Respect the history. Plan what comes next.

Germantown appears under Historic Preservation Zoning Overlay guidance. Salemtown uses the turn-of-the-century Neighborhood Conservation guidance. Use the property’s actual district, not a nearby neighborhood’s name.

Infill, larger additions, demolition of primary historic buildings and setback determinations may require Commission review. The permit page provides scope-specific checklists, including economic-hardship information for demolition. An earlier project’s approval does not establish permission for another property.

Coordinate both processes. Submit proposed revisions before departing from approved drawings, obtain applicable material approvals and arrange Historic Zoning inspections separately from Codes inspections.

Ask the Historical Commission about historic-resource classifications, demolition review, archaeology or cemeteries affecting a site outside an overlay. A property’s status can trigger additional review even when the map has no local historic overlay.

Metro lists historic tax-relief and other preservation-financing resources. Eligibility varies. As reviewed October 28, 2026, its preservation matching-grant fund is not funded; do not assume the existence of a grant map means applications are open.