The Commission shall consist of nine members appointed by City Council. The
members will serve terms of three years; all terms will expire on the 15th day of August.
Members must be residents of Greensboro and be qualified based on special interest or
experience in history, architectural history, architecture, archaeology, planning or related
fields. Members hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified, and
vacancies from causes other than expiration of term shall be filled only for the unexpired
portion of the term. Members shall not succeed themselves after serving a second full term
without an intervening period of one year, and appointment for more than half of the
unexpired portion of the term shall be considered as an appointment for full term.

The Commission shall hold meetings regularly at least once each month unless
there is not sufficient business to warrant a meeting; but not more than sixty days shall
expire without a regular or special meeting of the Commission. Regular meetings shall be
held on such days and at such hours as may be fixed by rule of the Commission. All regular
and special meetings shall be held in the City Council Chamber except when fixed or
adjourned to another location. All meetings are open to the public.
Special meetings of the Commission may be called by the Chairperson. Notice
shall be given verbally or in writing and delivered personally to each member or left at his
residence not less than forty-eight hours prior to the time of the meeting; provided that the
minimum time period for notice to a member may be waived by such member if he/she is
present at the special meeting.

The Board must also cause written notice of the special meeting, stating its general
purpose, to be posted at the door of its meeting place, to be mailed or delivered to each
news media, and/or person(s) who has filed a request for notice with the City Clerk's Office,
at least forty-eight hours before the special meeting. 

Five members of the Commission constitute a quorum. The concurrence of those
members present will be required before any recommendation or action is made or any
matter considered. When any matter is transmitted to Council without recommendation,
the reasons must be stated.

The duties of the Commission are:
(a) To recommend to the City Council areas to be designated by ordinance as "Historic Districts" and individual structures, building, sites, areas, or objects to be designated by ordinance as "Landmarks";
(b) To undertake an inventory of properties of historical, prehistorical, architectural, and/or cultural significance;
(c) To grant or deny the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness in accordance with this Ordinance. The Commission may hold public hearings on the issuance or revocation of such
Certificates;
(d) To make recommendations to the Zoning Commission and City Council concerning requests for zoning map amendments, Conditional Use Permits, or Special Use Permits affecting historic properties or districts; and to make recommendations to the Board of Adjustment concerning variances or special exceptions affecting historic properties or districts;
(e) To recommend appropriate changes to this Ordinance which relate to historic districts or which relate to the preservation of historic structures, landmarks, or areas within the jurisdiction of the City Council;
(f) To acquire by any lawful means the fee or any lesser included interest, including options to purchase, to properties within established historic districts or to any such properties designated as landmarks; to hold, manage, preserve, restore, and improve the same; and to exchange or dispose of the property by public or private sale, lease, or otherwise, subject to covenants or other legally binding restrictions which will secure appropriate rights of public access and promote the preservation of the property;
(g) To restore, preserve, and operate historic properties;
(h) To recommend to the City Council that designation of any area as an historic district or part thereof, or designation of any building, structure, site, area, or object as a landmark, be revoked or removed for cause;
(i) To conduct an educational program with respect to historic properties and districts within its jurisdiction;
(j) To prepare and recommend the official adoption of a preservation element as part of the City's comprehensive plan;
(k) To negotiate at any time with the owner of a building, structure, site, area, or object for it  acquisition or its preservation when such action is reasonably necessary or appropriate;
(l) To cooperate with the State, Federal and local governments in pursuance of the purposes of Section 30-1-3.5 (Historic Preservation Overlay Purposes). The City Council or the Historic Preservation Commission when authorized by the City Council may contract with the State, or the United States of America, or any agency of either, or with any other organization provided the terms are not inconsistent with State or Federal law;
(m) To enter, solely in performance of its official duties and only at reasonable times, upon private lands for examination or survey thereof. However, no member, employee, or agent of the Historic Preservation Commission may enter any private building or structure without the express consent of the owner or occupant thereof;
(n) To review and act upon proposals for alternations, demolitions, or new construction within historic districts, or for the alteration or demolition of designated landmarks, pursuant to this Section; and
(o) To exercise other powers and authority provided to it by the City Council, this Ordinance, and State law.

Council adopted ordinance 21-182 on December 21, 2021 amending Chapter 30 (LDO) stating “Each locally zoned historic district must be represented by at least one person on the Historic Preservation Commission who resides or owns property in the locally zoned historic district.

The Commission shall make no expenditure or contract any indebtedness for which the city shall be liable without the approval of the Council. Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.