How a Kirksville Property Becomes a Local Historic Landmark

A Kirksville property does not become a local Historic Landmark merely because it is old or interesting.

Local designation follows a City review process and ultimately becomes a zoning action.

The final designation creates an H – Historic overlay rather than simply placing the property on an honorary list.

Start with the nomination

The City's current Historic Preservation Commission page says a property owner can use the Historic Landmark nomination form and submit it to the City Clerk.

The property must meet at least one of the City's stated criteria for consideration.

Age by itself is not enough.

The Historic Preservation Commission investigates

Under the City's preservation framework, the Kirksville Historic Preservation Commission reviews the completed nomination and evaluates the property against the designation criteria.

The foundational ordinance provides for a formal recommendation and report.

The Commission is not the final decision-maker.

Planning & Zoning becomes involved

The KHPC recommendation moves to the Planning & Zoning Commission.

P&Z holds a public hearing and determines whether the nomination satisfies the required criteria.

If the Commission supports the designation, its report and recommendation proceed to City Council.

This step reflects the fact that local landmark designation affects zoning.

City Council makes the final designation

City Council holds its own public hearing and makes the final decision.

If approved, the Landmark is designated by ordinance.

The property is then classified with the H – Historic overlay, and the zoning map is amended accordingly.

That is the legal local-designation step.

Local designation is not the same as the National Register

A property can be historically significant without being a Kirksville Landmark.

It can also have federal or state historic recognition without automatically receiving the City's H overlay.

Different programs have different legal effects.

Always identify which kind of historic status a source is talking about.

Kirksville has used the process before

A 2011 City ordinance designated several properties as local Historic Landmarks, including:

• Grim Building;
• Pickler's Famous Building;
• Forest-Llewellyn Cemetery;
• Spencer/Selby House;
• McGovern House.

That ordinance provides a concrete example of local designation becoming an H-overlay zoning action.

What changes after designation?

Once locally designated, certain alterations or demolition work can trigger preservation review.

That can mean obtaining a Certificate of Appropriateness before the related building or demolition permit is issued.

See Renovating a Historic Kirksville Property: What Is a Certificate of Appropriateness?.

The process is deliberately multi-step

The practical sequence is:

nomination → KHPC evaluation → Planning & Zoning public hearing → City Council public hearing → ordinance/H-overlay designation

That structure prevents one board from unilaterally turning a property into a local Landmark.

It also makes clear why local historic designation is more than a plaque on the wall.