Historic Preservation Permits

Designated Historic Resources - Review and Permits Required for Certain Work

The City of Corvallis is home to over 700 Designated Historic Resources. Designated Historic Resources include properties listed on the Corvallis Register of Historic Landmarks and Districts (Local Register) and those on the National Register of Historic Places (National Register). While the bulk of these resources are located within the Avery-Helm, College-Hill West, or Oregon State University Historic Districts, over 100 resources have been designated individually outside of Districts. The protection, enhancement, and perpetuation of these valuable resources is achieved through the stewardship of individual property owners and regulated by the Land Development Code, Chapter 2.9 – Historic Preservation Provisions.  If your property is a Designated Historic Resource, you may need to obtain a Historic Preservation Permit before undertaking work on the site. 

Types of Historic Review

• Exempt Activities:  Exempt activities do not require a Historic Preservation Permit. Exemptions are provided for a specific list of small-scale activities such as routine maintenance. To confirm if your project is exempt from the need for a Historic Preservation Permit, submit an application as indicated below, and select "Exemption" during the application process. Planning staff will review your submittal to confirm that the proposed activity is exempt. Submitting an Exemption request provides assurance to you that a Historic Preservation Permit is not required and also provides a reference for staff to answer neighborhood inquires about the work occurring on your property.  If your project is not specifically identified as an Exempt activity, you will need to complete a Historic Preservation Permit Application for review and approval before beginning work.        
• Director-level Permits:  Director-level permits may be issued for a specific list of minimal activities where discretion is not required in decision-making.  Director-level permits are processed administratively by City staff and do not require a public hearing.     
• Historic Resources Commission (HRC)-level Permits:  HRC-level permits are required for larger scale alterations and new construction where discretion is needed to make a decision.  HRC-level permits require a public hearing and are reviewed by the Historic Resources Commission.                                                                                                                                

How to Submit an Application

1.  Prepare Supplemental Application Documents -  Applications must include information outlined in the Application Requirements section of Land Development Code Chapter 2.9 – Historic Preservation Provisions. The application must also address applicable Review Criteria. Review Criteria are used by the decision-making authority to determine compliance with applicable Land Development Code standards. For convenience, pre-prepared narratives including applicable review criteria and a place for you to indicate how your proposal complies with the criteria may be filled out online and exported as a PDF file for inclusion in your historic review request. Applicant and property owner signature forms are also available below.

Project Narratives (respond to approval criteria and save PDF copy to include with your application)

• Exemption Project Narrative
• Director-Level Project Narrative
• HRC-Level Project Narrative

Applicant Signature Form (complete this form and save PDF copy to include with your application)

• Applicant Signature Form

Property Owner Signature Form (complete this form and save PDF copy to include with your application)

• Property Owner Signature Form

2.  Apply Online - All Historic Preservation Permit applications and Exemption requests may be submitted online using the city's permitting system. Supplemental application documents are also required to be uploaded when you access the permitting system. If you have not already done so, you will need to create a user account to submit an application through this system. First login, select the 'Planning' tab, and 'Apply for Land Use Approval':

Apply Online - Permitting System Account Login  

3.  Pay Application Fee - Effective July 1, 2026, the City of Corvallis will be charging application fees for Historic Preservation Permits. Exemption requests are free of charge. More information and applicable fees are found on the Applications & Fees page.

For More Information

Please contact the Planning Division, with questions concerning Historic Preservation Permits or the Corvallis Historic Preservation provisions.