Historic Preservation Design Guidelines Update
Status: In Progress Lead Body: Landmarks Board Related Bodies: City Council First Discussed: Fall 2025
The Landmarks Board has been working to update Boulder's historic preservation design guidelines — specifically the Relevancy Guidelines (which help property owners and staff evaluate appropriate materials, window standards, and rehabilitation approaches for landmark properties) — and to advocate for this project as a 2026 City Council priority.
At the October 2025 Landmarks meeting, the board began discussing what priority project to recommend to City Council for 2026. In November, the board voted to write a letter. By December, a draft letter was circulated recommending the guidelines update as a Council priority, with a December 19 deadline for consideration at the January 2026 Council retreat. The letter emphasized historic preservation as a civic asset and argued that updated design guidelines would improve clarity for property owners, staff, and the board — streamlining the landmark process and reducing friction for developers.
Timeline
| Date | Body | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-08 | Landmarks Board | Board discussed what 2026 project to recommend to City Council as a priority |
| 2025-11-05 | Landmarks Board | Board voted to write letter to City Council; brainstormed content around guidelines update, community engagement, and educational events |
| 2025-12-03 | Landmarks Board | Draft letter reviewed and finalized; deadline December 19 for Council's January 2026 retreat |
| 2026-02-04 | Landmarks Board | Continued work on design guidelines update; board discussed tying guidelines revision timing to the BVCP update (so preservation policies and design standards remain aligned) |
Key Decisions
- 2025-12-19 — Landmarks Board letter sent to City Council recommending Historic Preservation Design Guidelines Update as a 2026 Council priority project
- Letter framed historic preservation as a civic and economic asset; specific project scoped at ~9 months
- Specific focus: Relevancy Guidelines update covering window standards, materials, alternative approaches, energy efficiency issues in historic buildings
Open Questions
- The City Council Jan 13 retreat transcript contains no reference to historic preservation design guidelines — likely not formally designated as a 2026 Council priority at the retreat
- What is the current status of the Relevancy Guidelines revision process?
- How are energy efficiency and sustainability considerations being integrated into updated guidelines?
- Will the guidelines revision proceed in parallel with or follow the BVCP update?