General Historic Preservation Information
Downtown Historic Conservation Plan Update
The City of Benicia is currently in the process of updating the Downtown Historic Conservation Plan. The first phase of the project has been completed.
Click here for information on the Historic Resource Inventory and individual property forms.
Mills Act Program
The Mills Act is a state law that allows cities to enter into contracts with the owners of historic structures. This contract provides a method of reducing property taxes in exchange for the continued preservation of the property. Property taxes recalculated using the special Mills Act assessment method can be reduced 50 percent or more!
Click here for more information.
Click here for Secretary of Interior's Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties
Click here for Secretary of Interior's Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
Historic Preservation Resources
- California Office of Historic Preservation
- National Park Service / Heritage Preservation Services
- National Park Service - number of technical guides have been developed by The National Park Service to educate the public about proper approaches to preserving, rehabilitating and restoring historic buildings. These Preservation Briefs (National Park Service Preservation Briefs) cover a wide range of topics including:
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Exterior building additions
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Cleaning methods for building exteriors
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Siding treatments for historic wood frame buildings
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Wooden window maintenance
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Exterior paint problems
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Historic storefront rehabilitation
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Masonry maintenance practices
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Use of substitute materials
- California Preservation Foundation
- National Trust for Historic Preservation
- State Historic Building Code
- Preservation Magazine
- Consultant Referral List (updated quarterly) - California Historical Resources Information System
Request a copy from The Northwest Information Center at 707-664-0880.