Deadline extended: Have a passion for enhancing Portland's historic and architectural heritage? Consider joining the Historic Landmarks Commission

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Source: Deadline extended: Have a passion for enhancing Portland's historic and architectural heritage? Consider joining the Historic Landmarks Commission ↗ Last modified: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:08:20 GMT

Purpose and roles of the Historic Landmarks Commission

The Historic Landmarks Commission provides leadership and expertise on maintaining and enhancing Portland's historic and architectural heritage. The Commission identifies and protects buildings and other properties with historic or cultural significance or special architectural merit. It provides advice on historic preservation matters and coordinates historic preservation programs in the City. It also helps develop design guidelines for historic districts.

Commission activities include:

1. Establishing or removing Historic Landmark and Conservation Landmark designations for specific buildings or sites;
2. Recommending the establishment, amendment, or removal of Historic Landmark and Conservation Landmark designations to the City Council;
3. Providing advice on the establishment, amendment, or removal of Historic Districts and Conservation Districts to the Planning and Sustainability Commission and the City Council;
4. Recommending design guidelines for Historic Districts and Conservation Districts to the City Council;
5. Reviewing development proposals for Historic Landmarks and Conservation Landmarks and in Historic Districts and Conservation Districts;
6. Reviewing demolition and relocation requests for certain landmarks and buildings in Historic and Conservation Districts;
7. Providing advice on historic preservation matters to the Hearings Officer, Design Commission, Planning and Sustainability Commission, Prosper Portland Board of Commissioners, other City commissions and committees, and City Council; and
8. Initiating and coordinating historic preservation and public outreach programs in the City, including reviewing recommendations for placement on the National Register of Historic Places and making recommendations to other governmental agencies regarding historic preservation programs and issues.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Historic Landmarks Commission, members must live, play, worship, work or do business in the City of Portland.

The Historic Landmarks Commission consists of seven members, none of whom may hold elective office. The Commission must include at least two members who have professional experience in historic preservation, local history, architectural history, or architecture. At least three of the additional members must have professional experience or working knowledge of historic preservation, local history, architectural history, architecture, landscape architecture, real estate, economics, construction, community development, urban planning, archeology, law, finance, cultural geography, cultural anthropology, cultural resources management, or related disciplines. Up to two at-large members are included on the Commission. All members must have demonstrated interest, competence, or knowledge of historic preservation. Members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.

This is an open recruitment for one position and the City will accept applications from individuals for the at-large category. The City will retain all applications for consideration in future vacancies.