If your property sits inside the Comstock Historic District, exterior paint color is reviewed work. The Comstock Historic District Commission lists paint colors among the changes requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness, and that approval must be obtained before any work begins. The district covers Virginia City, Gold Hill and part of Dayton.
Which towns does the Comstock Historic District cover?
The district takes in Virginia City and Gold Hill in Storey County, along with part of Dayton in Lyon County. If your house, shop or outbuilding is in one of those areas, you should assume exterior work is reviewed until you confirm otherwise.
Boundaries do not follow town limits neatly, so the only reliable way to know is to ask. Storey County publishes information about the district and the Commission at https://www.storeycounty.org/161/Historic-District, and the staff there can tell you whether a specific address falls inside. If you are in the Dayton area, check with Lyon County as well.
We serve Virginia City and Dayton out of Minden, and this is the first question we ask when someone in those areas calls about exterior paint.
Who reviews exterior paint color, and under what authority?
The Comstock Historic District Commission is a state body that operates under the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, under NRS 384 and NAC 384. It reviews exterior changes to property in the district — commercial, residential and industrial alike.
That scope surprises people. Homeowners often assume historic review only applies to the storefronts on C Street. It does not. A private residence in the district is subject to the same exterior review as a business.
The Commission's design guidelines, published by Nevada SHPO at https://shpo.nv.gov/uploads/documents/Comstock_Historic_District_Guidelines.pdf, explain what the Commission is looking for and how it evaluates proposed changes.
Is paint color really on the reviewed list?
Yes. Paint colors appear on the Commission's list of work that requires review, alongside other exterior changes. It is not a formality attached to larger remodels — repainting the siding a different color is itself the kind of change the Commission reviews.
A Certificate of Appropriateness must be obtained before any work begins. That order matters. Review before work is how the process is written, and it is far cheaper than repainting a house a second time because a color was not approved.
If you are repainting the exact same color with the same type of coating, say so clearly when you ask — but still ask. Confirm your situation with the Commission rather than relying on what a neighbor did five years ago.
How does the Certificate of Appropriateness application work?
Nevada SHPO publishes the Certificate of Appropriateness application form at https://shpo.nv.gov/uploads/documents/COA_Application_Form_2.pdf. You submit a description of the proposed work, and for paint that means the specific colors and where each one goes — body, trim, doors, accents.
The clearer your submission, the easier the review. Pull actual color names and codes from a manufacturer's fan deck rather than describing a color in words. Photographs of the existing exterior help too.
The property owner is the applicant. A painting contractor can give you the technical details — surfaces, coatings, where each color lands — but the application is yours to file.
How should this change your project schedule?
Build approval time into the front of the project, not the end. The Commission meets on its own schedule, and painting season in Northern Nevada is short enough already. Our exterior painting work runs on the weather, and the stretch of the year that is dry and warm enough to coat an exterior properly is not long — something we covered in our guide to the exterior painting season in the Carson Valley.
A practical order of operations: confirm your address is in the district, ask the Commission what your project needs, file the Certificate of Appropriateness application, then book the paint work once you know your approved colors.
Requirements and procedures change. Confirm current requirements directly with the Comstock Historic District Commission and with Storey County or Lyon County before you rely on anything you read here, including this page.
What about lead paint in older Comstock homes?
A great deal of the housing in the district predates 1978. Under the EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting rule, firms performing renovation, repair or painting that disturbs lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes and child-occupied facilities must be EPA- or state-certified and must follow lead-safe work practices. The rule is set out at https://www.epa.gov/lead/lead-renovation-repair-and-painting-program-rules.
That is worth knowing before you hire anyone, because exterior prep on an old house means sanding and scraping — exactly the activity the rule addresses. Ask any painter you are considering how they handle pre-1978 surfaces and what certification they hold, and ask to see the documentation.
It is a fair question to ask us too. Our post on questions to ask a painting contractor covers the others worth raising before work starts.
What J&R handles and what stays with you
We are a family-owned painting business, in business since 1989 and based in Minden. Randy Moore handles the job himself from the estimate through to completion, so you are talking to the same person the whole way.
On the exterior side we do the preparation, siding and trim, doors and accents, using coatings suited to the sun, wind and seasonal swings we get up here. We will paint to an approved color scheme and give you the product and color details you need for your paperwork.
What we do not do is file your Certificate of Appropriateness. That application belongs to the property owner. Once you know your approved colors, call (775) 450-5012 and we will come out, look at the condition of the surfaces and put a written estimate together. Price depends on square footage, surface condition, how much preparation is needed, the number of colors, access and the products chosen, so every project is quoted on site.
Frequently asked questions
Does repainting really need approval, or only major remodels?
Paint colors are specifically listed among the changes the Comstock Historic District Commission reviews. It is not limited to major work. Confirm your particular project with the Commission before you start.
My house is in Dayton. Am I in the district?
Part of Dayton, in Lyon County, falls within the Comstock Historic District, but not all of it. Check your specific address with the Commission or Lyon County rather than assuming either way.
How long does a Certificate of Appropriateness take?
We do not publish a timeline because it depends on the Commission's meeting schedule and the completeness of your application. Ask the Commission directly when you submit, and plan the paint work around the answer.
Can my painter apply on my behalf?
The Certificate of Appropriateness application is the property owner's to file. We can supply color names, codes and a description of the surfaces and coatings so your submission is specific, but the filing is yours.
What if I paint first and ask later?
The Commission's process requires the certificate before any work begins. Painting first risks having to redo the work, so it is not a gamble worth taking on a full exterior.