HISTORY
On July 13, 2016, the City Commission discussed the creation of local historic districts within the boundaries of the North Shore and Normandy Isles National Register Districts. The Administration was directed to begin the local designation process for the boundaries recommended in the draft North Beach Master Plan (MAP 1 & MAP 2 attached).
Pursuant to the direction of the City Commission on July 13, 2016, the Planning Department submitted two applications to the Historic Preservation Board for the possible local historic designation of the North Shore Local Historic District and the Normandy Isles Local Historic District. These applications were consistent with the boundaries recommended in the draft North Beach Master Plan.
On October 11, 2016, the Historic Preservation Board reviewed the preliminary evaluation report prepared by Planning staff and recommended that Historic Designation Reports be prepared in accordance with the following:
North Shore Local Historic District:
The boundaries for designation shall be consistent with the area identified in the draft North Beach Master Plan (MAP 1) and design guidelines specific to the Local Historic District shall be developed as part of the future historic designation report, to allow for more flexibility and encourage sustainable and resilient development.
Normandy Isles Local Historic District:
The boundaries for designation shall be consistent with the area identified in the draft North Beach Master Plan (MAP 2) and design guidelines specific to the Local Historic District shall be developed as part of the future historic designation report, to allow for more flexibility and encourage sustainable and resilient development.
Pursuant to Section 118-591 of the City Code, when the Historic Preservation Board directs staff to prepare a designation report for a proposed new historic district or site, the Mayor and City Commission are required to be notified of the board's decision and the initial boundaries proposed for designation. Within 60 days of the vote of the Historic Preservation Board to direct the Planning Department to prepare a designation report, the City Commission may, by a five-sevenths vote, deny or modify the proposed request for designation, as well as establish specific timeframes for the completion of the evaluation and recommendation and/or designation report. Within this 60 day period the City Commission may also, by a five-sevenths vote, deny or modify the proposed designation boundaries.
The City Commission was advised of the action of the Historic Preservation Board via LTC, and as part of a progress report on the demolition moratorium, presented at the October 19, 2016 City Commission meeting. On December 5, 2016, the Mayor and City Commission modified the boundaries for the proposed North Shore Local Historic District by removing the portion of the district along Tatum Waterway Drive and Crespi Boulevard (MAP 3). No action was taken with regard to modifying the boundaries for the proposed Normandy Isles Local Historic District.
On September 25, 2017, the Mayor and City Commission adopted Resolution 2017-30013, reaffirming Resolution No. 2016-29608, which adopted the North Beach Master Plan as drafted by Dover, Kohl & Partners and commits to the implementation of the entirety of the Plan. The Resolution adopted on September 25, 2017 contains the following ‘Whereas’ clause:
WHEREAS, consistent with the Plan, the Mayor and City Commission now feels that it would be in the City's best interest and desires to include the Tatum Waterway area into the North Shore Local Historic District, and continue to create development regulations for the districts that reflect the character of these neighborhoods, while taking into consideration resiliency and sea level rise.
On October 10, 2017, the Historic Preservation Board reviewed historic designation reports for the proposed North Shore and Normandy Isles local historic districts, as previously modified by the City Commission on December 5, 2016. At this meeting, the Board transmitted a favorable recommendation for both proposed historic districts, and directed staff to begin the process to include Tatum Waterway/Crespi Boulevard within an expansion of the North Shore Local Historic District.
DESIGNATION PROCESS
The process of historic designation is delineated in Sections 118-591 through 118-593 in Subpart B of the Land Development Regulations of the City Code (Chapter 118, Article X, Division 4). The following is an outline of this process:
Step One: A request for designation is made either by the City Commission, the Historic Preservation Board, other agencies and organizations as listed in the Land Development Regulations of the City Code, or the property owners involved. Proposals for designation shall include a completed application form available from the Planning Department.
Step Two: The Planning Department prepares a preliminary evaluation report with recommendations for consideration by the Board.
Step Three: The Historic Preservation Board considers the preliminary evaluation to determine if proceeding with a designation report is warranted. The designation report is an historical and architectural analysis of the proposed district or site and addresses the following:
1) Describes the historic, architectural and/or archeological significance of the property or subject area proposed for Historical Site or District designation;
2) Recommends Evaluation Guidelines to be used by the Board to evaluate the appropriateness and compatibility of proposed Developments affecting the designated Site or District; and
3) Will serve as an attachment to the Land Development Regulations of the City Code.
Step Four: The City Commission is notified of the Board’s decision and the initial boundaries proposed for designation. Within 60 days of the vote of the Historic Preservation Board to direct the Planning Department to prepare a designation report, the City Commission may, by a five-sevenths vote, deny or modify the proposed request for designation.
Step Five: The designation report is presented to the Historic Preservation Board at a public hearing. If the Board determines that the proposed site or district satisfies the requirements for designation as set forth in the Land Development Regulations of the City Code, the Board transmits a recommendation in favor of designation to the Planning Board and City Commission.
Step Six: The Planning Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed designation, and shall consider the proposed historic designation as an amendment to the Land Development Regulations of the City Code and, subsequently, transmit its recommendation to the City Commission.
Step Seven: The City Commission may adopt an amendment to the Land Development Regulations of the City Code by a five-sevenths majority vote, which thereby designates the Historic Preservation Site or Historic District after one (1) public hearing for a parcel of land less than ten (10) contiguous acres or after two (2) public hearings for a parcel of land that is more than ten (10) contiguous acres.
PLANNING ANALYSIS
On October 10, 2017, the Historic Preservation Board was presented with a Resolution adopted by the City Commission on September 25, 2017 reaffirming the City’s commitment to implement the North Beach Master Plan in its entirely, including the local historic district designation of the area along the Tatum Waterway. This area, which includes properties located on the west side of Tatum Waterway Drive and Byron Avenue from 77th Street to Crespi Boulevard and properties located on the north side of 85th Street between Crespi Boulevard and Byron Avenue, was removed from the boundaries of the proposed North Shore Local Historic District by the City Commission on December 5, 2016.
Pursuant to Sec. 118-165 of the City Code, when a proposed change in district boundaries has been acted upon by the City Commission and disapproved or failed of passage, such proposed change, in the same or substantially similar form shall not be reconsidered by the City Commission for a period of at least one year following the date of such action. Therefore, in order to include the Tatum Waterway area within the North Shore Local Historic District, a new, separate application to expand the district will be required. Alternatively, the currently proposed historic designation could be withdrawn and a new application that includes the currently proposed boundaries, as well as the area along the Tatum Waterway, could be submitted. Any new application for historic district designation would be required to begin at step one, outlined above within the ‘Designation Process’ section of this memo, which consists of a preliminary evaluation of proposed district boundaries by the Historic Preservation Board.
On October 10, 2017, after reviewing the currently proposed historic designation reports, the Historic Preservation Board transmitted a favorable recommendation for both the proposed North Shore and Normandy Isles local historic districts. The Board also directed staff to begin the process to include Tatum Waterway/Crespi Boulevard within an expansion of the North Shore Local Historic District.
The action of the Historic Preservation Board requires staff to present a preliminary evaluation regarding the expanded boundaries of the North Shore Local Historic District. Staff anticipates bringing this preliminary evaluation to the Historic Preservation Board in December. All of the normal, remaining steps for designation would then be followed. Since all of the research work for the Tatum Waterway has been completed as part of the previous processes, the designation of the expanded area is expected to move quickly.