Quick Answer: Burbank can designate a property as a local historic resource if it meets at least one of several defined criteria — typically tied to historical significance, architectural distinctiveness, association with a notable person, or archaeological value. The process starts with the property owner, not the city, moves through a Heritage Commission recommendation, and ends with a City Council decision and a recorded covenant. Designation isn’t automatic just because a home is old, and it doesn’t automatically come with a property tax benefit — that’s a separate, optional step.
Can the city designate my property as historic without my consent?
Generally, no — the process is designed to start with the property owner preparing and filing an application, not with the city imposing designation unilaterally. An owner who isn’t interested in pursuing this generally isn’t at risk of having it happen without their involvement.
Who actually decides whether a property gets designated?
Typically a two-step process: the Heritage Commission reviews the application and makes a recommendation, but doesn’t have final authority. That recommendation then goes to the City Council, which holds its own public hearing (with advance notice to the owner) before making the final decision.
What changes for an owner once a property is designated?
Designation is a recorded document that runs with the property going forward, not a one-time approval. It typically comes with an ongoing obligation to maintain the property in a way that preserves what earned the designation, and exterior changes affecting those specific features generally have to go back through historic preservation review before a standard building permit can issue. It’s worth asking specifically which features are protected — the whole structure usually isn’t automatically frozen in place, just the elements the designation was based on.
Does historic designation come with a tax benefit?
Not automatically. A separate program — commonly known as the Mills Act, a California state law — lets a city enter into a tax-reduction contract with the owner of a qualifying historic property, in exchange for a commitment to maintain and restore it. Some, but not all, of a city’s designated historic properties may also carry an active Mills Act contract; the two approvals aren’t the same thing, and getting one doesn’t automatically confer the other.
What should a buyer or seller do differently with a designated or potentially-eligible property?
For a buyer, pull the recorded historic designation covenant (not just a general description) to see exactly what’s protected before assuming what kind of remodel or addition is realistic. For a seller whose property might be a strong candidate for designation, it’s worth talking through the pros and cons with a knowledgeable agent before filing anything — designation can affect both what future work looks like and how the property is marketed.
Related reading: Buying in a Glendale Historic District Overlay Zone and Burbank Hillside Development Permit: What Actually Triggers It.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many properties in Burbank currently carry a historic designation?
The number changes over time as new designations are approved — check the city’s current published list rather than relying on an older figure.
Does designation freeze the whole house from any changes?
No — typically only the specific features that earned the designation are protected, and routine work unrelated to those features generally doesn’t trigger the same review.
Is local designation the same as being on the National Register of Historic Places?
No — these are separate systems, and a property can hold a local designation, a state-level designation, a National Register listing, or some combination, each with its own criteria and process.
What is the minimum notice an owner is owed before a City Council hearing on designation?
Cities that run this kind of process typically set a minimum advance notice period to the property owner before a hearing that could affect title — confirm the current minimum directly rather than assuming.
General information about a City of Burbank historic preservation program, not legal or tax advice. Confirm current criteria, process, and designated-property status with Burbank’s Planning Division before relying on this for a purchase, sale, or renovation decision.
About Will Flannigan
Will Flannigan is a California licensed real estate agent (DRE #01951292) and Certified Trust & Probate Specialist (CTPS) with The Nell Team at Equity Union Real Estate. A former attorney, Will brings a background in property management and over a dozen home flips to every transaction, and has been licensed since 2014. A 20+ year resident of Burbank Rancho, Will specializes in Burbank, Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, and the greater San Gabriel Valley, with fluency in Mandarin serving clients in San Marino and beyond.
Own an older Burbank home — or thinking about buying one? Knowing what a historic designation would (and wouldn’t) change before you file anything or write an offer is worth a conversation. Let’s talk.
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