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Historic homes in Morgan Hill

Morgan Hill's own rules on historic homes, with the code text for every value.

Each rule below links to the section of the Morgan Hill Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Morgan Hill's code says

Morgan Hill code What Morgan Hill's code adds
When a building counts as historic
  • 45 years old or older, or located in a historic district
    Applies: Development projects and building permit applications are checked to see if a historical alteration, demolition or relocation permit is needed
    § 18.60.060 · code text
    Development projects and building permit applications involving structures or buildings at least forty-five years in age, or located within a historic district, shall undertake the following steps
Changing a historic home
  • A Historical Alteration Permit is required
    Applies: Altering or modifying character-defining features of a potentially significant or significant historical resource, a designated or listed resource, or a resource in a historic district
    § 18.60.070 · code text
    it is unlawful for any person to alter or modify character-defining features of a potentially significant or significant historical resource, a resource that has been formally designated or listed on the city's adopted survey list, or which lies within an historic district, without first obtaining a Historical Alteration Permit as outlined below.
  • The community development director may decide that no evaluation or discretionary permit is needed
    Applies: Area surveyed as having no potentially significant historical resources; or minor, incidental work that keeps character-defining features and follows the Secretary of the Interior's Standards
    § 18.60.060 · code text
    The community development director may determine that no evaluation and/or no discretionary permit is required if either of the following apply:
Demolishing an older or historic home
  • A historical resource demolition or relocation permit is required, with prior planning commission approval
    Applies: Tearing down, demolishing, removing or relocating a potentially significant or significant historical resource, a designated or listed resource, or a resource in a historic district
    § 18.60.080 · code text
    It is unlawful for any person to tear down, demolish, remove or relocate a potentially significant or significant historical resource, a resource that has been formally designated or listed on the city's adopted survey list, or which lies within an historic district, without first obtaining a historical resource demolition or relocation permit as outlined below.
Work that needs no review
  • Interior improvements are not subject to the chapter
    Applies: Building permit applications involving only interior improvements, unless the interior is specifically listed on the local register as a designated historical resource
    § 18.60.060 · code text
    Building permit applications involving only interior improvements are not subject to the provisions of this chapter, unless the building interior is specifically listed on the local register as a designated historical resource.
  • No further historic review
    Applies: Resources surveyed, evaluated and determined not to be significant
    § 18.60.060 · code text
    Resources that are surveyed, evaluated and determined not to be significant shall require no further historic review.
Mills Act tax incentive
  • The city may maintain the Mills Act, allowing property tax abatement by agreement
    Applies: Owner of a designated historical resource
    § 18.60.130 · code text
    The city of Morgan Hill may maintain the provision of the Mills Act, adopted in 1972 by the State of California and amended in 1984 to allow an owner of a designated historical resource to have the property tax amount abated based on the provisions of the act.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What rules apply to a historic home in Morgan Hill?

Morgan Hill's code: 45 years old or older, or located in a historic district (Development projects and building permit applications are checked to see if a historical alteration, demolition or relocation permit is needed) (§ 18.60.060); A Historical Alteration Permit is required (Altering or modifying character-defining features of a potentially significant or significant historical resource, a designated or listed resource, or a resource in a historic district) (§ 18.60.070).

General information, not legal advice.

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