The City of Wenatchee is proud of the many historic homes and commercial buildings that have been restored and maintained to state and national historic preservation standards. The largest concentrations of historic properties are located within the Grandview Historic District (Wenatchee's Register of Historic Places), a residential area west of downtown and the Downtown Wenatchee Historic District (National Register of Historic Places) with almost 100 properties within the area bound by North First and Kittitas Streets and by Columbia and Mission Streets. Here is the full listing of the City's Register of Historic Properties.  

The city is a Certified Local Government (CLG), a National Parks service program administered by the Washington State's Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP). As a CLG, the City of Wenatchee is responsible for maintaining a historic preservation commission, surveying local historic properties, enforcing state or local preservation laws, reviewing National Register Nominations, and providing for public participation in historic preservation activities. Some of the benefits are CLGs may apply for special grants and may offer Special Tax Valuation to locally listed properties and those contributing properties to local or national historic districts.

The City of Wenatchee’s Historic Preservation Board is a seven-member citizen volunteer board that serves in an advisory capacity to the Wenatchee City Council and the Community Development Department. The primary functions of the Board are to:

• Review all properties for placement or removal on the Wenatchee and National Register of Historic Places.
• Make recommendations to the City Council for final approval.
• Also review all changes to properties listed on the local register and/or located in the Grandview Historic District prior to permit issuance.

MEETINGS

Historic Preservation Board regular meetings are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at Wenatchee City Hall Council Chambers, 301 Yakima Street. Meetings begin at 5:30 PM and generally last an hour or two. Meetings and agenda packets are contained on the City Calendar page on the city’s website. 

BOARD MEMBERS

Members of the board are appointed by the Mayor and approved by City Council. They do not receive compensation for their services and serve three-year terms. Current Board Members are:

TO APPLY: 

For consideration of appointment to the Board, individuals must complete an application form and submit it to the City Clerk. Persons interested in serving on the Board are encouraged to attend a meeting and find out more about the Board prior to completing an application. 

If you have specific comments and would like to address the Board at their regular meeting or have questions on your historic property, please contact Kirsten Larsen, Senior Planner, at klarsen@wenatcheewa.gov or (509) 888-3249.    

• Nomination Form for Historic Property 
• Special Valuation Agreement Form 
• Application for Special Valuation Form 
• Design Guidelines - Residential 
• Design Guidelines - Commercial 
• Secretary of Interior Standards 
• Grandview Historic Preservation Handbook
• Zoning Overlay for Grandview Historic District
• City of Wenatchee Historic Preservation Ordinance
• Application for Certificate of Appropriateness

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