Taos City Zoning Code
§ 16.16.220.2
Historic overlay zone, historic districts, contributing properties.
The historic overlay zone boundaries are shown on the most recent town zoning map. The town historic overlay zone contains two (2) historic districts, the La Loma Plaza Historic District and the Taos Downtown Historic District, registered as such with the State of New Mexico department of cultural affairs, historic preservation division, on April 15, 1982. Contributing properties are identified by the 1981 New Mexico Historic Building Inventory conducted by Garner Hicks Architects and the 1996 New Mexico Building Inventory - Taos Resurvey conducted by Vicente Martinez. The town may, from time to time, conduct an inventory of potentially contributing properties to determine if the property meets the criteria for designation as a contributing property. The historic preservation commission must receive written consent from the property owner prior to designating the property as a contributing property. In addition, a contributing property must meet at least one (1) of the following criteria as determined by the historic preservation commission:
A.
Be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of national, state or Taos history;
B.
Possess architectural significance;
C.
Embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess high artistic values, or that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
D.
Have yielded, or be likely to yield, scientific information that creates a better understanding of Taos’ diverse cultures, prehistory or history;
E.
Be valued by the local Taos community as an established or familiar visual or cultural feature due to its architectural history, siting, cultural characteristics or heritage; or
F.
Be suitable for preservation.
(Ordinance 17-07 adopted 2017)