel spreadsheet with email and mailing addresses for all owners and applicants; and
8. California Register of Historical Resources submittals include
   • Certified Mail receipt indicating that the nomination was submitted to the local jurisdiction 90 days prior to submittal to the OHP and any subsequent comment received,
   • Application cover letter, and
   • Completed DPR form(s) with maps and photographs

The OHP will contact the applicant if the documentation is not complete.

If the link to the upload folder does not work, email calshpo.registration@parks.ca.gov and a new link will be sent.

Alternatively, a USB drive with the above documentation may be sent to:

Office of Historic Preservation, ATTN: Registration, 1725 23rd Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95816

Owner Consent

Consent of owner is not required, but a resource cannot be listed over an owner’s objections. The CHRC can, however, formally determine a property eligible for the California Register if the resource owner objects.

Local Government Notification

Local government must be given 90 days in which to comment on the application before it is sent to OHP.

State Agency Assists Local Governments with Preservation Ordinances, More

According to the Mission and Responsibilities for the Office of Historic Preservation, “OHP works with California’s city and county governments to aid them in integrating historic preservation into the broader context of overall community planning and development activities by adopting a comprehensive approach to preservation planning which combines identification, evaluation, and registration of historical resources with strong local planning powers, economic incentives, and informed public participation.
“OHP provides guidance and technical assistance to city and county governments in the following areas:

• Drafting or updating preservation plans and ordinances;
• Planning for and conducting architectural, historical, and archeological surveys;
• Developing criteria for local designation programs, historic districts, historic preservation overlay zones (HPOZs), and conservation districts;
• Developing design guidelines using the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards;
• Developing economic incentives for historic preservation; and
• Training local commissions and review boards.

“OHP also administers the Certified Local Government (CLG) Program and distributes at least 10% of its annual federal Historic Preservation Fund allocation to CLGs through a competitive grant program to them in achieving their historic preservation goals.”

Federal Grants

“Through the Certified Local Government (CLG) Program, local governments receive federal grants to assist with historic preservation programs. A required minimum of ten percent of California’s yearly allocation of federal funds received through the Historic Preservation Fund Grants Program (HPF) make up the grants awarded annually to qualifying certified local governments.

The Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) awards the HPF monies to CLGs in a competitive process. Forms, instructions, and deadlines for active grant cycles are posted to this page during the application periods. To see a list of recent and past award recipients, visit our CLG Grant Awards page.”

NATIONAL REGISTRATION

To nominate a building for the National Register of Historic Places, see the Checklist for Submittal: National Register of Historic Places Nomination Packet and visit this webpage on the state’s Dep’t of Parks and Recreation website for National Register Forms and Related Publications.