Function & Authority
The Memphis Landmarks Commission (MLC) was created by Ordinance No. 2276, passed by the Memphis City Council on July 15, 1975 (now codified as Chapter 14-24 of the Memphis Code of Ordinances). The MLC is responsible for preserving and protecting the historic, architectural and cultural landmarks in the City of Memphis. As such, the MLC reviews zoning requests and work that is visible from the street, including new construction, demolition, relocation of structures, and different types of exterior alterations in the historic districts.
MLC Documents
Click here to download the Memphis Landmarks Commission Bylaws.
Meetings and Location*
- Commission: 2:00 PM on the fourth Thursday of the month.** Meetings can be viewed on the Division of Planning and Development's YouTube channel here.
- City Council Chambers, 125 N. Main St., Memphis TN 38103
- Design Review Meeting: 8:30 AM on the first Thursday of the month.*
- Conference Room A, 4th Floor, 125 N. Main St., Memphis TN 38103
* November and December meetings are held on the third Thursday. Please see the 2021 Application Deadline calendars for more information.
**Commission meeting time has changed from 4:00 PM to 2:00 PM effective January 28, 2021.
Agendas & Minutes
| Most Recent Agenda | Past Agendas |
| Most Recent Minutes | Past Minutes |
Contacts
- Brett Ragsdale, Executive Secretary
- Ayse Tezel, Preservation Planner
- (901) 636-6619
Commission Members
The Landmarks Commission is made up of nine individuals, appointed by the Mayor of the City of Memphis and confirmed by the Memphis City Council. The current members are as follows (click on their name to send an email): Joyce Cox , Felecia Boyd, Joy Doss (Vice-Chair), Brown Gill, Joyce Selina Love, Margot Payne, Natasha Strong, Cyndy Tucker (Chair), and Peter Warren.
Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) Application
If a property owner within a historic district seeks a building permit for exterior work, the owner must receive a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) from the Memphis Landmarks Commission (MLC). To obtain the COA, the property owner must submit an application form with all required application materials and fees by the appropriate application deadline.
Other Applications
Contact MLC staff for an application for a new historic district, or a request for an economic hardship hearing.
Pending Applications
Click here to view the pending Certificates of Appropriateness with the Landmarks Commission.
Archive Center
Click here to view archived or older documents including meeting agendas, applications, minutes, and staff reports. Note: To view Memphis Landmarks Commission items, please scroll toward the bottom of the archive center page to find the Landmarks documents.
Local District Information
At present, there are sixteen local historic districts. Click on the links below to review the design guidelines for each district. The individuals listed below are neighborhood contacts and have volunteered to serve as liaisons for potential applications filed with the Landmarks Commission.
- Map of all local landmarks districts
- Annesdale Park (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Cathy Winterburn
- Annesdale-Snowden (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Brandon Knisley
- Central Gardens (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Shelly Rainwater
- Collins Chapel (Map)
- Cooper Young (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Cooper-Young Community Association
- Cotton Row (Map)
- Evergreen (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Don Jones
- Gayoso-Peabody (Map)
- Glenview (Map)
- Lea's Woods (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Vaughan Dewar
- Maxwellton (Map)
- Rozelle-Annesdale (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Emily Bishop
- South Main (Map)
- Speedway Terrace (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Cheryl Hazelton and Justin Gillis
- Victorian Village (Map) Neighborhood Contact: Scott Blake
- Withers Home (480 W. Brooks Road) (Google Streetview)
Preservation Plan
Download the Memphis Historic Preservation Plan, approved by the Memphis City Council in 1997.
Staff Reports
Click here to view the most recent staff reports published for the Memphis Landmarks Commission.
