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Public Presentation Guidelines
Applicants seeking Certificates of Appropriateness (C of A) are required to present their proposals to both the local community board where the proposed project is located and to the full Landmarks Preservation Commission at a Public Hearing.
Community Board Presentations
Applicants must complete their community board reviews before presenting their proposals to the full Commission at a Public Hearing. Applicants must present the same proposals to the community board and to the Commission. Find the community board where the affected property is located.
The community board will send a letter to the LPC stating that the board supports, opposes or recommends modifications to the application.
Failure to appear before the community board may result in a negative recommendation from the board, and can delay the full Commission's final decision on your proposal.
Community board recommendations are not binding, but boards sometimes ask for modifications to a project. However, the full Commission, whose permit approvals and denials are binding, may disagree with the community board's changes. Please wait for Commission review prior to making changes to your proposal.
LPC Public Hearing Presentations
Be prepared to wait at least one month before your completed application is scheduled for a Public Hearing. The staff preservationist assigned to your application will notify you about the time and date of the Public Hearing.
The full Commission can make a decision either immediately after the hearing or at a subsequent Public Meeting.
The Commission assesses the effects of the proposed work on the building's appearance and character to determine whether the project is “appropriate” – the legal standard that all proposed alterations must meet in order to be approved.
To determine whether a project is appropriate, the Commission considers the building's architectural, historical, and cultural significance and its architectural style, proportions, materials, textures, and colors of the existing and proposed designs, among other factors. In a historic district, the Commission also considers the effect of the proposed work on neighboring buildings and on the special character of the district.
Once the Commission approves the project, a C of A will be issued after your staff preservationist receives the final signed and sealed filing drawings for the Department of Buildings. Please note that work may not begin until the applicant receives a copy of the C of A.