Part 3: HPD’s Review Process of Proposed Nominations
The state-level review process begins when a property owner(s) and/or sponsor makes an official request for nomination by submitting to HPD either a completed Packet for Nominating Individual Resources or Packet for Nominating Historic Districts.
Upon receipt at HPD, proposed nominations are entered into our National Register logging/tracking database and a checklist is completed to verify that requested supporting documentation is submitted (See Item 4 of the Packets for the checklist). Proposed nominations that include all required supporting documentation are then scheduled for review by HPD’s National Register staff. Federal regulations give a timeline of 60 days for review.
HPD’s National Register staff consists of architectural historians and historians. Proposed nominations of archaeological sites are also reviewed by HPD’s deputy state archaeologist(s).
HPD’s staff is charged with determining:
- Whether or not the property appears to meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation
- Whether or not the property is adequately documented
Reviews of proposed nominations follow the guidance set forth by the National Park Service in the National Register Bulletins.
After our review is complete, we notify the property owner(s) and/or sponsors of the result in writing. The four possible outcomes of our state-level review are:
- The property is fully documented to National Register and HPD standards and the property appears to be eligible for listing in the National Register. The proposed nomination moves to the next step in the process.
- The property is not fully documented but appears to be eligible for listing. This is very common and a majority of proposed nominations require additional research and documentation, so be prepared to follow up. We will send a letter requesting additional information and provide guidance on what is needed, why it is needed, and suggestions for finding the information. It is the responsibility of the property owner/sponsor to provide additional information. The proposed nomination is put "on hold" in our office until we receive the requested information. There is no deadline or expiration date and proposed nominations are retained in our files permanently.
- We cannot determine whether a property appears to be eligible for listing based on the information submitted. In this case, we will request additional information.
- We determine that the property is not eligible for listing in the National Register. In this case, we will send a letter explaining the basis for our decision.
Throughout the National Register nomination process, we encourage you to contact our National Register staff by email or phone if you have any questions. We can also suggest sources of information and provide further examples of similar National Register nominations that may be useful to you.
The HPD's responsibilities as the SHPO for Georgia, the NRHP, and the nomination process are outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 60).
