The Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) is pleased to announce that the City of San Antonio Historic Design Guidelines were adopted by City Council on November 8, 2012. The OHP worked with a volunteer steering committee and consultants Clarion Associates and Hardy Heck Moore, Inc. to plan and execute the Historic Design Guidelines. The draft document was advertised and made available for public comment through two public meetings prior to creation of the final draft. We appreciate all of the community feedback on this initiative.
The Historic Design Guidelines provide historic district residents, property owners, professionals working with historic properties and potential construction applicants:
Successful historic design guidelines help to reinforce and preserve the character of our historic districts.
The adopted Historic Design Guidelines are available at the links below. Hard copies can also be found at the following public libraries: Central, Landa, San Pedro, Mission, Carver, and Bazan.
In September 2022, the Historic and Design Review Commission approved six policy guides to provide customers with additional guidance in the review process. The policy guides are intended to be consistent with the Historic Design Guidelines as adopted by City Council and provide customers with more illustrative examples of work that is eligible for either administrative approval or a positive recommendation to the HDRC. View or download the guides below:
The River Road Neighborhood Association has submitted a draft set of district-specific design guidelines which are intended to:
If approved by City Council, the new guidelines will supplement the existing Citywide Historic Design Guidelines and apply to all properties located within the River Road Historic District.
The proposed guidelines require review and approval by the HDRC at a future public hearing.
Adopted by Council on December 13, 2018, the Mission Historic District Design Manual acts as district-specific design guidelines for the Mission Historic District, serves as a consolidated resource for design requirements within the district, articulates the unique and character-defining features of the district, and demonstrates best practices concerning land development in sensitive areas.
Adopted by Council on October 3, 2013, the School of Aerospace Medicine Design Guidelines recognize the historic importance of the Brooks School of Aerospace Medicine Campus and San Antonio’s legacy in the development of the Man-in-Space Program. They also encourage sensitive development that conforms to the setting of existing buildings, the conservation of historic resources, and investment in the campus. The former Brooks School of Aerospace Medicine is a local historic district.
The HDRC reviews projects in the Downtown Business District using the Downtown Design Guide. The guide informs the design of new towers, infill projects, parking structures, and more.
Downtown Design Guide Administrative Policy(PDF, 54KB)