Minneapolis HPC reviews second draft to repeal-and-replace Chapter 599 preservation code

The Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission on March 18, 2025, heard a staff presentation on a second draft to repeal and replace Title 23, Chapter 599, the city’s local historic preservation ordinance. Senior City Planner Rob Skolecki of the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department summarized the draft, noted changes made since an October 2024 version, and asked commissioners for final feedback before the draft moves to the city clerk for formatting and back to the commission for a public hearing.

The proposed rewrite would repeal and replace Chapter 599 in its entirety. Skolecki said staff is proposing to keep a single administrative preservation application (with a fee) while allowing lower-impact changes to be handled through building permit review, aiming to reduce administrative processing time for applicants and staff. He said, “all of chapter 5 99 as part of this project is proposed to be repealed and replaced in its entirety.”

Why it matters: Chapter 599 administers Minneapolis’s local preservation program and enables the Heritage Preservation Commission (HPC) to designate landmarks and review alterations. The rewrite changes how routine permit-level work is reviewed, clarifies demolition review for designated properties and interim protections, and alters tools and terminology that govern exceptions to standards.

Key changes described by staff and discussed by commissioners include: - Consolidation of administrative preservation review: staff propose one administrative preservation application (with a fee) and permit-level review for the lowest-impact changes previously handled by a…