The following example is how a new LHD or local landmark district is created in Salt Lake City.  This process could be used to design a similar ordinance for Murray City:

An application to create a new local historic district can be initiated by the Mayor, a majority of the City Council members, or a property owner with the support of 15% of the property owners within the proposed historic district. Support of property owners is demonstrated by signatures obtained by the applicant within a six-month time frame.

Once an application has been submitted to create a local historic district, ordinances establish the following steps:

  1. Public Outreach Process: The City Planning Staff conduct a public hearing outreach process to help property owners within the proposed local historic district understand what the regulations and benefits are to owning property within such a district.
  2. Public Hearing Process: The proposed historic district will be considered first by the City’s Historic Landmark Commission and then by the Planning Commission. Each commission will hold at least one public hearing before forwarding recommendations to the City Council.
  3. Public Support Ballot: Before the City Council considers the recommendations of the Historic Landmark and Planning Commissions, a public support ballot will be mailed to property owners for the designation of the historic district.
  4. City Council Consideration: Following the public support balloting, the City Council will hold at least one public hearing before deciding whether or not to designate a new local historic district. If a majority of the property owners who voted on the public support ballot process support the creation of a new district, the City Council may, by a majority vote, approve the district. If less than a majority of property owners who voted in the public support ballot process support the proposed district, the City Council may only approve the proposed district by a super-majority vote (five Council members).