Establishing a Local Historic District Flow Chart
Board of Selectmen or
City Council
Nominating Organizations
• American Institute of Architects
• Historical Society
• Board of Realtors
Local Historic District
Study Committee appointed*
Preliminary Study Report Completed
Preliminary Study Report Submitted to MHC and Planning Board
Public Hearing
Warrant Article prepared and Final Report, Map and Bylaw submitted to City Council
or Town Meeting
Town Meeting or City Council Vote and Approval
(2/3 Majority)
Attorney General Review
Filing bylaw with town clerk and
Recording at the Registry of Deeds
Local Historic District Created
LHDSC meets with MHC staff
LHDSC conducts property owner opinion survey, prepares educational
material, conducts informational meetings and prepares the Preliminary Study Report
(Not less than 60 days from Study Report
transmittal to MHC and with 14 day written
notice to property owners)
For more information on Local Historic
Districts, contact the Massachusetts
Historical Commission for a copy of
Establishing Local Historic Districts and
sample material from other communities.
Please note that this flow chart is meant to
be used as a guide only. Refer to Mass
General Law Chapter 40C.
Preliminary Study Report Includes:
Introduction, Methodology, Significance,
Justification of Boundaries, Recommendations
for the Bylaw, a map of the proposed district, a
property street address index and the bylaw
MHC reviews Preliminary Study
Report and provides
endorsement and/or
recommendations to LHDSC
* If a local historic district commission already
exists in your municipality, the district
commission acts as the study committee.
Local Historic Districts in Massachusetts
Local Historic Districts offer the strongest form of protection for the preservation of historic structures. The first
local historic districts in Massachusetts were established on Nantucket and Beacon Hill in 1955. Since then, over
220 local historic districts have been established in Massachusetts. Local hi