Buyer guide
Athens-Clarke County has 16 local historic districts and 44 individual historic landmarks. A home inside one can still be updated, but changes to the outside need county approval first. Madison, Monroe, Jefferson, Hartwell and a dozen more towns we cover have them too. Here's how to check if a home is in one, using each government's own maps.
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Athens-Clarke County
Being in a local historic district doesn't stop you from changing your home. It means exterior work is reviewed first, so it fits the character of the street.
COA applications go to the Planning Department by the first Wednesday of the month, and the Commission hears them on the third Wednesday. Plan for about a month before exterior work can start. Other towns follow a similar process; meeting days vary.
Planning staff can talk through ideas early, which ACC encourages.
ACC Historic Preservation ↗Local vs. National Register: many Athens neighborhoods are also on the National Register of Historic Places. That listing is an honor and can open tax incentives, but on its own it doesn't require a COA. Only the local districts and landmarks below do. Search the National Register database ↗.
Verify it yourself
Listings don't always say. Use the county's maps to confirm, then call Planning if a home sits near a boundary line.
All ACC historic district maps ↗ · ACC Planning Viewer (GIS) ↗ · Design guidelines ↗ · COA applications ↗
16 local districts
Each map is the official Athens-Clarke County boundary PDF. Always check the map, not just the neighborhood name; a district can cover only part of a neighborhood.
| District | What you'll see | Official map |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomfield | Small, rectangular lots with even setbacks. Victorian, Four-square, Bungalow and Craftsman homes. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Boulevard | A streetcar suburb from the late 1800s and early 1900s, with everything from cottages to large homes. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Buena Vista Heights | About 62 properties, mostly built 1890 to 1960, along the old streetcar line. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Castalia Avenue | Middle-class homes built from the mid-1930s to the early 1960s. | Map PDF ↗ |
| West Cloverhurst-Springdale | Early to mid-1900s homes, front gables and dogwood-lined streets. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Cobbham | Often called Athens' first suburb. Large older homes, churches and schools near downtown. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Dearing | Homes from about 1810 to 1910, cottages to two-story houses. Home of the Tree That Owns Itself. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Downtown | The brick commercial and institutional core of downtown Athens. | Map PDF ↗ |
| West Downtown | Commercial and institutional buildings on the original street grid, west of downtown. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Henderson | A small, mostly residential area of Folk Victorian cottages from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Milledge Avenue | Broad Street to Lumpkin Street. Grand older homes, many now offices and institutional uses. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Milledge Circle | A planned neighborhood begun in 1915 and built out over the following decades. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Reese Street | About six blocks west of downtown, mostly modest frame homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Rocksprings | A row of shotgun houses, what remains of worker housing from 1925. | Map PDF ↗ |
| West Rutherford | 1930s to 1950s homes with gable roofs, dormers and brick or stone landscaping. | Map PDF ↗ |
| Woodlawn | Early 1900s homes: Craftsman, Colonial Revival, Classical Revival and Tudor Revival. | Map PDF ↗ |
Downtown Character Areas aren't historic districts, but they set different design standards for new building downtown. Character areas map ↗
Individual landmarks (44 in the county) are on the countywide map ↗. If you're not sure about a specific property, ask ACC Planning.
Beyond Athens
These towns in our area have local historic districts with design review. Each map link goes to the city's own map. If a home is close to a line, call the city before you count on it either way.
| Town | District | Official map | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Morgan County | Madison Historic District | District map PDF ↗ | Any exterior change, including drives, walks and fences, needs a COA before the city issues a permit. Madison HPC ↗ |
| Greensboro Greene County | Downtown, bounded by North, East, South and West Streets | Fact sheet with map ↗ | Review includes repainting, awnings, doors, windows, fences and removing trees 50+ years old. Office of Downtown Development (706) 453-7674 |
| Union Point Greene County | Union Point Historic Preservation District | District map PDF ↗ | COA needed for exterior changes and signs; applications in person at City Hall. Union Point HPC ↗ |
| Lexington Oglethorpe County | Lexington local historic district | Survey report PDF ↗ (map on p. 10) | COA needed for exterior changes, new buildings and demolition. City Hall (706) 743-3322 |
| Monroe Walton County | 9 districts plus 8 landmarks | Districts & landmarks map PDF ↗ | HPC meets the 4th Tuesday; apply at least 30 days ahead. Monroe HPC ↗ |
| Social Circle Walton County | Social Circle local historic district | District map PDF ↗ | Start with a pre-application meeting with Community Development. Social Circle HPC ↗ |
| Winder Barrow County | Winder Historic District | City GIS map ↗ (Historic District layer) | New development and exterior renovations are reviewed. Winder HPC ↗ |
| Jefferson Jackson County | Downtown, Martin Cooley, Oak Avenue, Washington-Lawrenceville and two cemetery districts | District map PDF ↗ | COA for any change in appearance, signs included; routine repair is exempt. Jefferson HPC ↗ |
| Hartwell Hart County | Hartwell local historic districts | Survey map PDF ↗ (local district in green) | Any work needing a city building permit needs a COA first. Hartwell HPC ↗ |
| Elberton Elbert County | Downtown commercial, Forest Avenue and Church Street | Downtown ↗ · Forest Ave ↗ · Church St ↗ | COA before work starts; no application fee. Elberton HPC ↗ |
| Toccoa Stephens County | Historic Commercial District (downtown) | District map PDF ↗ (large file) | Siding, window and door replacement, additions and demolition are reviewed. Toccoa HPC ↗ |
| Gainesville Hall County | Ridgewood and Green Street | Design guidelines PDF ↗ (maps on pp. 14 & 16) | Exterior changes need a COA; paint color isn't reviewed. Gainesville HPC ↗ |
| Norcross Gwinnett County | Norcross local historic district | City GIS map ↗ | Exterior changes and new construction are reviewed; apply online. Norcross HPC ↗ |
No map online: Lavonia and Flowery Branch also have local districts, but neither city posts a map. Call Lavonia ↗ at (706) 356-8781 or Flowery Branch at (770) 967-6371.
Watkinsville doesn't have a local historic district, but homes along its residential corridors need a COA from City Council for exterior changes.
National Register only: towns like Bishop, Braselton, Commerce, Comer, Homer, Maysville, Rutledge and Suwanee have historic districts on the National Register, but no local design review.
Checked against official city sites and Georgia's list of local governments with preservation ordinances, October 2026.
When you're buying
Love an older home?
We'll check the district maps with you and help you plan for any changes you want to make, before you're under contract.
Good to know: this is a general overview, not legal advice. District boundaries and rules can change. Always confirm with Athens-Clarke County Planning before you buy or start exterior work.
We're real estate agents, not attorneys. Nothing on this page is legal advice. Laws change and every situation is different, so always consult an attorney about your specific situation. Attorneys you can contact: Weissman PC · Blasingame, Burch, Garrard & Ashley, P.C.