On August 25, 2025, Alhambra’s City Council will hold a public hearing on the Historic Preservation Ordinance for final approval and adoption. If adopted, this ordinance, created by the City and the Historic Resources Group, will establish a formal process for identifying and reviewing historically significant commercial properties in the city. This ordinance has been in progress since 2021 and would have significant impacts on the historic buildings of Alhambra.
Obtaining historic designation is a prerequisite for pursuing Mills Act contracts, a powerful incentive that can significantly reduce property taxes for owners who commit to restoring and maintaining their historic buildings. Those interested will have a clear pathway: get designated, then apply for Mills Act benefits.
Building owners around Alhambra have received notice that their properties were flagged in the city’s historic survey, raising concerns about possible extra reviews for demolition and requirements to restore buildings to their original state; however, being flagged does not mean a building is officially designated as historic. A historic evaluation must still be done by the owner or another party, involving a consultant’s research submission to the city. While the draft ordinance lacks opt-in or opt-out provisions for commercial properties, the Alhambra Chamber of Commerce has urged the City to adopt an opt-in approach to prevent owners from being automatically included or subjected to extra review without consent.
This ordinance is designed to make preservation more transparent. As part of this multiyear effort, the City Council established a city Historic Preservation Commission, and through them and the Planning Commission, proposed a criteria for designation and a structured review process in alignment with the City’s Vision 2040. For businesses, this means stability in planning future improvements and the opportunity to enhance a building’s character, potentially attracting more foot traffic and interest in Alhambra’s historic charm. Additionally, after receiving formal designations, the Mills Act helps building owners beautify their buildings, positively impacting owners, tenants, and the surrounding community. At the same time, it also could have a chilling effect on commercial upgrades or transactions of potentially historic buildings because of the added layer of review and cost associated with proving alteration could be done.
Those interested can attend the August 25th City Council hearing in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 111 S First St, at 6:00 PM. For more information or to see the history of this project, the City of Alhambra’s Historic Preservation Program’s website has further details at https://www.historicalhambra.com/.
