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Applying for a Certificate of Appropriateness
Historic District Certificate of Appropriateness
- Article 6-1800 of the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance provides for the protection of historically and culturally significant areas by the creation of Historic Site/ Historic and Cultural Conservation Overlay Zoning Districts. A requirement of Article 6-1900 is the Certificate of Appropriateness (CAPP).
- The Historic District Review Committee (HDRC) holds the authority to issue Certificates of Appropriateness for the following purposes: new construction, reconstruction, alteration, relocation, restoration, and demolition. Before any work of buildings or structures located in a historic district can proceed, plans must be presented and reviewed by the HDRC.
- Applicants should note that approval of a Certificate of Appropriateness does not mean automatic issuance of a zoning permit. Any CAPP approved by the HDRC becomes invalid if the authorized work is not begun within five years.
- Applicants are strongly encouraged to schedule a pre-submittal meeting with the Department of Planning staff prior to filing applications. Pre-submittal meetings with the Department of Planning staff can be scheduled by calling 703-777-0246 or emailing the Department of Planning and Zoning.
- How Does the Review Process Work?
- Filing Certificate of Appropriateness
- Previous Certificates of Appropriateness Applications
- Schedule a pre-application meeting with staff to determine if approval is required by calling 703-777-0246 or emailing the Department of Planning and Zoning.
- If approval is required, submit a Certificate of Appropriateness (CAPP) and associated materials. Submissions can be made online.
- CAPPs are reviewed by the Historic District Review Committee (HDRC) at the next available monthly meeting.
- Some minor actions to existing buildings require only review by staff. Contact staff to determine if your project meets the criteria for an administrative review. Decisions typically are made within 5 business days.
Examples of projects that require a CAPP:
- New structures
- Additions to existing structures
- Changing materials on an existing structure
- Demolition, in whole or in part
Examples of projects that do not require a CAPP:
- Bona fide agricultural projects as defined in the Loudoun County Zoning Ordinance.
- Repainting
- Replacement in-kind of existing materials
- Interior alterations
- Ground-level driveway or walkway modifications
Applications must be filed with the Department of Planning and Zoning on or before the application deadline. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. unless the second Monday is a holiday, in which case the meeting will be held on the third Monday of the month. In addition to the meeting schedule below, dates of the meetings are posted on the Loudoun County government master calendar.
- Applicants can browse most recent CAPPs and other applications using the county’s Loudoun Online Land Application (LOLA) tool. Applications can be searched by year, application type, status, and address.
- To search most recent CAPPs select the current year, and ‘CAPP- CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS’ for the application type.