Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission
Komikina Aʻoaʻo Mālama Hale Kumupaʻa o Oʻahu
Agendas, Meeting Documents, and Minutes
The City and County of Honolulu Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission (Commission) will meet approximately once every month. Meetings are held mostly on the last Tuesday of the month, beginning at 12:00 p.m., at the Frank F. Fasi Municipal Building, 650 South King Street, 6th Floor Conference Room, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, and may be subject to change at the discretion of the Commission. View the 2026 Meeting Schedule.
Meeting minutes are available within 40 days after the meeting. Meeting agendas, documents, and minutes (drafts will be replaced by approved versions) can be found in the event details of the DPP Events Calendar. Commission meetings are categorized under DPP. Older minutes are available on DocuShare.
Should you like to receive notification of when the upcoming meeting agendas are posted, please email dpp-ohpc@honolulu.gov and mention that you would like to be added to the Commission mailing list.
Responsibilities
- Shall advise and assist federal, State, and county government agencies in carrying out their historic preservation responsibilities;
- Shall provide public information, public advocacy, education, training, and technical assistance relating to the national and State historic preservation programs;
- May initiate nominations of historic properties for inclusion in the Hawaii or national registers of historic places;
- Shall accept, review, and recommend to the State historic preservation division, nominations of historic properties in the city to the national register of historic places. This activity must be consistent and coordinated with the identification, evaluation, and preservation priorities of the statewide comprehensive historic preservation planning process, and consistent with the requirements of § 101(c)(2) of the National Historic Preservation Act;
- Shall maintain and make public an Oʻahu historic property system for the survey, identification, and inventory of historic properties and archaeological sites within the city. This system must be subject to provisions for withholding from the public information on the location, character, or ownership of historic properties where disclosure may cause a significant invasion of privacy, adversely impact the historic properties, or impede the use of a traditional religious site by practitioners. This system must be integrated into the department’s planning, application, review, and compliance system, and coordinated with and be complementary to that of the State historic preservation division, but shall not be limited to that agency’s system;
- Shall administer the certified local government program of federal assistance for historic preservation within the city;
- Shall develop and implement a comprehensive citywide historic preservation identification and planning process that is consistent and coordinated with the statewide comprehensive historic preservation planning process. The commission shall submit information pertaining to the city inventory of historic properties to the State historic preservation division;
- Shall make recommendations to the council for the expenditure or other use of gifts and grants accepted by the council for projects connected with the identification, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction of historic properties, the historic preservation planning process, and the promotion of exhibits and other information activities in connection therewith;
- Shall adopt rules pursuant to HRS Chapter 91 for the implementation of this article and the administration and enforcement of the city’s historic preservation program;
- May review and comment on:
- Archaeological reports and cultural impact assessments submitted to the department as part of development proposal applications; and
- Proposed projects upon request from the department, including projects located on historic properties identified in the O‘ahu historic property system.
If the commission recommends measures to mitigate adverse impacts to historic resources resulting from the project, the commission shall submit its recommendations to the State historic preservation division for its consideration;
- May undertake any other action or activity necessary or appropriate to implement its powers and duties, and to implement the purpose of this article. More specifically, these may include but are not limited to the following:
- Recommend new ordinances establishing special districts and archaeological districts;
- Review and recommend amendments to current policies and laws relating to historic properties;
- Continually reevaluate building code requirements and recommend amendments that are more sympathetic to historic preservation or that provide exemptions for historic properties;
- Encourage the city, State, and federal governments, and the private sector, to implement appropriate management strategies, curatorships, and meaningful interpretive programs at significant historical and archaeological structures, sites, and districts; and
- Assist in programs of historic preservation including presentations, films, exhibits, conferences, publications, and other educational means that increase public awareness and participation in preserving the past;
- With respect to city-owned or controlled land having historical significance, carry out the policies and provisions of Chapter 40, Article 10;
- Shall prepare an annual report that reviews and evaluates the state of historic preservations in the city, which includes but is not limited to the commission’s achievements, concerns, and recommendations; and
- May provide design review assistance and comment to appropriated agencies on projects proposed to be located within locally-designated historic and other special districts.
Members
The Commission consists of 9 voting members who are appointed by the mayor for 5-year staggered terms. Terms expire on June 16, with the expiration year listed in parentheses.
Regulations
Administrative Rules of the Oʻahu Historic Preservation Commission (In Progress)
City Charter (Section 13-103 establishes general provisions for boards and commissions)
Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (Section 3-10 establishes the Commission and its powers, duties, and functions)
Contact
c/o Department of Planning and Permitting
650 South King Street, 7th Floor
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 768-8013, Fax: (808) 768-6743