WORCESTER HISTORICAL COMMISSION
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS & BUILDING DEMOLITION DELAY WAIVER CHECKLIST
(For properties located in the
Massachusetts Avenue or Montvale Local Historic District)
Planning & Regulatory Services Division ● 455 Main Street, Room 404; Worcester, MA 01608 ● Phone: 508-799-1400, ext.
Office Hours are 8:30 am – 2:00 pm
(Document Center), or contact our office.
STEP 1: Obtain applications from the City’s website:
Complete the following components:
A.
Certificate of Appropriateness & Building Demolition Delay Waiver Application
Application must be signed by the applicant or applicant’s representative.
Answer all applicable questions.
B.
Certified List of Abutters and Map: There is a minimal fee for this service.
Obtained from the Worcester Assessing Division, City Hall, 455 Main Street, Room 20 , (508) 799-1098.
Please contact this office at a minimum one week in advance.
C.
Visual Representation of Proposed Changes to Structures. Recommended representations include one or
more of the following: (1) plot plan of the site, (2) building elevation(s), (3) architectural rendering(s), and/or (4) a
set of photograph(s). These representations should provide sufficient information to the Historical Commission to
render an informed decision and should depict the following:
Current conditions of the structure or parts of the structure to be changed.
Proposed renovations, changes, or removal of exterior features (windows, roof, doors, porches, etc.)
If available, applicants may submit brochures showing materials to be used in restoration, such as window
frames, roofing samples, door samples, etc.
D.
Stamped and Addressed Envelopes with Abutters’ Address Labels
Assemble stamped envelopes with the abutters’ address labels provided by the Assessor’s Office.
The return address on the envelopes should be: City of Worcester, Division of Planning & Regulatory
Services; 455 Main Street, Room 404; Worcester, MA 01608. (Please note: This office has a return address
stamp for your convenience if you wish to use it.)
STEP 2: Assemble your application package and submit the following to the office (there is no fee for this filing):
Combine items A, B, & C - this constitutes the “original application package”. Afterwards, make ten (10)
copies of the application package (double-sided printing is encouraged).
Bring the original application package, its 10 copies, and stamped and addressed envelopes (see D above)
to the Planning & Regulatory Services Division.
STEP 3: After the Planning & Regulatory Services Division staff has reviewed and approved the application package for
completeness and accuracy, it will be date-stamped and registered in the Historical Commission log. You will then be
asked to bring the original application package to the City Clerk’s office to be filed in the Worcester City Hall, 455
nd
Main Street, Room 206 (2
floor), Phone (508) 799-1121. (There is no fee for this filing.)
NEXT STEPS: You and your abutters will receive a Public Hearing Notice two (2) weeks prior to the Historical Commission
meeting. The notice will include the date, time and location of the meeting. Please note that you or your representative are
required to attend the meeting to answer any questions the Historical Commission members may have. Following the
meeting at which the Commission will vote on the matter, a signed decision will be issued within 1-2 weeks. This decision
is necessary for obtaining a Building Permit.
All application deadlines are 2:00 P.M. unless otherwise specified.
Historical Commission meetings are regularly held on a Thursday, at 5:30 pm, in the City Hall, Room 309,
unless otherwise specified.
Certificate of Appropriateness & Building Demolition Delay Waiver
Revised: J
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