How to Submit

Prepare to Submit

The CFA reviews Old Georgetown Act projects in two stages:  concept or permit.

Decide if you are submitting your project for concept or final review, then gather the necessary drawings and materials for submission.

Make the Submission

For concept or permit review, email a completed OGB referral form and all required submission materials as a single PDF to the D.C. Historic Preservation Office (HPO) at historic.preservation@dc.gov. Submissions will not be accepted in person at the D.C. Department of Buildings (DOB) (formerly the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs) Permit Service Center nor directly to OGB staff.

For permit review, you must also file a DOB building permit application prior to submitting for OGB review. DOB accepts applications electronically and more information can be found on their website.  For projects including work in DC public space, you must file an associated DDOT public space permit application in addition to the DOB building permit application. DDOT accepts applications electronically and more information can be found on their website. 

• Applications must be submitted at DOB by the filing deadline, three weeks prior to the OGB meeting. Please check the OGB meeting schedule for meeting dates and submission deadlines.
• To be complete, a submission must include all required submission materials for concept or permit review as appropriate.
• Contact DOB for information about filing fees, hours of operation, and any other questions on the filing process at (202) 442-4589.

Provide Additional Materials

This step may not be necessary and only occurs if materials are requested 

Upon receipt of the submissions, OGB staff may contact you to request additional or revised materials. Submit any necessary supplemental materials directly to OGB staff upon request.

If a proposed project is insufficiently documented for review, the OGB staff may recommend that the case be denied, or may recommend that the review of the case be postponed until a later OGB meeting.

Present Project to Old Georgetown Board

This step may not be necessary and only occurs if the project is placed on the OGB meeting Agenda

Depending on the scope, design, and previous review status of a proposed project, it will be either be reviewed by the Old Georgetown Board in its monthly public meeting, or reviewed by OGB staff and placed on the OGB Consent Calendar for approval by the OGB in its meeting.

• OGB staff will notify applicants whose cases have been placed on the agenda for the public meeting. Projects requiring review by the Old Georgetown Board in its public meeting must be presented by the applicant or applicant’s representative at the OGB meeting. The draft agenda is available online the Monday afternoon (or next business day in the event of a federal holiday) before the meeting.
• Projects determined to be compatible alterations or previously reviewed projects consistent with the OGB’s recommendations may be placed on the Old Georgetown Consent Calendar, which is subject to approval by the OGB in its meeting. The draft consent calendar is available online the Monday afternoon (or next business day in the event of a federal holiday) before the meeting. If your project is on the OGB Consent Calendar, you do not need to attend the OGB meeting.

Commission of Fine Arts Action

This step is necessary to complete the project review

Approved OGB Consent Calendar recommendations, as well as the Board’s recommendations on cases presented in the OGB meeting, are compiled into the Old Georgetown Act Appendix. This appendix is forwarded to the Commission of Fine Arts for consideration and approval at the next CFA meeting. The draft appendix will be available online the Friday afternoon before the CFA meeting. If your project is on the Old Georgetown Act Appendix, you do not need to attend the CFA meeting. The OGB/CFA review of a submission is not complete until the CFA has approved the Old Georgetown Act Appendix.

Following the OGB meeting, some cases may be placed on the CFA agenda for review by the Commission of Fine Arts in its monthly public meeting. OGB staff will notify applicants whose cases have been placed on the agenda for the public meeting. Projects requiring review by the Commission of Fine Arts in its public meeting must be presented by the applicant or applicant’s representative at the CFA meeting. The draft agenda is available online the Friday afternoon before the meeting. Final digital presentation files must be provided to CFA staff no later than the Monday before the meeting. Presentation files will not be accepted the day of the meeting