Livermore — Historic Preservation

Last reviewed: July 2, 2026

Overview

Livermore’s Planning and Zoning Code establishes a built-in historic-preservation zoning tool called the HP – Historic Preservation combining district to protect locally significant buildings and sites, and it separates protections into HP-L (Landmark) and HP-H (Heritage) subcategories. The code restricts changes that affect designated historic features, requires a certificate of appropriateness for many exterior changes, and coordinates preservation review with the city’s design review and zoning permit processes. Key thresholds, review bodies, and incentives (including seismic/parking incentives) are spelled out in the Livermore code.

Note: this page restricts itself to what the Livermore Planning and Zoning Code says about historic preservation (procedures, combining districts, findings, and incentives). For building-code requirements consult the California Building Standards Code.

How Livermore’s historic-preservation rules work (plain meaning of the code)

• The historic-preservation rules are applied as a combining district (HP) placed on top of an existing base zone — the preservation rules do not create new uses; they add review and standards. Uses remain those of the underlying zone, except the Historic Preservation Commission may support additional uses via a conditional use permit to further preservation objectives. § 2-73-040.B.

• The HP combining district is divided into HP-L (Landmark) and HP-H (Heritage) subdistricts with different review triggers and protections: HP-L = all structures considered local historic landmarks and subject to COA for demolition/alteration/moving; HP-H = all sites considered historic resources but COA applies only when changes are visible from public rights-of-way or public parking. § 2-73-040.C–D.

• A project that alters or demolishes a resource subject to the HP combining districts requires a certificate of appropriateness (COA); approval is discretionary and depends on the COA findings in the code (architectural impact, district compatibility, engineering/restoration cost report for landmark demolition, general plan and CEQA consistency). § 2-73-040.E–F.

• Historic-preservation review is integrated with the city’s broader discretionary review tools (site plan, design review, zoning use permits and appeals). See the Design Review rules for how appearance and context are judged; in historic areas similarity/compatibility requirements can be applied. § 2-73-060; § 5-05-110; § 5-05-160.

• The code offers targeted incentives for preserving historic buildings under Livermore’s seismic-hazard mitigation program: parking waivers in the DSP for certain rehabilitations and modest increases in allowable coverage/FAR elsewhere when rehabilitating or replacing historic structures under the program — but those incentives require findings and review by the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Commission and final action by the Zoning Administrator. § 3-05-030.

• Appeals: Historic Preservation Commission decisions on COAs can be appealed to the Planning Commission; Planning Commission and other appeal rules apply per the code’s appeals chapter. § 2-73-040.E; § 5-15-030.

Practical links you’ll see referenced below (first mention only): Livermore’s base zoning, design review, overlay districts, development standards, parking, and ADUs.

District-by-district breakdown (what to expect when an HP overlay is added)

Note: HP is a combining district applied to an underlying zoning district; rules below summarize the HP-specific overlay requirements and how they interact with typical base districts in Livermore.

HP-L (Landmark)

• Purpose / effect: Properties zoned HP-L are treated as local historic landmarks — alterations, relocations, or demolitions of any historic features require a certificate of appropriateness. § 2-73-040.C.1–2.
• Typical permitted uses: Only the uses permitted by the underlying base zoning district remain allowed; additional uses can be considered by conditional use permit with the Historic Preservation Commission’s favorable recommendation. § 2-73-040.B.
• Key dimensional standard that changes when combined with residential zones: Floor area ratio for any site combined with an R district shall not exceed 25 percent (i.e., 0.25 FAR) under HP-L. § 2-73-040.C.3.
• Where it applies: applied case-by-case to individually significant structures/sites (zoning map note will read HP-L combined with the base zone). Verify with the zoning map and the PD/ordinance for property-specific conditions. Verify with the jurisdiction.

HP-H (Heritage)

• Purpose / effect: Properties zoned HP-H are recognized as historic resources; only exterior work visible from a public right-of-way, private street, or publicly accessible parking lot requires a certificate of appropriateness. § 2-73-040.D.1–2.
• Typical permitted uses: Uses remain those of the underlying base zone; the Historic Preservation Commission may recommend conditional uses to the Planning Commission to advance preservation objectives. § 2-73-040.B.
• Dimensional standards: Same 25 percent FAR cap when combined with an R district (same as HP-L). § 2-73-040.D.3.
• Where it applies: generally applied to broader historic areas or to resources where external visibility is the main concern — check the city’s zoning map and overlay notes. Verify with the jurisdiction.

How HP interacts with other Livermore combining districts and procedures

• Design review overlay (DR) may apply to the same property and may require additional architectural compatibility and design submissions (materials, colors, landscaping). Projects in historic overlays commonly go through both COA and design review. § 2-73-060; § 5-05-160.
• Zoning use permits and site-plan approval provisions still apply: a COA does not replace required permits such as a zoning use permit, site plan approval, or any PD conditions — those are processed per Chapter 4-05 and other parts of the code. § 4-05-020; § 4-05-030.
• Seismic-hazard preservation incentives (DSP and citywide) tie into the historic-resources inventory and require findings by Historic Preservation Commission/Planning Commission and final administration by the Zoning Administrator. Read § 3-05-030 for incentive conditions and required findings.

Key decision-relevant standards (quick reference table)

Checklist — what an applicant must satisfy for a COA or historic-area exterior project

• Confirm whether the property is within an HP-L or HP-H overlay on the zoning map; check underlying zone uses. § 2-73-040.
• Determine whether the work (demolition, addition, alteration, relocation) triggers a certificate of appropriateness (HP-L: all exterior work; HP-H: visible-from-public-right-of-way threshold). § 2-73-040.C–D.
• Prepare COA application materials addressing the findings in § 2-73-040.F (architectural impacts; district compatibility; for landmark demolition include engineering report/restoration cost estimate per reference to Chapter 15.24 LMC). § 2-73-040.E–F.
• If building changes are large or in a DR area, assemble design review materials (site plan, elevations, materials, landscaping, lighting) per design-review submittal rules. § 5-05-180; § 5-05-110.
• Check whether incentives under the seismic-hazard mitigation program apply and if special findings are needed (may reduce parking or allow modest FAR/coverage increases). § 3-05-030.
• Apply for any required zoning use permits, site-plan approvals, or building permits in addition to the COA; provide required plan sets per Chapters 4-05 and 5-05. § 4-05-020; § 5-05-180.
• Expect appeals: HPC decisions can be appealed to the Planning Commission within the code’s 14-day appeal window; follow the appeals procedure. § 2-73-040.E; § 5-15-030.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

If your Livermore property is mapped as an HP-L or HP-H site, you don’t automatically lose your underlying zoning rights, but many exterior changes will need a certificate of appropriateness reviewed by the Historic Preservation Commission (and often simultaneous design review); demolition of a landmark needs special engineering and cost documentation and is judged against specific findings in the code. § 2-73-040 governs these rules.

Source References

• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Historic preservation districts (HP), combining district purpose, HP-L / HP-H rules and COA language: § 2-73-040.
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Certificate of Appropriateness findings and appeal note: § 2-73-040.E–F.
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Seismic hazard mitigation incentives for historic structures (parking waiver, FAR/coverage increases): § 3-05-030.
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Design review purpose, findings, and application materials (how architecture and compatibility are judged): § 5-05-110; § 5-05-160; § 5-05-180.
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Zoning use permit procedures and required submittals: Chapter 4-05 (see § 4-05-020; § 4-05-030).
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Appeals procedures (Historic Preservation Commission appeals): § 5-15-030.

(These materials are from the Livermore Planning and Zoning Code document provided for review; for parcel-specific application, consult the city’s official zoning map and planning staff. Not all cross-referenced chapters (for example, Chapter 15.24 LMC and the full text of PD ordinances) were provided in the retrieved materials; see “Information Gaps” below.)

Information Gaps

• The full text of Chapter 15.24 LMC (referenced for engineering report/restoration-cost requirements on landmark demolition) was not included in the retrieved materials — the Livermore code references it but the chapter content is Not found in retrieved materials.
• The city’s official zoning map and any parcel-specific PD ordinances / PD conditions that may alter how HP overlays apply to a given parcel were not in the retrieved materials — Verify with the jurisdiction. Not found in retrieved materials.
• Specific local ADU treatment inside HP overlays is not discussed in the HP sections we retrieved; check the Livermore ADU chapter for any explicit cross-references. Not found in retrieved HP sections.

Retrieved passages

• Livermore Zoning Code (Chapter 15.24) High relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (§ 18.30) High relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (section shall) High relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (Chapter 3-) High relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (Chapter 15.24) Medium relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (§ 22.84) Medium relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (§ 1) Medium relevance show source text
• Livermore Zoning Code (§ 3) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Historic preservation districts (HP), combining district purpose, HP-L / HP-H rules and COA language: **§ 2-73-040**. (§ 2-73-040)
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Certificate of Appropriateness findings and appeal note: **§ 2-73-040.E–F**. (§ 2-73-040.E)
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Seismic hazard mitigation incentives for historic structures (parking waiver, FAR/coverage increases): **§ 3-05-030**. (§ 3-05-030)
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Design review purpose, findings, and application materials (how architecture and compatibility are judged): **§ 5-05-110; § 5-05-160; § 5-05-180**. (§ 5-05-110)
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Zoning use permit procedures and required submittals: **Chapter 4-05** (see **§ 4-05-020; § 4-05-030**). (Chapter 4-05)
• Livermore Planning and Zoning Code — Appeals procedures (Historic Preservation Commission appeals): **§ 5-15-030**. (§ 5-15-030)
• Livermore_ZoningCode.md

• Official Livermore code library