Historic Preservation

Print

Font Size: + -

Monrovia has a long and rich history! From our homes, to commercial buildings, and even our trees, we look to preserve the city for future generations. Our historic preservation efforts began in the early 1990’s with the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, who's purpose was to develop a strategy which would serve as a guide for the preservation of Monrovia’s significant historic structures.

In 1995, the City Council adopted the Historic Preservation Ordinance. In addition to the criteria and regulations for local historic landmarks, it established a Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) to provide oversight of the program. The HPC consists of seven Monrovia citizens appointed by the City Council to a three-year term. Meetings are held every month on the Wednesday following the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, with additional meetings scheduled monthly, as needed.

The centerpiece of our Historic Preservation Ordinance is the designating of local historic landmarks. As of January 1, 2024, there are 164 properties that have been determined to be historically significant based on one of the seven criteria in the Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The Planning Division is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Historic Preservation Program, including:

Answering questions from current and prospective historic landmark owners
Conducting office and field research related to historic homes
Writing reports that place homes in historical and architectural context
Presenting Historic Preservation reports and related findings to the HPC and City Council
Processing historic landmarks, Mills Act contracts, Certificates of Appropriateness, and determinations of historic significance

Looking for more information? The Monrovia Historic Context Statement also has a wealth of information about Monrovia's history.