Historic Resources Commission
General Information
The Historic Resources Commission (HRC) was created in 1979 through a local ordinance adopted by both the City of Asheville and Buncombe County pursuant to North Carolina General Statute. The HRC reviews development projects and proposed subdivisions within local historic districts and local landmarks to ensure that the proposed work is consistent with the applicable design standards.
Once a project has been approved, a Certificate of Appropriateness (CA) is issued to the property owner or applicant, which should be posted on site with any other required permits. Please note that a CA is for design review approval only, and does not include approval for building, zoning or other permit types that may be required. If you are considering a project and are unsure of what permit types you will need to obtain, you should contact the Development Services Department: 828-259-5846.
Documents
Historic Resources Commission Documents (meeting materials, annual reports, annual work plans, governing documents, enabling statutes, resolutions, ordinances, etc.)
Membership
The Historic Resource Commission of Asheville and Buncombe County consists of 12 members; six members are appointed by Asheville City Council, and six members are appointed by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. All members of the commission shall reside within the city or county. A majority of the members of the commission shall have demonstrated special interest, experience or education in history, archaeology, or architecture or related fields. All members shall have equal rights, privileges, and duties regardless of whether the matter at issue arises within the city or the county.
All members serve three-year terms. Members may be reappointed for additional terms at the discretion of the appointing governing body, provided that all members serve a maximum of two terms.
Regular Meeting Schedule
Regular meetings of the HRC are held on the second Wednesday of each month at 4 p.m. in the North Conference Room on the first floor of the Asheville City Building located at 70 Court Plaza, Asheville.
The HRC reviews applications for Major Work Certificates of Appropriateness at their regularly scheduled monthly meetings. For more information on applying for a Major Work, please visit the design review webpage.
Next Meeting: August 13, 2025 at 4:00pm, taking place at 70 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801, USA
To view more upcoming Historic Resources Commission events, visit the Events Calendar.
Public Access:
- All meetings are open to the public.
- Watch a livestream on the Engagement Hub or the City’s YouTube Channel
- Call toll-free to listen to the meeting on your phone: Call (855)-925-2801. Enter the Meeting Code: 9384.
- Have an issue with participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know!
Public Comment:
In-person only comments accepted.
Subcommittees
The Executive Committee of the HRC meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m. in the fifth-floor conference room at City Hall, located at 70 Court Plaza; while these meetings are open to the public, no public comment will be accepted.
Meeting Materials
For older Historic Resources Commission materials, please visit the Historic Resources Commission Documents folder. To watch older recordings, you may view them on the Engagement Hub.
| Agendas and Documents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Agenda | Documents | Video |
| October 8, 2025 Agenda | October 8, 2025 Documents | |
| September 10, 2025 Agenda | September 10, 2025 Documents | |
| August 13, 2025 Agenda | August 13, 2025 Documents | |
| July 9, 2025 Agenda | July 9, 2025 Documents |
July 9, 2025 Video |
| June 11, 2025 Agenda | June 11, 2025 Documents |
June 11, 2025 Video |