Establishing a Historic Preservation (HP) District.
Glendale City Code § 35.6.214
in effect35.6.214 - Establishing a Historic Preservation (HP) District.
A. General
1. An application to establish Historic Preservation Districts shall be filed as provided by Section 35.6.202.
2. The Historic Preservation Officer shall compile and transmit to the Historic Preservation Commission a report on the property in the application, including the location, condition, age, historical features, and other relevant features and information, with a recommendation to grant or to deny the application and the reasons for the recommendation.
3. The Historic Preservation Commission shall set a date for public hearing on the application. Notice of the hearing shall be sent by first class mail to the property owner(s) and to the applicant at least fifteen (15) days prior to the hearing. The notice shall clearly state the implications of historic preservation zoning to the property owner(s). Notice of the hearing shall be posted fifteen (15) days prior to the hearing, on or near the property in one (1) or more locations so that the notice is visible to persons living or working in the neighborhood and to persons passing through the neighborhood. If the application to establish a Historic Preservation District is filed by someone other than the property owner(s), written notice shall be sent by first class mail to the property owner(s) within ten (10) days of application having been made.
4. The Historic Preservation Commission shall evaluate each parcel of property within an area that is included in the application for a demonstrated quality of significance in local, regional, state or national history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture, and integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association according to the following criteria:
a. It is associated with events or persons that have made significant contribution to the broad patterns of Glendale's history; and/or
b. It embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction or that represent the work of a master or that possess high artistic values; and/or
c. It has yielded or may be likely to yield information important in the understanding of the prehistory or history of the City of Glendale; and/or
d. It is at least fifty (50) years old, or has achieved significance within the past fifty (50) years if the property is of exceptional importance.
5. The Historic Preservation Commission shall, when applying the evaluation criteria in Paragraph 4 above, draw the boundaries of a Historic Preservation District as carefully as possible to ensure that:
a. The district contains documented historic, architectural or archaeological resources;
b. The district boundaries coincide with documented historic boundaries such as early roadways, canals, subdivision plats, or property lines;
c. The district boundaries coincide with logical physical or manmade features and reflect recognized neighborhood or area boundaries; and
d. Other, non-historic resources or vacant land is included where necessary to create appropriate boundaries. Inclusion of these non-historic resources is important to ensure the maintenance of the historic streetscape and avoid insensitive construction and demolitions adjacent to contributing properties.
6. The Historic Preservation Commission shall also review proposed exterior design guidelines for the district to ensure that distinctive features will be preserved and enhanced. The design guidelines shall address height, proportions, scale, materials, relationship of building masses and spaces, roof shape, and site improvements, such as landscaping, parking, and signage, as they relate to the identity of the Historic Preservation District. Exterior paint colors will not be included in these guidelines. These guidelines shall be adopted at the time of designation.
7. Following the hearing, the Historic Preservation Commission shall transmit to the Planning Commission the HP Commission's decision, report, and recommendations.
8. The process for establishing a Historic Preservation District shall then proceed in accordance with Section 35.6.202.
9. The procedure to remove the Historic Preservation District designation from property shall be the same as that required to establish it.
B. Temporary Restraint of Demolition. A process is established for the review of proposed demolitions of structures which are located in areas where an application for Historic Preservation District designation is under consideration.
1. A demolition permit shall not be issued for any property under application for Historic Preservation District zoning unless first approved by the Historic Preservation Officer, the Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Council on appeal. This shall apply from the time the application is filed or initiated until final action is taken on the application by the City Council. This period shall not exceed one (1) year. Requests for demolition permits shall be referred to the Historic Preservation Officer.
2. The Historic Preservation Officer may administratively grant approval if the subject building clearly is of minimal historic or architectural significance because of its location, condition, modifications, or other factors, and its demolition will be inconsequential to the historic preservation needs of the area.
3. If the Historic Preservation Officer finds that the subject property does not clearly meet the conditions set forth in Subsection A of this section, the request for demolition shall be scheduled for public hearing before the Historic Preservation Commission to allow the commission to determine if the factors allowing for demolition have been met and for consideration of economic hardship factors.
4. The Historic Preservation Commission shall review the decision of the Historic Preservation Officer in light of the evidence presented at the hearing. At the hearing, the HP Commission shall either grant or deny the request. The request shall be granted only if the applicant demonstrates that:
a. The building is of minimal historic or architectural significance because of its location, condition, modifications, or other factors, and its demolition will be inconsequential to the historic preservation needs of the area; or
b. The denial of the demolition permit will result in an economic hardship to the property owner according to Section 35.2.1006(E) of this ordinance.
5. The Historic Preservation Commission shall conduct a public hearing within sixty (60) days of the date of the formal request for a demolition permit. Notice of the application shall be posted on the property at least fifteen (15) days before the hearing. The request shall be deemed approved if the initial hearing by the HP Commission is not held within the required sixty (60) days or if the HP Commission has not made a final decision within one hundred eighty (180) days of the formal request for a demolition permit.
6. The Historic Preservation Commission's decision shall be final unless appealed by either the applicant or any aggrieved person within seven (7) working days of the action. If appealed, the matter shall be set for a public hearing before the City Council at their next available meeting. Notice of the hearing shall be posted on the property fifteen (15) days prior to the hearing. The City Council shall limit its review of the case to the record of the HP Commission; as established by the staff report, any exhibits, minutes and/or transcripts, and any audio/visual tape of the proceedings. New testimony will not be accepted for consideration; however, each side may make a limited presentation on the evidence in the record of the HP Commission. Such presentation shall be limited to a maximum of five (5) minutes per side unless greater time is granted by the Mayor. Except as otherwise provided in this article, City Council members who review written communications or engage in verbal communications which are not part of the HP Commission's record shall disclose any such communications during the appeal public hearing. The City Council must make its decision within sixty (60) days of the filing of an appeal or the application is deemed approved. At this public hearing, the City Council may do one (1) of the following:
a. Affirm the decision of the Historic Preservation Commission;
b. Reverse the decision of the Historic Preservation Commission; or
c. Remand the application to the Historic Preservation Commission for reconsideration.
7. In the event demolition approval is denied, no permit for demolition shall be issued for one (1) year from the date of the Historic Preservation Commission's initial hearing on the subject property unless a subsequent demolition approval has been requested and granted. If Historic Preservation District zoning has not been placed on the property at the time of expiration of the one (1) year, the Historic Preservation Officer shall grant demolition approval.
8. At the time of adoption of Historic Preservation District zoning, the temporary restraint of demolition and any stays of demolition in effect shall expire. Demolition at that time shall be regulated by Section 35.2.1006(F) of this ordinance.
9. Demolition approval may be conditioned on stipulations which provide for rights of access to the property for the purposes of documentation or for agreed upon removal of artifacts.
10. A request for a demolition permit shall be exempt from these requirements if the Building Safety Director determines, and the Historic Preservation Officer has been notified in writing, that the building currently is an imminent hazard to the public safety and that necessary repairs would be impractical.
Source: City of Glendale, Arizona, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/az/glendale/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH35UNDECO_ART6ADPR_35.6.200GEPR_35.6.214ESHIPRHPDIFetched: 11/1/2026