Project Review Checklist

Submit the following project information to initiate the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office’s (SHPO) review of projects subject to applicable federal and/or state cultural resources protection laws. Please allow 30 days from receipt of a completed submission for the SHPO’s review; incomplete submissions will be returned. Additional information may be required. Unless directed otherwise, submit all projects separately and include all information via email.

The SHPO’s initial comments will address projects with potential effects to archaeological properties (land and underwater) and include comments from the Office of State Archaeology (OSA). Separate submissions for archaeological impacts are not necessary.

Starting September 19, 2022, the State Historic Preservation Office - Environmental Review Branch will no longer accept any Historic Structure Survey Report or Archaeological Survey Report that does not have a previously assigned ER tracking number. We strongly recommend that applicants wait to conduct any survey(s) until they have been requested by the SHPO or OSA.

June 2025 Updates:

• Updated HPOWEB link
• Archaeological Site Data not required for initial submission
• Required Maps - Area of Disturbance
• Hard-copy Submission Addressee

For all cell tower or borrow pit/waste area reviews please use the appropriate forms instead.

Forms

Project Name

• If this project has been previously reviewed by the North Carolina SHPO, please provide the SHPO tracking number (typically ER ##-#### or CH ##-####).

Project Location

• Address
• City
• County
• Latitude/Longitude (Decimal Degrees), if known

Project Contact Information (both Applicant & Consultant are required)

• Name
• Company
• Address
• Phone/E-Mail

Project Description

• Provide a detailed description of the proposed project, including the acreage of the project area.
• List all licenses, permits, approvals, grants, or funding sought from federal and/or state agencies.
• Describe all historic properties (buildings, structures, districts, or designed landscape features that are listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places, or that are 50 or more years old) and located within or immediately adjacent to the project area. For more information on the location of historic properties, see the SHPO’s new online GIS Mapping Application at: HPOWEB Platform. Be sure to check each of the HPOGIS Layers (National Register, Study List, etc.) within your project area.
• Report any known collection of archaeological material and its location. A data request/background research for archaeological sites to the Office of State Archaeology is not required for preliminary review submission.
• If the project proposes to rehabilitate, alter, remove, or demolish any historic property within the project area, provide a description of the historic property’s current condition and the proposed renovations.
• Describe any proposed sale, transfer, or lease of historic properties within the project area.
• If known, describe past usage of the project area, including any ground disturbance that has taken place.
• Describe all proposed ground-disturbing activity within the project area, including the nature, dimensions (length, width, and depth), and exact location. Must include Acreage of disturbance/APE or Mileage of Linear work.

Project Area Map

• Submit maps showing the proposed project area clearly indicated by a marker or boundary line.
  • Basic Street Map/Aerial/Satellite: Road names must be legible. Where available, provide state road numbers (SR 1234, NC 24, etc.).
  • For projects in urban areas, also include a city map or tax parcel map.
• All projects that propose ground-disturbing activity must also include a site plan with clearly labelled boundaries for all ground-disturbing activities, aka limits of disturbance.
• Shapefiles/KML, while helpful, are not required for small or simple projects such as individual structure rehabilitation or dock repair (CAMA). Shapefiles/KML are required for large, complex projects, including but not limited to, those that are multi-parcel (developments, solar farms, quarries) or linear (trails, broadband/fiber, pipelines) in nature.

Site Photographs

• Photographs of the site are mandatory. Include photographs of all historic properties or structures that are 50 or more years old, within the project area or immediately adjacent.  Link to example of preliminary reconnaissance of extant structures.
• All printed digital photographs should be a minimum size of 4″ × 4″ (a maximum of 2 images per 8½″ × 11″ page).
• For legibility purposes, images taken from the internet (Google Street View, county tax appraiser websites, etc.) cannot be substituted for current digital photographs.
• If submitting photographs of multiple structures clearly label the subject of each photograph and ensure that the location of any detail photographs or interior photographs can be identified.

Submitting Project Review Requests

The NCHPO ER Branch prefers that review requests be submitted electronically via e-mail to: Environmental.Review@dncr.nc.gov.

All attachments should be in .pdf, .doc (or .docx), or .jpeg formats. Other file types .zip, .tif files, or links to file-sharing websites must be pre-approved by ER staff. The message size, including all attachments, should be no larger than 20 megabytes. You should receive an automated message confirming receipt of your submission. If you do not, contact ER staff to confirm receipt. Only one project may be submitted per email.

When submitting hardcopy review requests, please use the following addresses:

Faxed submittals will not be accepted.

Questions? Contact ER Branch Staff or email them to Environmental.Review@dncr.nc.gov.