Planning guide · updated October 2026
Pacific Grove has one of the deepest stocks of older homes on the Central Coast, from board-and-batten cottages to Victorians, and the City protects them closely. Before a remodel or addition on an older Pacific Grove house, the City wants to know whether the house is historic, and that question decides which permits you need, who reviews the design and how long it takes. This guide walks through the historic inventory, the screenings and assessments, the permit paths, Historic Resources Committee review, the design guidelines, coastal and tree rules and the building code, in the order we plan them.
Harrod Built remodels and adds on to homes on the Central Coast, including older homes in Pacific Grove, Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. To talk through a remodel or addition on an older Pacific Grove house, call 805-712-8993 or send the form at the end of this page.
The short answer
If your Pacific Grove house is on the City’s Historic Resources Inventory, almost any exterior change needs City approval first, usually backed by a historic assessment from a qualified consultant, with major work heard by the Historic Resources Committee. If the house is over fifty years old but has never been evaluated, expect an initial historic screening before you submit. Interior-only work usually needs only a building permit. Changes big enough can count as a demolition, so plan the scope with the City early.
1. Why Pacific Grove is different
A town built on its older houses
Pacific Grove grew from a late nineteenth century seaside retreat, and much of the town still reads that way: small lots, modest wood cottages, Victorians and early twentieth century bungalows close to the street. The City’s Historic Preservation Ordinance (Municipal Code Chapter 23.76) says its purpose is to protect those buildings and neighborhoods, keep their scale and eclectic styles, and control demolition. Planning staff, the Architectural Review Board and the Historic Resources Committee all apply it.
The City keeps a Historic Resources Inventory, its official list of locally designated historic resources, administered by the Historic Resources Committee. According to the Historic Resources Committee page, any property can be added to the inventory based on the criteria in the ordinance, listing is not limited to a particular year of construction, and the owner’s consent is not required. The City’s Historic Resources page links the inventory database, the Historic Context Statement and the Guidelines for Historic Assessments.
| Your house is… | What the City usually asks for | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| On the Historic Resources Inventory (or found eligible) | A Phase Two historic assessment for most exterior changes, plans that follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the City’s Appendix I, and the California Historical Building Code in plan check. | Planning staff for minor work; the Historic Resources Committee for major alterations, demolitions and historic preservation permits |
| Older than fifty years, status not yet decided | An initial historic screening, and a Phase One historic assessment if the screening finds the house may qualify. | The Community Development Director, on the Historic Resources Committee’s recommendation |
| Found not eligible, or newer than fifty years | The regular architectural review path for the zone, with no historic findings. | Planning staff, the Zoning Administrator or the Architectural Review Board, depending on the project |
| Any of the above, inside the Coastal Zone | A coastal development permit unless the work is exempt, alongside the historic or architectural review. | The City under its certified Local Coastal Program; the Coastal Commission in its appeal area |
A planning summary drawn from the City of Pacific Grove Municipal Code (Chapters 23.70 and 23.76, as amended January 2026), the City’s Guidelines for Historic Assessments and its coastal zone bulletin, read October 26, 2026. Every property has its own mix (we confirm per property).
Our Pacific Grove page gives a short overview of building and remodeling here. This guide goes step by step for older houses.
2. Is my house historic?
Checking the inventory and the house’s age
The City’s planning FAQ says to look up the property by address or parcel number in the City’s parcel records, which show its age and whether it is on the inventory. The inventory update page explains that the inventory began with a survey of the town’s early buildings and was later re-surveyed by preservation consultants, who recommended some houses for removal and others to stay. Listing status can change, so we check the current record rather than an old listing sheet (we confirm per property).
- On the inventory. The house is covered by the ordinance, and the City treats exterior changes as changes to a historic resource.
- Over fifty years old, undetermined. The FAQ says an Initial Historic Screening is most likely required before project submittal. Under the current code the Historic Resources Committee reviews the screening and recommends to the Community Development Director whether the house can be found ineligible or needs a Phase One assessment.
- Found ineligible or newer. The project follows the regular architectural review path for the zone. Our Carmel design review guide shows how a neighboring city handles design review for comparison.
The Historic Context Statement user guide summarizes the themes and periods the City uses to judge significance. If a house is also on the California Register of Historical Resources, the State notes that the Historical Building Code alternatives apply and that environmental review may be needed if a project threatens the resource.
3. Historic assessments
Phase One, Phase Two and what the consultant looks at
The City’s Guidelines for Historic Assessments require a qualified historic consultant, drawn from the state’s historical resources information system list, whenever a project could affect a building fifty years old or older.
- Phase One decides whether the house is historic, using the National Register, California Register and City criteria. The consultant reports it as not significant, significant without integrity, or significant, using the state DPR 523 forms for the last two.
- Phase Two looks at how the proposed project would affect the house and suggests measures to reduce the impact. It is automatically required for houses on the inventory or on, or eligible for, the state or national registers. It lists the character-defining features to be kept, changed or replaced, with photos of each side of the house.
The guidelines encourage small, approved exploratory openings to see what is under later finishes: older siding, sheathing, wall and roof framing, chimneys, porches and trim. That is also where we find out early whether siding or windows can be repaired.
Work that does not need an assessment
The guidelines exempt some minor exterior work on older houses: restoring existing historic elements; emergency repairs in kind; re-roofing and gutters in kind or matching the historic look; and in-kind replacement of original windows, stairs, railings, doors, porches or siding patches when the Chief Building Official finds the originals too deteriorated to restore. Replacing non-original windows to match the originals is also exempt when photos of the originals exist.
4. Permit paths
Which review your project takes
The Municipal Code Chapter 23.70 sets out who decides what. It was amended in January 2026, and some older City handouts still show the Architectural Review Board deciding inventory projects. Under the current table, the Historic Resources Committee decides architectural permits for major alterations to inventory houses, historic preservation permits and historic demolition permits.
| Path | Typical historic-home work | How it is decided |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt from planning review | Interior work that adds no rooms or floor area; re-roofing and gutters in kind or matching the historic look; restoring original windows and doors; foundations and foundation skirting. | No planning permit, though a building permit is usually still needed |
| Counter review and determination | In-kind replacement of original windows, stairs, railings, doors or porches the Chief Building Official finds too deteriorated to restore; replacing non-original windows or doors with ones that match the originals; patching historic siding in kind. | Staff, in a few business days, with the City’s on-call historic consultant when original details are missing |
| Administrative architectural permit | Outside the Coastal Zone, a modest change or small addition on a side or rear wall that does not add or enlarge a second story and fits the Secretary’s Standards and the Historical Building Code. | The Director, after mailed and posted notice; neighbors can ask for a hearing |
| Architectural permit (HRI) | Major alterations, larger additions, second stories and demolition-and-rebuild on an inventory house; inside the Coastal Zone, minor alterations too. | Public hearing before the Historic Resources Committee |
| Historic preservation permit | An exception to parking, yard, height or coverage rules when it is needed to preserve, restore or improve an inventory house. | Public hearing before the Historic Resources Committee |
| Historic demolition permit | Demolishing an inventory house, or changes big enough to count as a demolition. | Public hearing before the Historic Resources Committee, which can approve, deny, require a waiting period or allow relocation |
Simplified from Municipal Code Chapter 23.70 (Table 23.70.012-1 and Sections 23.70.015, .020, .030 and .070) and Chapter 23.76, read October 26, 2026. The City decides which path applies at intake (we confirm per property).
Two details matter for planning. First, the City’s FAQ says any change to the exterior, including windows, siding, roofing material and even paving, needs a planning permit, and the planning permit comes before the building permit. Second, when an administrative permit is paired with a historic preservation permit, both go to the Historic Resources Committee together, so asking for a zoning exception moves a small project to a hearing.
The historic preservation permit as an incentive
For an inventory house, the ordinance lets the Historic Resources Committee grant exceptions to parking, yard, height and coverage rules when they are needed to preserve, restore or improve the building. It cannot approve a use the zone does not allow. On a small lot where the original house already sits close to a property line, this is often what makes a sensible addition possible.
5. When a remodel becomes a demolition
Alterations, partial demolitions and de facto demolitions
This is the rule that surprises owners most. The ordinance defines an alteration and a demolition by how much of the exterior changes. Changing more than a set share of the street-facing walls, or more than a set share of the total length of exterior walls, including porches, within a two-year window, counts as a partial demolition, with maintenance and repair excepted. The City’s Appendix I: Working with Buildings on the Historic Resources Inventory adds that alterations so extensive that they amount to demolition may be treated that way, and asks owners to consult the Community Development Department.
Demolishing an inventory house needs a historic demolition permit and a Historic Resources Committee hearing, with a stability evaluation from the Chief Building Official. The Committee can approve, deny, approve relocation within the city, or require a waiting period to consider documentation, relocation or other alternatives. Single-story detached garages and sheds the Director finds to have no historic value are exempt.
The enforcement section is serious: altering or demolishing an inventory building without approval can bring civil liability tied to the replacement value of the building, an order to restore it, and limits on what can later be built on the lot. The assessment guidelines also warn that unpermitted work can lead to stop-work orders and added hearings. That is why we map the scope wall by wall before demolition starts, and why changes found behind the walls go back to Planning before they are built.
6. Designing the remodel or addition
Appendix I, windows and story poles
Under the ordinance, the review of additions and exterior changes to inventory houses is guided by the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and the City’s Architectural Review Guidelines, in particular Appendix I: Working with Buildings on the Historic Resources Inventory. Appendix I asks the same questions we ask at the first walk-through:
- Neighborhood context. Additions should account for setbacks, mass, style and design of the street; the guidelines say neighborhood change should be slow and evolutionary.
- Scale and placement. Put additions on an inconspicuous side or rear elevation, set connectors back from the historic wall plane, and set any added story well back from the roof edge so the original profile still reads.
- Character-defining features. Siding and decorative elements, distinctive windows, entrances and porches on the main elevations, dormers and chimneys, trim, gables and overhangs are to be kept, not obscured or replaced with features from other buildings.
- Compatible new work. New work should be compatible in form, scale and materials, either by carefully reproducing historic features or by differentiating the new work.
- Replacements. When a character-defining feature has to be replaced, use a similar design and material, or a compatible substitute if the original material is not technically feasible.
Windows. The FAQ says the City requires window permits for all window changes, with different rules for historic and non-historic homes in the Window Guidelines (Appendix IV). On inventory houses we plan to repair original sash where we can, and to document originals before anything is removed.
Story poles. The City’s story pole requirements require story poles and netting for additions or changes to massing or height, in place when the notice is posted and kept up until the appeal period ends. Trees or branches proposed for removal are flagged too.
If you are comparing towns, our Santa Barbara design board guide and Montecito design review guide cover design review in Santa Barbara and Montecito, which share some of the same ideas.
7. Coastal Zone, trees and water
The other City reviews
Coastal permits. According to the City’s Local Coastal Program page, the California Coastal Commission certified Pacific Grove’s Local Coastal Program in March 2020, along with an appeal jurisdiction map. The City’s coastal zone bulletin says the Planning Commission is the review authority for coastal development permits, and that interior work that does not intensify use, and repair and maintenance such as in-kind siding replacement, are generally exempt, with exceptions near environmentally sensitive habitat such as the Asilomar Dunes. In the appeal area, the Coastal Commission can appeal a City-approved permit. A few City pages still refer to the Coastal Commission for coastal permits, so we confirm which applies for the parcel (we confirm per property).
Trees. The City’s tree permit page explains that a permit is needed to remove or substantially prune protected trees, including native Monterey pine, coast live oak and Monterey cypress above a modest trunk size, larger trees of any species, street trees, and trees in or near the monarch butterfly sanctuaries, where work is not allowed during the overwintering season. When a remodel or addition is involved, the tree guidelines during development call for a project arborist, a construction impact analysis and root-zone protection shown on the building plans and verified before demolition, grading or building permits are issued.
Water and other agencies. The City’s Building Permits & Inspections page lists sign-offs that may be needed before a building permit: the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District for water, Monterey One Water for sewer, the air district for demolitions, and the Coastal Commission where it applies. On the Monterey Peninsula, adding a bathroom or other water fixtures can depend on water credits, so the FAQ points owners to the water district early. We check that before we design a new bath or kitchen.
If an ADU is part of the plan, our Monterey County ADU guide covers the County’s rules, and the City applies its own (we confirm per property).
8. Building codes for an older house
The Historical Building Code, Title 24 and hidden hazards
The ordinance says the State Historical Building Code shall be used for buildings on the inventory in the City’s building permit process. The California Historical Building Code (Title 24, Part 8) is adopted by the State Historical Building Safety Board and provides alternative regulations for qualified historical buildings, for rehabilitation, preservation, restoration and relocation. According to the Building Standards Commission’s 2025 code changes summary, the 2025 edition carried forward the prior provisions without change.
In practice, the Historical Building Code lets a building official accept reasonable alternatives that keep historic fabric, for example around existing stairs, ceiling heights or original windows, while still meeting safety goals. It is not a waiver: structural, fire and life-safety issues still have to be solved, and the designer has to ask for each alternative and justify it (we confirm per property).
The City’s Building Division notes that projects submitted after January 1, 2026 follow the 2025 California codes, including the 2025 Energy Code. Our Title 24 overview explains the basics; how the energy rules apply to an addition on a historic house is a question we settle with plan check early.
Older houses also hide lead paint, asbestos, knob-and-tube wiring and undersized framing. Our guide to remodeling an older home covers the testing to do before opening walls. For kitchens and baths in an older house, see our kitchen remodel timeline and bathroom remodel timeline.
9. Incentives
The Mills Act and other help
The Mills Act lets local governments sign contracts with owners of qualified historic properties who restore and maintain them, in exchange for property tax relief. The State Office of Historic Preservation’s Mills Act page says the program is run entirely by local governments, each of which sets its own criteria and decides whether to offer contracts. Ask the City’s Planning Division whether a program is available for your property before counting on it (we confirm per property).
The other real incentive is the one already in the ordinance: the historic preservation permit, which can allow exceptions to parking, yard, height or coverage rules for an inventory house.
10. The order of steps
How we line up a historic remodel in Pacific Grove
The City’s before-you-apply bulletin puts it simply: check with a planner before applying for any permits. The Planning Division recommends talking with a planner at the start and talking with neighbors before you submit. This is the order we plan in:
| Step | What happens | What usually sets the pace |
|---|---|---|
| Records check | Look up the property in the City’s parcel records and inventory database, pull the property file, and note the zone, the Coastal Zone line and any protected trees. | Counter hours and file review at City Hall. |
| Talk to a planner | A counter review with Planning on the permit path, setbacks, nonconformities and coastal steps before design goes far. | How settled the scope is. |
| Historic status | An initial historic screening if status is undetermined; a Phase One assessment if the house may qualify; a Phase Two assessment if it is listed or eligible. | Consultant availability and City review of the drafts. |
| Design to the guidelines | Measured drawings of the existing house, a list of character-defining features to keep, and a design that follows Appendix I and the window guidelines. | Design rounds with the owner and the historic consultant. |
| Planning approvals | File the planning application; install story poles and netting for additions or height changes; notice and any hearing before the Historic Resources Committee; coastal permit if required; appeal period. | Meeting calendars, notice periods and any appeal. |
| Building permit | Plan check under the California Historical Building Code and current Title 24; outside agency sign-offs; tree protection verified before work starts. | Plan check corrections and outside agencies. |
| Build and final | Careful demolition, inspections, and any changes found behind the walls brought back to Planning before they are built. | Hidden conditions in an older house. |
The order we plan a remodel or addition on an older Pacific Grove house. Interior-only projects skip most of the planning steps.
For a shorter overview, see our page on building in Pacific Grove. If you are weighing managing the work yourself, read our owner-builder vs licensed contractor guide, and before hiring anyone, see how to check a CSLB license and the Contractors State License Board’s guidance on hiring a licensed contractor. The City’s Building Division issues building permits only to a state-licensed professional or the property owner, and requires contractors to carry a state license, workers’ compensation coverage and a City business license.
11. Before you buy or design
12 questions to answer about an older Pacific Grove house
- Is the house on the Historic Resources Inventory, or on the state or national registers?
- If not, is it over fifty years old with an undetermined status that needs a screening?
- What do the City’s property file and past permits show about earlier changes?
- Which features are original and character-defining, and which are later changes?
- Can the original windows, siding and trim be repaired rather than replaced?
- Would the planned changes to street-facing walls or total wall length count as a demolition?
- Can an addition sit on the rear or an inconspicuous side, set back from the original walls?
- Is a historic preservation permit needed for setbacks, height, parking or coverage?
- Is the lot in the Coastal Zone, the appeal area or near the Asilomar Dunes?
- Are there protected trees, or monarch sanctuary trees, near the work?
- Does adding a bathroom or kitchen need water credits?
- What do lead paint, asbestos and wiring tests show before walls are opened?
If you have an architect already, we work from their drawings. If not, Harrod Drafting & Design can draw the remodel or addition and the permit set, working alongside your historic consultant.
How we help
Remodeling an older Pacific Grove home with Harrod Built
- House first. Harrod Built is a family general contractor based in Paso Robles, CSLB #986950. We walk the house with you, check its historic status and the permit path with the City, and give a written estimate. You can confirm our license on the state license lookup.
- The right consultants, in the right order. Historic consultants, surveyors, arborists, structural engineers and designers, scheduled so the assessment, the design and the hearings line up.
- Careful demolition. Exploratory openings before design is final, protected original features during work, and any surprises behind the walls brought back to Planning before they are built.
- Design support. Harrod Drafting & Design, our drafting studio, draws remodels, additions and permit sets, and we also build from plans by outside architects.
- Outside the house. Paso Robles Landscaping can plan the yard around protected trees, with drainage and water-efficient planting.
We take on remodels, home additions, kitchens, baths and exterior remodels in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Carmel Valley, and across Monterey, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, with general contracting and design-build; our process page explains how a job runs. Our nearest finished home is the Stone Cottage in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Thinking about remodeling an older home in Pacific Grove? We can look at the house with you, sort out which of these steps apply, and give you a written estimate. Call 805-712-8993 or contact us.
Sources: City of Pacific Grove Community Development Department: Historic Resources page, Historic Resources Inventory update page, Historic Resources Committee page, Planning Division page, Frequently Asked Planning Questions, Information Bulletin No. 10 (before applying for permits), Guidelines for Historic Assessments, Historic Context Statement user guide, Architectural Review Guidelines with Appendix I (working with buildings on the Historic Resources Inventory) and Appendix IV (window guidelines), story pole and staking requirements, Information Bulletin No. 29 (tree guidelines during development), Information Bulletin No. 17 (development in the Coastal Zone), Local Coastal Program page, and Building Permits & Inspections page. City of Pacific Grove Public Works tree permit page. Pacific Grove Municipal Code Chapters 23.70 and 23.76. State of California: Division of the State Architect (California Historical Building Code and State Historical Building Safety Board), Building Standards Commission 2025 Title 24 code changes, Office of Historic Preservation (Mills Act and California Register), California Coastal Commission, California Energy Commission 2025 Building Energy Efficiency Standards, and Contractors State License Board. All checked October 26, 2026. This guide is general information, not legal, historic preservation or code advice; the City of Pacific Grove has the final word on a given property.
Do I need City approval to remodel a historic home in Pacific Grove?
For exterior changes, yes. The City says any change to the exterior, including windows, siding, roofing material and paving, needs a planning permit before the building permit, and inventory houses also need historic review. Interior work that adds no rooms or floor area is generally exempt from planning review but still needs a building permit.
How do I find out if my Pacific Grove house is historic?
Look up the property by address or parcel number in the City’s parcel records, which show its age and whether it is on the Historic Resources Inventory. If it is over fifty years old with an undetermined status, the City will most likely ask for an initial historic screening before you submit.
What is a Phase One or Phase Two historic assessment?
A Phase One assessment by a qualified historic consultant decides whether a house is historic under national, state and City criteria. A Phase Two assessment looks at how a project would affect a historic house and suggests ways to reduce the impact; it is automatically required for houses on the inventory or the state or national registers.
Can a remodel count as a demolition in Pacific Grove?
Yes. Under the City’s historic preservation ordinance, changing more than a set share of the street-facing walls, or of the total length of exterior walls, within a two-year window counts as a partial demolition, which needs a historic demolition permit and a Historic Resources Committee hearing for an inventory house.
Does the California Historical Building Code apply to my house?
For houses on the Pacific Grove inventory, the City’s ordinance says the State Historical Building Code is used in the building permit process. It allows reasonable alternatives that preserve historic features while still meeting safety goals, but each alternative has to be requested and justified.
Planning guides
Budget and planning guides
Remodeling an older Central Coast home
Lead paint, asbestos, old wiring and what hides in the walls of a pre-1978 house.
Carmel design review: Track 1 vs Track 2
How Carmel-by-the-Sea reviews new homes, remodels and additions, and what each track asks for.
ADU rules in Monterey County
Inland vs coastal zone, size limits, water and the permit path for an ADU.
Building in Carmel Valley
Lots, water, septic, oaks, fire and County permits in Carmel Valley.
Santa Barbara Single Family Design Board
What to expect from design review for a new home or remodel in the City of Santa Barbara.
Kitchen remodel timeline
Design, permits, ordering and construction: how long a kitchen remodel takes.
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
The phases of a bath remodel and what sets the pace.
Title 24 energy code for a new home
What California’s energy code asks of new homes and additions.
Owner-builder vs licensed contractor
What owner-builder permits mean in California and when hiring a contractor makes sense.
Luxury custom homes in Carmel
Large custom homes, whole-home remodels and additions in Carmel, from design review through construction.
Building in Carmel Highlands
Coastal permits, the viewshed and ridgeline rules, staking, septic, water and fire review.
Start your project
Thinking about remodeling an older home in Pacific Grove? Tell us about your house.
A few details help us call you back with useful answers about budget, schedule and permits.
805.712.8993michael@harrodbuilt.com
1345 Riverside Ave, Paso Robles, CA 93446
CSLB License #986950
