The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
SECTIONS
TiburonBelvedereStrawberryElection 2026El NiñoColumnsBusinessSchoolsSportsEntertainmentEventsObituariesPublic NoticesAround TownVisit
SUBMIT
Letter to the editorAnonymous news tipCalendar eventPaid obituarySports scoreMilestone or achievementBiz Buzz announcementChalkboard announcementEngagement or weddingBirth announcementPet remembranceGenerosity blurbCorrection request
ADVERTISE
Advertising guidePublic notices & legal adsClassified adsServices guide
EVENTS
Tiburon Peninsula eventsRegional community calendarSubmit a calendar eventLibrary calendarChamber calendar
AROUND TOWN
Ferries, meetings and eventsVisitor guideEmergency preparednessPublic meetingsTiburon Peninsula eventsGolden Gate Ferry scheduleAngel Island Ferry scheduleRoute 219 scheduleTown of TiburonCity of BelvedereBelvedere’s public lanesReed Union School DistrictBelvedere-Tiburon LibraryThe RanchStrawberry Recreation DistrictTiburon Peninsula Chamber of CommerceBelvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
ACCOUNT
SubscribeLifetime subscriptionActivate your accessDigital replicaUpdate contact infoSubscriber helpNewsletter signupDonate

Belvedere homeowners face $2,928 fee to exit historic designation

Belvedere residents who missed out on the Mills Act tax-incentive program can get $366 streamlined removal.

Tyler Callister
By TYLER CALLISTER · 1 min read

Belvedere homeowners who want out of the city’s historic designation program must pay $2,928 and navigate a multistep approval process under fees the City Council unanimously approved Nov. 10.

The council offered a break to five homeowners caught in limbo when the city ended its Mills Act program. Those who won historic designation between June 1, 2021, and May 1, 2024, but never received the program’s property-tax breaks, can apply for streamlined removal by Feb. 13 and pay just $366.

Both fees took effect immediately.

The vote put the finishing touches on an ordinance the council adopted in October that creates the first formal pathway for property owners to exit the program. Some 30 homes in Belvedere hold historic designation.

To be removed, homeowners must pay the fee, submit an application explaining why decertification is warranted, win approval from the Historic Preservation Committee and earn final sign-off from the City Council.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.

A version of this story appeared in the Nov. 19, 2025, print edition of The Ark. See something wrong? Request a correction.
Recent Stories
Tiburon, Belvedere brace for El Niño, king tides Tiburon, Belvedere, Strawberry voters are weighing eight local contests, four local measures Nine-townhome plan for Point Tiburon clears key hurdle after three rejections Tiburon sailor’s America’s Cup campaign reaches the big screen Reed Union schools to develop age-based framework for screens, AI
In print every Wednesday
Front page of The Ark, Wednesday, October 28 Oct. 28, 2026 E-EDITION
The Ark in your inbox

Local news from Tiburon, Belvedere and Strawberry, delivered by email.

Support The Ark’s commitment to high-impact community journalism.

The Ark, named the nation's best small community weekly for 2026, is dedicated to delivering investigative, accountability journalism with a mission to increase civic engagement and participation by providing the knowledge that can help sculpt the community and change lives. Your support makes this possible.

SUBSCRIBE Make a contribution