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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.
- Filing Certificate of Appropriateness
- Certificate of Appropriateness Administrative
- Previous Certificates of Appropriateness Applications
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.
Certificate of Appropriateness- Administrative
For minor actions to a building in a Historic District, community members may apply for a Certificate of Appropriateness- Administrative (CAPA). CAPAs differ from a Certificate of Appropriateness (CAPP) in that they are reviewed internally by staff and approved if in conformance with the Historic District Guidelines.
The following minor actions require review:
- Minor amendments to a previously approved CAPP where the work authorized by the previously approved CAPP has not been completed and the proposed modification is in substantial conformance with the previously approved CAPP.
- Fences and gates
- Signs, pursuant to Section 5-1200.
- Removal of non-contributing material.
- Minor alteration of non-contributing structures.
- Construction of accessory structures of 250 square feet or less.
- Window and door replacement.
- Storm window and storm door installation.
- Replacement of siding.
- Roof replacement.
- Minor alteration to small architectural details, to include, without limitation, shutters, lighting fixtures, gutters, and downspouts.
- Screening of utilities, trash cans, and dumpsters.
- Demolition of non-contributing accessory structures
- 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.