While the Department of the Interior and the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office have standards and guidelines for National Historic District, the preservation of a district is largely a local responsibility. The process of acquiring a historic preservation zone was initiated by residents, museum and historical society members and gained city council support in the mid-1980s. On December 28, 1988, after extensive input by residents, the city council adopted a Development Code establishing the Aurora Colony Historic Overlay District. Like the National Register, historic preservation zoning honors an area's historic significance, but with that recognition, all exterior work on buildings or sites, from any new construction to alteration, demolition or relocation is reviewed to ensure that the community's visual character is preserved.
For questions regarding the Historic District, please email staff: recorder [at] ci.aurora.or.us (recorder[at]ci[dot]aurora[dot]or[dot]us)