Local zoning · Alhambra

Alhambra — Historic Preservation

Q: If I want to build an ADU on a historic property, what extra steps are there?

ADU rules are in § 23.22.040 and state ADU law also applies. If the parcel is a designated or eligible historic resource, proposed work that changes character‑defining exterior features or involves demolition (e.g., removing a historic garage) will trigger the historic review steps described above (C of A/C of D). Coordinate concurrently with both ADU and historic‑resource review. § 23.22.040; § 23.23.090.

Historic Preservation under the Alhambra local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

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Last reviewed: July 3, 2026

Overview

This page explains how the City of Alhambra regulates identification, designation, and alteration of historic resources under the Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23). It summarizes the local designation process (historic landmark and historic district), the levels of review (certificate of appropriateness, certificate of demolition, certificate of economic hardship), special protections (permit moratoria, maintenance duties), and how the historic-preservation rules interact with base zoning, development standards, and design review. Key controlling provisions are in Chapter 23.23 of the zoning code; the Historic Preservation Commission and the City Council are the primary decision-makers. § 23.23.050 and § 23.23.070 describe the Inventory and designation procedures respectively.

How the historic-preservation rules work (core rules)

Local inventory and automatic listings: the city maintains the Alhambra Inventory of Historic Resources and the Alhambra Register of Historic Resources; properties listed on the California or National Registers are automatically treated as local historic resources. See § 23.23.050 and § 23.23.060(C).
Designation path: any person or the city may submit a nomination for designation as a historic landmark or historic district; nominations are reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission and the City Council makes the designation. Owner consent is not required to file; City Council may override an owner objection by supermajority. See § 23.23.070.
Level of review and permits: for designated, eligible, and potentially eligible resources the code sets required approvals: a Certificate of Appropriateness (C of A) for most non‑demolition alterations; a Certificate of Demolition (C of D) for demolitions; and a Certificate of Economic Hardship pathway in narrow financial‑hardship cases. Table 23.23.090 summarizes who reviews what (Director, Historic Preservation Commission, City Council). See § 23.23.090 and Table 23.23.090.
Permit moratoriums while a nomination is pending: after a nomination is accepted as complete, no major or minor alteration permits will be issued for an eligible resource or a contributor to an eligible district until designation is resolved (negligible changes and life‑safety repairs are excepted). See § 23.23.070.
Required findings and Secretary of the Interior standards: approvals are contingent on findings that proposed work will not adversely affect the resource or that the work is compatible with a district; the review body must consider the Secretary of the Interior's Standards when evaluating C of A applications. See § 23.23.090(E).
Maintenance and demolition-by-neglect: owners of designated resources have a duty to keep buildings and character‑defining features in good repair; the city may require corrective action if a resource is allowed to fall into irreparable decay. See § 23.23.130 and § 23.23.140.
Incentives and alternatives: the code explicitly references tools such as rehabilitation consistent with the Secretary standards, the California Historical Building Code, Mills Act contracts, and relocation as alternatives to demolition. See § 23.23.090 and related subsections.

Practical note: design‑review and many development‑standard questions still follow the regular zoning rules (e.g., setbacks, parking, ADU rules) and in some cases historic properties are exempted from Design Review — see § 23.23.110 and Chapter 23.33; always confirm whether the historic chapter or the base zone controls for a given permit.

District-by-district breakdown (where historic rules intersect zoning)

The historic chapter is an overlay-style program that applies across base zones. Table 23.03.010 lists the base zones used citywide; the historic rules apply to designated, eligible, or potentially eligible resources in any of these zones per § 23.23.020. Below is a city‑specific, ordinance‑grounded summary for each base district listed in Table 23.03.010, with the ordinance citations that define scope and, where available in the retrieved materials, the directly applicable dimensional standards and land‑use tables.

Note: the first time each related topic below is mentioned I link you to the appropriate Alhambra menu page (design review, parking, development standards, overlays, ADUs, Title 24).

RL (Residential Low Density)

Purpose: implements Low Density Residential — intended for low‑density neighborhoods up to roughly five units per acre. See Table 23.03.010 and the RL description in § 23.04.010.
Typical permitted uses: primarily single‑family dwellings and compatible neighborhood uses (see Table 23.04.020 for exact land‑use classifications).
Key dimensional standards: residential development standards are codified in the development standards tables referenced by Chapter 23.05 (see the Development Standards overview). For setbacks and permitted encroachments consult § 23.12.040 and Table 23.12.040.
Where it applies: citywide residential neighborhoods mapped as RL on the Official Zoning Map; historic rules apply if a resource in RL is designated or found eligible. § 23.23.020.

RM (Residential Medium Density)

Purpose: allows multi‑unit housing at medium densities (up to ~18 du/acre); Table 23.03.010 and § 23.04.010 describe intent.
Typical permitted uses: duplexes, triplexes, other medium‑density housing types; see Table 23.04.020.
Key dimensional standards: see residential development standards and relevant setback/encroachment rules; projects that alter RM properties may trigger a Residential Planned Development Permit per § 23.41.020.
Historic interactions: eligible/designated RM properties require the same historic review triggers (C of A/C of D) as other zones. § 23.23.090.

RH (Residential High Density)

Purpose: accommodates higher‑density housing (various density caps depending on location); see § 23.04.010.
Typical permitted uses: multifamily apartments, condominiums, townhomes; specifics in Table 23.04.020.
Key standards: higher FAR/density and different review authority for residential planned development (Planning Commission for RM and RH per § 23.41.030). Historic alter‑and‑demolition rules still apply.

CBD / EMC / CMU / AC (Commercial & Mixed‑Use districts)

Purpose: central business, East Main commercial, mixed‑use commercial, and automotive commercial districts are defined in Table 23.03.010.
Typical permitted uses: retail, offices, service, and mixed residential in CMU/CBD; consult the Land Use Regulations tables (Chapter 23.04) for a complete use matrix.
Key dimensional standards: Table 23.05.030 provides the numeric development standards (density caps, FAR, building heights, minimum setbacks — e.g., CBD FAR 3.0; CBD height 75 ft; front setback 0 ft). See Table 23.05.030 and related notes.
Historic interactions: new construction in a designated historic district, or major alterations to contributing resources in these zones, require a C of A or C of D per § 23.23.090 and the Table 23.23.090 review matrix.

PO (Professional Office) and I (Industrial)

Purpose: office‑scale professional and industrial uses; see Table 23.03.010. Historic designation can occur for buildings in these zones and triggers review per the historic chapter.
Typical permitted uses and standards: see Chapter 23.04 (land use tables) and the development standards chapters. Not all use matrices are reproduced here. Not found in retrieved materials: a full, line‑by‑line use‑matrix for PO and I in this upload — verify with the City. Verify with the jurisdiction.

PF (Public Facilities) and OS (Open Space)

Purpose: public/semi‑public and open space uses; Table 23.03.010 lists these zones and Table 23.07.030 prescribes public/semi‑public standards (FAR, heights, setbacks). Historic resources in PF or OS follow the same preservation procedures.

SP (Specific Plan) and Overlay districts -WMC, -PD

Purpose: specific plan areas and overlays layer targeted rules on top of base zones; Table 23.03.010 shows overlays. When a property is in a specific plan or overlay, the specific plan/overlay controls and the preservation chapter both apply. See § 23.08.020 and the overlay list in Table 23.03.010. The Downtown West Main Corridor overlay appears as -WMC.
Historic interactions: the preservation chapter applies citywide; consult the overlay provisions and any adopted design guidelines for that overlay when preparing a nomination or C of A. Not found in retrieved materials: an overlay‑specific preservation guideline set in the uploaded files — verify with the jurisdiction.

Quick reference table — Most decision‑relevant historic standards (pick this when planning work on an older building)

What it is	Rule (plain English)	Code reference
Inventory / status tracking	City maintains the Alhambra Inventory and Register; properties may be listed as potentially eligible, eligible, or designated; California/National Register listings become local automatically.	§ 23.23.050, § 23.23.060(C)
Who decides designation	Historic Preservation Commission reviews nominations; City Council makes final designation (can override owner objection by 4–1).	§ 23.23.070
Permit moratorium while nominated	No major/minor alteration permits for eligible resources or contributors to eligible districts while a designation application is pending (life‑safety and negligible work excepted).	§ 23.23.070
Alteration review categories	Major alterations/demolition typically need C of A or C of D; minor/ negligible alterations may be director‑level or exempt per Table 23.23.090.	§ 23.23.090 and Table 23.23.090
Required approval findings	C of A approvals must find work will not adversely affect resource or district and should follow Secretary of the Interior standards; C of D findings list alternatives and hardship reasons.	§ 23.23.090(E)
Economic‑hardship path	Owner can apply for a Certificate of Economic Hardship instead of a C of A in certain extreme financial burden cases.	§ 23.23.100
Owner duties	Owners must keep designated resources in good repair; the city may require repairs to avoid demolition‑by‑neglect.	§ 23.23.130

Checklist (what an applicant must satisfy before work on a suspected or designated resource)

Confirm the property's current historic status on the Alhambra Inventory / Register. § 23.23.050.
If listed as potentially eligible, prepare a Historic Resource Assessment by a qualified professional to determine eligibility. § 23.23.030 / § 23.23.090.
For major exterior work or additions, prepare a C of A application package including a Standards compliance report and existing/proposed elevations and materials. § 23.23.090(A)(1).
For demolition, prepare a C of D application with photos, site plan, and evidence (or economic hardship) as required. § 23.23.090(A)(2).
Anticipate public hearings (Historic Preservation Commission; City Council for final designation or C of D) and a 180‑day delay authority for non‑imminent demolition. § 23.23.070; § 23.23.090.
Check base‑zone development standards (setbacks, heights, FAR) and plan for any required design review: see the city's Development Standards and design review process. § 23.05.x, Chapter 23.33.
If pursuing Mills Act or CHBC alternatives, coordinate early with city staff and the Historic Preservation Commission. § 23.23.090.

(First natural mention of these related topics linked inline: see the city's pages on design review, parking, Alhambra Development Standards, Alhambra Overlay Districts, Alhambra ADUs, and the California Building Standards Code.)

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Nomination status vs. “potentially eligible”	A property listed as potentially eligible is not automatically subject to the full review until an assessment determines eligibility — but nominations trigger moratoria. Misreading status can delay projects.	Confirm current Inventory status and whether a historic resource assessment has been completed. § 23.23.050, § 23.23.090.
Which review authority applies	Table 23.23.090 assigns Director, HPC, or City Council depending on project/type; appeals and combined applications can change authority.	Check Table 23.23.090 and § 23.30.070 early in project scoping. Verify with staff. § 23.23.090.
Interaction with Design Review and overlays	Some historic properties are exempt from Chapter 23.33 design review; other overlays or specific plans may impose extra rules or guidelines.	Confirm whether a property is exempt from design review under § 23.23.110 and whether a Specific Plan or overlay modifies requirements. Not found in retrieved materials: overlay‑specific preservation guidelines — verify with Planning staff.
Precise permitted uses in some base zones	Land‑use matrices are in Chapter 23.04, but not every use listing is reproduced in the files available here.	Consult Table 23.04.020 (residential) and the full Chapter 23.04 land‑use tables for definitive allowed/conditional uses. § 23.04.020.
ADUs and demolition rules	State ADU law interacts with local demolition/garage removal rules; additional demolition restrictions apply where structures are in historic districts.	For ADU projects involving demolition (e.g., garage removal), verify both local historic demolition rules and state ADU provisions. See § 23.23.090, § 23.22.040, and California ADU law.

Plain-English Summary

If your Alhambra property is listed, eligible, or being evaluated as historic, expect an extra layer of City review: nominations go to the Historic Preservation Commission and City Council, most major exterior changes need a Certificate of Appropriateness, demolitions need a Certificate of Demolition (and can be delayed up to 180 days), and the city requires you to maintain designated resources. The applicable standards and who reviews your application depend both on the historic status and on the underlying zoning district. Verify the property's Inventory status and the specific review authority with the Community Development Department before spending on design work. § 23.23.050 — § 23.23.140.

Source References

Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 23) — Historic Preservation (Chapter 23.23: Inventory, Eligibility, Designation, Alterations, Certificates, Enforcement) — see § 23.23.020 through § 23.23.160.
Designation procedures and owner notification, moratoriums — § 23.23.070.
Criteria for designation (landmark and district) — § 23.23.060.
Levels of review and Table 23.23.090 summary (C of A, C of D, review authorities) — § 23.23.090 and Table 23.23.090.
Required findings for approvals and economic hardship procedures — § 23.23.090(E), § 23.23.100.
Inventory & city survey background — § 23.23.050 (Historic Resources Survey Report referenced).
Duty to maintain and ordinary maintenance exceptions — § 23.23.130; § 23.23.140.
Table of Zoning Districts (base zones and overlays) — Table 23.03.010 / § 23.03.010.
Development standards for Commercial/Mixed‑Use (Table 23.05.030) — Table 23.05.030.
Residential land use table (Table 23.04.020) and district descriptions — § 23.04.020 and surrounding text.
Residential Planned Development permit applicability and review (RL/RM/RH, CMU/CBD/EMC/AC/PF) — Chapter 23.41 (including § 23.41.020–§ 23.41.030).

(Internal menu links used on-page: Alhambra zoning & planning overview, Alhambra Zoning, Alhambra Land Use, Alhambra Development Standards, Alhambra Parking, Alhambra Design Review, Alhambra Overlay Districts, Alhambra ADUs, California Building Standards Code.)

Information Gaps

The uploaded materials include the zoning code excerpts, the historic‑preservation chapter, and Table 23.05.030 (commercial standards), but the full development‑standards tables for all residential districts (complete numeric setbacks, lot coverage, and FAR entries for every residential base zone) are not reproduced in the files I was given. Not found in retrieved materials: full residential dimensional table (if you need exact numbers for a parcel, verify with the City).
Overlay‑specific preservation design guidelines (for example, whether the West Main Corridor has a separate historic‑design guideline) were not present in the retrieved materials. Verify with Planning staff or with the specific plan/overlay documents.

Sources

Retrieved passages

Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.31.030.) High relevance
CBC § 23.23.100 (§ 23.23.100.) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.070) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (Chapter 23.33) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.070) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.31.050) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 50280) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.060.) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (Chapter 23.42.) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 65950.) High relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.040) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.040) Medium relevance
CBC § 23.23.030 (chapter shall) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (Title 22) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (Chapter 23.11.) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.23.090) Medium relevance
CBC § 040 (section of) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.01.040) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (Section numbers) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.12.040) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.41.030) Medium relevance
Alhambra Zoning Code (§ 23.12.170) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Alhambra code library

Frequently asked questions

What does it mean if my property is on the Alhambra Inventory as "potentially eligible"?

"Potentially eligible" means the city survey flagged the property for further study, but it is not yet deemed an historic resource for project review. If a project triggers review, the city will require a historic resource assessment to reach an eligibility finding; only after that finding is a property treated as eligible and subject to the review rules. § 23.23.050; § 23.23.090.

Do I automatically need a Certificate of Appropriateness to repair my roof or repaint?

Ordinary maintenance and repairs that do not change design, materials, or appearance are explicitly allowed without a C of A. However, any work that alters character‑defining exterior features, visible facades, or adds significant new square footage will likely require a C of A; the code distinguishes negligible, minor, and major alterations. § 23.23.140; § 23.23.090.

What triggers a Certificate of Demolition (C of D) and can the city delay demolition?

Demolition of a designated historic landmark, an eligible resource, or contributing resource in a designated district triggers a C of D. For non‑imminent hazards the Historic Preservation Commission may delay demolition up to 180 days while exploring alternatives (rehabilitation, Mills Act, relocation, resale). § 23.23.090.

Who reviews and decides historic designation or preservation permits?

Nominations and permits are first reviewed by staff and the Historic Preservation Commission; the City Council makes final determinations for designations and, in some C of D cases, final decisions. Table 23.23.090 and § 23.30.070 summarize review authorities. § 23.23.070; § 23.30.070.

If my house is in the **RM** zone, how does that affect historic review?

Historic review is overlayed on the base zone: if your RM property is designated or found eligible, the same C of A/C of D triggers and findings apply as elsewhere. Additionally, RM projects may require a Residential Planned Development Permit per § 23.41.020, so both historic and planned‑development review rules may apply. § 23.23.090; § 23.41.020.

Are there exceptions for life‑safety work or urgent repairs?

Yes. The ordinance exempts life‑safety repairs and allows the Director to approve urgent work needed to correct unsafe conditions; the California Historical Building Code is also identified as a preservation‑sensitive compliance alternative. § 23.23.090; § 23.23.150.

Can I appeal a Historic Preservation Commission decision?

Yes — decisions by the Historic Preservation Commission and the Director are subject to appeal following the city’s appeal procedures (see § 23.31.120 and the review authority tables). § 23.30.070; § 23.31.120.

Does being historically designated change the underlying zoning (setbacks, FAR, parking)?

Designation itself does not automatically change numeric development standards (setbacks, FAR, parking) of the base zone; however, many exterior changes are subject to review and conditions of approval, and some historic resources are exempt from certain design review requirements. For exact numeric standards consult the applicable development standards table and the City's parking rules. § 23.23.110; Table 23.05.030; Chapter 23.12 (setbacks/encroachments); Chapter 23.21 (signs & measurements).

If I want to build an ADU on a historic property, what extra steps are there?

ADU rules are in § 23.22.040 and state ADU law also applies. If the parcel is a designated or eligible historic resource, proposed work that changes character‑defining exterior features or involves demolition (e.g., removing a historic garage) will trigger the historic review steps described above (C of A/C of D). Coordinate concurrently with both ADU and historic‑resource review. § 23.22.040; § 23.23.090.

What is the Secretary of the Interior's Standards role in Alhambra approvals?

The city requires applicants to document how proposed work complies with, or deviates from, the Secretary of the Interior's Standards; findings for C of A specifically evaluate compliance with those Standards and any adopted design guidelines. § 23.23.090(E).

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