Goleta — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Goleta’s historic preservation rules are codified in Title 17, Chapter 17.33 (Historic Resource Preservation). They establish a City-maintained Historic Resources Inventory (HRI), criteria and procedures to designate Historic Landmarks and Historic Districts, mandatory review for alterations and demolition of listed resources, and incentives such as the Mills Act. The rules tie into the City’s design-review system and overlay rules; read this page alongside Goleta’s zoning overview and the city’s design review standards for context.

How this chapter applies (big picture)

• Properties on the HRI are treated as historic resources for the purposes of CEQA and are subject to the preservation review and demolition controls in Chapter 17.33 (§ 17.33.030) .
• Alterations to designated resources generally require review under the City’s design-review rules, with the Historic Preservation Commission recommending and the Design Review Board deciding in many cases (§ 17.33.080; § 17.50.080; § 17.50.070) .
• Demolition or relocation of a designated historic resource is a discretionary action that typically requires a Major Conditional Use Permit and specific findings (§ 17.33.090; § 17.29.020) .
• Owners of designated landmarks or contributing properties may seek a Mills Act contract; the Historic Preservation Commission reviews applications and the City Council authorizes contracts (§ 17.33.110) .

Historic District (designation)

• Purpose: To preserve a contiguous grouping of properties with shared historical or aesthetic significance and to list contributors that carry the district’s significance (§ 17.33.060) .
• Typical permitted uses: Use permissions remain those of the underlying base zoning: a district designation is regulatory for preservation (review/alteration/demolition), not a separate use-type (§ 17.33.060; see Title 17 Part II for base districts) .
• Key dimensional standards: The Historic District designation itself does not specify numeric setbacks, lot coverage, or height; projects must comply with the underlying base district standards and any applicable overlay rules (verify with the City’s development standards) (§ 17.33.060) .
• Where it applies: Any geographically contiguous area the City Council designates as a Historic District; the designation must include a list of contributors and at least 60 percent of properties in the proposed area must be contributors (§ 17.33.060(B)(3)) .

Historic Landmark (individual designation)

• Purpose: Recognize and protect a single building, structure, object, or site that meets age and significance criteria (§ 17.33.040) .
• Typical permitted uses: Underlying zoning controls permitted uses; designation focuses on controlling alterations, demolition, and requiring design review (§ 17.33.040; § 17.33.080) .
• Key standards for designation: Generally at least 50 years old or of exceptional importance, must meet one or more historic-significance tests (events, persons, architectural merit, research potential), and retain historic integrity (§ 17.33.040) .
• Where it applies: Any property the City Council designates after public hearing and HPC recommendation (§ 17.33.040(B)) .

Historic Resources Inventory (HRI)

• Purpose: City Council–adopted list of individual resources, districts, and contributors used as reference for designation and as the trigger for preservation review (§ 17.33.030) .
• Effect: All properties on the HRI are treated as historic resources under Chapter 17.33 and are subject to the chapter’s alteration and demolition provisions (§ 17.33.030(B)) .
• Where it applies: Citywide — the HRI is a citywide inventory adopted by Council resolution (§ 17.33.030) .

-OTH Old Town Heritage Overlay (where preservation is most active)

• Purpose: The -OTH Old Town Heritage Overlay is intended to guide development on Old Town parcels to preserve and reinforce the pedestrian-oriented historic character; projects within -OTH are subject to special design guidelines (§ 17.19.010–030) .
• Typical permitted uses: Uses follow the base district (e.g., OT Old Town—Commercial) but all development/alterations and signs within -OTH require Design Review and consistency with the Goleta Old Town Heritage District Architecture and Design Guidelines (§ 17.19.020–030) .
• Key dimensional standards (examples in the overlay): On Hollister Avenue frontage in -OTH, there is a zero front setback requirement (subject to exceptions and a maximum Hollister front setback of 15 ft.) (§ 17.19.040) .
• Where it applies: Parcels with the -OTH extension on the Zoning Overlay Map; check the Zoning Overlay Map for parcel-specific applicability (§ 17.19.020) .

Coastal Zone vs. Inland Area — demolition applicability

• Key rule: Demolition/relocation permit procedures differ by location. In the Coastal Zone, demolition/relocation permits are subject to Chapter 17.61 (Coastal Development Permits) and demolition/relocation of any historic resource requires a Major Conditional Use Permit (§ 17.29.020(A)) . In the Inland Area, demolition of a historic resource also requires a Major Conditional Use Permit; the Inland rules include thresholds and different ministerial vs. discretionary triggers (§ 17.29.020(B)) .
• Practical effect: Demolition of a listed resource is a high-bar discretionary approval everywhere in the city; expect Planning Commission or City Council-level action and supporting materials (§ 17.33.090; § 17.29.020) .

Review authorities and procedure (how review works)

• The Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) reviews survey results, nominations, Mills Act applications, and recommends on design-review matters involving historic resources (§ 17.50.080) .
• The Design Review Board (DRB) acts as the decision-maker for design review of historic resources upon recommendation of the HPC; Director-level approvals are possible for minor changes that clearly meet guidelines or the Secretary of Interior’s Standards (§ 17.33.080; § 17.58.040) .
• Interim protection: Once a nomination is filed, interim protections prohibit on-site activities that would affect character-defining features pending Council action (§ 17.33.040(B)(3); § 17.33.060(C)(5)) .

Key Code Standards — Historic Preservation (decision-relevant)

Practical Checklist (what an applicant must prepare)

• Confirm whether the parcel is on the Historic Resources Inventory (HRI) (verify with Planning). Chapter 17.33 governs HRI status (§ 17.33.030) .
• If nominating: file a nomination and expect property-owner notices and an HPC hearing within ~90 days of a complete application (§ 17.33.040(B)(1–2)) .
• For any alteration: prepare drawings and a narrative explaining consistency with applicable design guidelines or the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards; minor work may be Director-approved if clearly consistent (§ 17.33.080(C)) .
• For demolition: assemble economic feasibility/cost analysis for rehabilitation, structural/relocation report, and plan for mitigation; anticipate a Major CUP and Planning Commission/City Council findings (§ 17.33.090) .
• If in -OTH Old Town Heritage Overlay, add the applicable Old Town guidelines and show consistency with Hollister frontage standards where applicable (§ 17.19.030–040) .
• Coordinate design submittal with the City’s design review and underlying zoning requirements; consult the City’s development standards for numeric setbacks and lot standards.
• If pursuing incentives (e.g., Mills Act), prepare the legal/economic package and expect HPC recommendation and City Council decision (§ 17.33.110) .
• If proposing an ADU on a historic resource, follow the ADU rules and the special historic-resource design requirements; consult the City ADU rules and State law where they interact (see Chapter 17.41 and State ADU guidance) and the City’s ADU page.

Note: where the checklist references dimensional figures (setbacks, heights) you must confirm those numbers against the underlying base district standards or overlay standards; Chapter 17.33 itself defers to base/overlay rules for numeric development standards (§ 17.33.060) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If your Goleta property is on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory, is designated a Historic Landmark, or is inside a Historic District, any change that affects character-defining features, additions, or demolition will generally require formal historic-review and design-review approvals; demolition is a high-bar discretionary permit. Start by confirming HRI/designation status with Planning and expect to prepare drawings and a preservation-focused narrative that follow City guidelines (§ 17.33.030–090) .

Source References

• Goleta Municipal Code, Title 17, Chapter 17.33, Historic Resource Preservation — § 17.33.010 through § 17.33.120 (HRI, Landmark, District, design review, demolition, Mills Act, maintenance) .
• § 17.33.030 (Historic Resources Inventory) .
• § 17.33.040 (Historic Landmarks — criteria & procedure) .
• § 17.33.060 (Historic Districts — criteria & procedure) .
• § 17.33.080 (Design review of alterations to historic resources) .
• § 17.33.090 (Demolition of historic resources) .
• § 17.33.110 (Mills Act review) .
• § 17.29.010–020 (Demolition and relocation permit requirements; Coastal vs Inland) .
• § 17.19.010–040 (-OTH Old Town Heritage Overlay) .
• Design Review chapters, exemptions and scope (Chapter 17.58) and DRB/HPC powers (Chapter 17.50) — see § 17.58.020, § 17.58.030, § 17.50.070, § 17.50.080 .
• Definitions (Historic District, Historic Resource, HRI, Historic Integrity) — Title 17 definitions (§§ in Part VI) .

(These citations reference the copy of the City’s Zoning Ordinance material provided for this analysis; verify parcel-specific application with the City’s Planning Department. Where the ordinance defers numeric development standards, consult the City’s development standards and the zoning pages.)

Retrieved passages

• CBC § 7 (chapter including) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 7 (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 17.33.090 (§ 17.33.090.) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 7) High relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (Title 16) Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text
• Goleta Zoning Code (§ 6) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Goleta Municipal Code, Title 17, Chapter 17.33, Historic Resource Preservation — **§ 17.33.010** through **§ 17.33.120** (HRI, Landmark, District, design review, demolition, Mills Act, maintenance) . (Title 17)
• § 17.33.030 (Historic Resources Inventory) . (§ 17.33.030)
• § 17.33.040 (Historic Landmarks — criteria & procedure) . (§ 17.33.040)
• § 17.33.060 (Historic Districts — criteria & procedure) . (§ 17.33.060)
• § 17.33.080 (Design review of alterations to historic resources) . (§ 17.33.080)
• § 17.33.090 (Demolition of historic resources) . (§ 17.33.090)
• § 17.33.110 (Mills Act review) . (§ 17.33.110)
• § 17.29.010–020 (Demolition and relocation permit requirements; Coastal vs Inland) . (§ 17.29.010)
• § 17.19.010–040 (-OTH Old Town Heritage Overlay) . (§ 17.19.010)
• Design Review chapters, exemptions and scope (Chapter 17.58) and DRB/HPC powers (Chapter 17.50) — see **§ 17.58.020**, **§ 17.58.030**, **§ 17.50.070**, **§ 17.50.080** . (Chapter 17.58)
• Definitions (Historic District, Historic Resource, HRI, Historic Integrity) — Title 17 definitions (§§ in Part VI) . (Title 17)
• Goleta_ZoningCode.md

• Official Goleta code library