FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
| Frequently Asked Questions | Answers |
|---|---|
| What is SHPD? | SHPD is an abbreviation for “State Historic Preservation Division”, an office under the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR). The SHPD is Hawaiʻi's State Historic Preservation Office. |
| What does SHPD do? | SHPD serves to protect and preserve historic properties significant to Hawaiʻi’s history through several program areas. These program areas include: Review and Compliance under Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) 6E and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106, Burial Regulation, Hawaii and National Register, Certified Local Government, and Outreach. SHPD is organized into four branches to manage these program areas: Administration, Archaeology, History and Culture, and Architecture. SHPD strives to ensure that negative impacts to historic properties are avoided or lessened so that future generations may also enjoy and appreciate historically significant districts, sites, objects, structures, and buildings. |
| Where is SHPD located? | SHPD’s main office is located in Kapolei, Oʻahu here: Kakuhihewa Building 601 Kamokila Boulevard, Suite 555 Kapolei, HI 96707 For the location of our satellite offices on neighbor islands please visit the SHPD website here: SHPD Contacts |
| How do I contact SHPD staff? | Please see the SHPD contact list here: SHPD Contacts |
| What type of resources are available at SHPD, and is there a fee for research? | SHPD maintains archaeological reports, previous project determinations, general correspondence, nominations to the State and National Registers, quad maps, and other historic site records. Some research may require staff assistance and require a fee. |
| How do I access the SHPD Library? | Please email the SHPD Librarian, [email protected]. Please visit the SHPD Forms page for the Library Patron Registration Form. |
| What is an historic property? | Under HRS Chapter 6E, an historic property is an object, district, structure, site, or building that is 50 years or older. Historic properties that meet the significance criteria and retain historic integrity may be eligible for, or listed to, the Hawaiʻi or National Register of Historic Places. For a list of properties nominated for and listed to the Hawaiʻi Register and the National Register, please see an up to date list here: SHPD Home Page |
| What type of reviews does SHPD conduct? | • HRS 6E-10 review: a review of alterations or changes to privately owned properties which are listed on the Hawaiʻi Register. • HRS 6E-42 review: a review of projects that require a state or county permit, certificate, land use change, subdivision, or other entitlement for use, which may affect a historic property. • HRS 6E-08 review: a review of any state or county project with potential to affect historic properties. • NHPA 106 review: a review of projects with a federal nexus that have potential to impact historic properties. |
| Does SHPD control the types of permits received and whether a permit is issued or not? | No. SHPD does not approve or disapprove projects. SHPD reviews projects for impacts to historic properties. SHPD does not decide which and what type of county permits are routed to its office. SHPD does not control whether the respective permitting agency issues or denies a permit. The respective permitting agency holds authority over the permitting process but shall take into consideration any comments SHPD provides during the review process. |
| My project was flagged by the County Planning Department, what now? | • HRS 6E-10: If you're property is on the Historic Register, please submit the 6E form with associated documentation to SHPD for review. • HRS: 6E-42: It is the responsibility of the county to ensure that the project complies with this statute. Please submit a 6E form with associated documentation to SHPD. • HRS 6E-08: It is the responsibility of the lead state or county agency to ensure compliance with 6E-08. The state or county agency should complete and submit a 6E form with all associated documentation to SHPD. • You can access the 6E submittal form here: Forms Please be aware that the county and SHPD systems are not linked. Separate submittals must be made to the county and SHPD. |
| Are filing fees associated with review? | Yes, there is a fee associated with review. For public projects please see HARs 13-275-4 and for private projects please see HARS 13-284-4: DLNR Administrative Rules |
| How long will my submittal take for SHPD to reviews? | If your project is adequately documented, the following review periods apply: • 6E-10: 90 days (HRS 6E-10). • 6E-8: 90 days (HAR § 13-275). • 6E-42: 30 days (HAR § 13-284). • NHPA 106: 30 Days Review timelines do not apply to nominations, mitigations, reports, agreement documents and other submittal types. |
| How do I request a status update for my submittal? | Before calling to request a status update, please be sure to check that the submittal was received by our office and that you provided the adequate documentation. You may find a list of projects received and a list of determinations here: Intake & Determinations If you do not see your project you may call SHPD, please have the following information ready: • An associated Tax Map Key (TMK) number • Applicant Name • Project Name • A log number or project code(if applicable) |
| I just received a letter from SHPD stating that a survey is required of my property before a determination can be made, what do I do now? | For Archaeological Surveys: If the required survey is an archaeological survey, refer to the list of permitted archaeological consultants on SHPD's Archaeology Branch Page. For Architectural Surveys: If the required survey is an architectural survey, you may use Historic Hawaii Foundation's preservation professionals list or search for architectural firms with architectural historians to complete the work. The survey forms and instructions are found on the SHPD website here: Forms For All Survey Types: Once the survey is ready for SHPD submittal, please include State Inventory of Historic Places (SIHP) request forms as appropriate and refer to the filing fee schedule on the Forms page. Please note, SHPD cannot recommend specific consultants. |
| What is an SIHP (State Inventory of Historic Places) request form and how do I complete it? | An SIHP request form is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and Word document that requires information about an identified historic resource to incorporate that historic resource into the State Inventory of Historic Places. SIHP request forms are submitted as part of the survey process. Program staff will approve the SIHP request and submit the request to the SHPD GIS Specialist who will assign a new site number. To access the forms and guidance on how to complete the SIHP form, please vist the SHPD website here: Forms |
| What are the Professional Qualifications for Architectural Historians or Archaeologists? | Please see the Hawaiʻi Administrative Rule (HAR) Title 13 Chapter 281 on “Rules Governing Professional Qualifications”: SHPD Administrative Rules/. Please see the Secretary of Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards. |
| I was told my project must go through Section 106 review, what do I do now? | The lead federal agency is responsible to ensure compliance with section 106 of NHPA. The lead federal agency must initiate the process per 36 CFR Part 800. A federal agency may delegate the initiation of the section 106 consultation, but the federal agency remains responsible for all findings and determinations per 36 CFR Part 800.2. |
| What documentation do I need to submit to SHPD for a Section 106 review? | Section 106 Submittals must be adequately documented per 36 CFR 800.11 as follows: A. Finding of no historic properties affected documentation shall include: (1) A description of the undertaking, specifying the Federal involvement, and its area of potential effects, including photographs, maps, drawings, as necessary; (2) A description of the steps taken to identify historic properties, including, as appropriate, efforts to seek information pursuant to § 800.4(b); and (3) The basis for determining that no historic properties are present or affected. B. Finding of no adverse effect or adverse effect documentation shall include: (1) A description of the undertaking, specifying the Federal involvement, and its area of potential effects, including photographs, maps, and drawings, as necessary; (2) A description of the steps taken to identify historic properties; (3) A description of the affected historic properties, including information on the characteristics that qualify them for the National Register; (4) A description of the undertaking's effects on historic properties; (5) An explanation of why the criteria of adverse effect were found applicable or inapplicable, including any conditions or future actions to avoid, minimize or mitigate adverse effects; and (6) Copies or summaries of any views provided by consulting parties and the public. |
| How do I find out if my property is listed on the State of National Historic Register? | Please see the listing on the SHPD home page, which is updated quarterly: SHPD Home Page |
| What are the Hawaiʻi and National Registers of Historic Places? | These registers formally recognize the significance of sites, structures, buildings, objects, and districts to history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. The Hawaiʻi State Register formally recognizes properties possessing a documented level of significance that contribute to the understanding and appreciation of Hawaiʻi's history or prehistory on a local, state, or national level. Please see our website for more information: Historic Register |
| How do I nominate a property to the State or National Register? | Please see our website for a description of the Register Program and for guidance on the nomination process: Historic Register |
| How are historic properties evaluated for inclusion on the State or National Registers? | To be considered eligible, a property must meet one or more of the four criteria of significance and retain historic integrity. For the Hawaiʻi Register, a property must be 50 years or older, but a property may meet National Register requirements if it is under 50 years and meets certain additional requirements. Please see our website for more information: Historic Register |
| What are the effects of listing a property to the State or National Register? | • Placement on the register does not prevent or stop a property owner from demolishing or altering a property. • Formal recognition of a property’s importance to the history of the community and the State of Hawaiʻi. • A body of information for local community planning, tourist promotion, and neighborhood revitalization. • A sense of community history and local pride. • Eligibility to apply for county tax exemptions, grants, and technical assistance. Please see FAQ #25 for more information about the County Tax Exemption Program for residential and commercial properties. • Any proposed project for a listed property must go through HAR 6E-10 review. 6E-10 review ensures that any proposed changes or alterations are in keeping with the historic character of the property. Please see Hawaii Revised Statues Chapter 6E-10 for specific language. |
| My commercial or private property is on the Hawaiʻi Register, how do I get the property tax benefit? | Contact the county in which your property is located for the correct forms to complete. Once the forms are filled out, you may send the form to SHPD for signature. SHPD certifies that the property is listed on the register and will then send the form back to you for submittal to the county. The county real property tax benefit is a separate program from the Hawaii Register. If you have questions or concerns about the requirement of the tax exemption, please contact the county in which the property is located. |
| How do I fix up my historic property? | Any changes or alterations to an historic building, structure, object, district, or site should follow the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. These standards come with guidelines explaining how to apply them in different situations and to different property types. Please see the links below for the four standard treatments for historic properties and the standards for rehabilitation: Four Approaches to the Treatment of Historic Properties Rehabilitation as a Treatment |
| How can I stop an historic property from being demolished, or stop a project from going forward? | Please keep in mind, short of buying a property yourself, there is not a “sure-fire” way to prevent the destruction of an historic property. SHPD does not approve or disapprove projects. SHPD will review projects for impacts to historic properties but SHPD does not control whether the respective permitting agency issues or denies a permit. The respective permitting agency holds authority over the permitting process. |