CITY OF TALLAHASSEE
CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED ON: May 27, 2009
SUBJECT/TITLE: First and Only Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 09 Z 10: Proposed Addition of the Property to the Local Register of Historic Places and to Amend the Official Zoning Map to Change the Zoning Classification from the OR-1 (Office Residential-1) Zoning District to the OR 1 (Office Residential-1) Zoning District with (HPO) Historic Preservation Overlay (PRZ090003).
TARGET ISSUE: N/A
STATEMENT OF ISSUE
The applicant is requesting that the subject property be added to the Local Register of Historic Places and an amendment to the Official Zoning Map to change the zoning classification from the OR-1 (Office Residential) Zoning District to the OR-1 (Office Residential) Zoning District with HPO (Historic Preservation Overlay). The main house and the cottage behind it were built in 1942. The property is located on the east end of Briarcliff Road at the intersection of East Tennessee Street and Briarcliff Road and contains approximately 0.64 acres. The main house has not been altered except for roof repair, which took place in 2003. The only renovation to the cottage was the addition of a deck in 2006-2007. The proposed ordinance, including a location map, is included as Attachment 1.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Option 1: Adopt Ordinance 09-Z-10, thereby adding the property to the Local Register of Historic Places and amending the Official Zoning Map to change the zoning classification from the OR-1 (Office Residential-1) zoning district to the OR-1 (Office Residential-1) zoning district with HPO (Historic Preservation Overlay), based on the findings of the Planning Commission and any evidence submitted at the Hearing hereon.
FISCAL IMPACT
Structures which have a Historic Preservation Overlay may be exempt from certain land use and permitting fees. Additionally, the Tallahassee Economic and Community Development Department sponsors a grant and low-interest loan program for qualifying HPO properties.
Wayne Tedder, Director, Planning Department
Anita Favors Thompson, City Manager
For information, please contact: Mary Jean Yarbrough, Ext. 6400.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL/ISSUE ANALYSIS
HISTORY/FACTS & ISSUES
HISTORY
Original Zoning: Prior to adoption of the City of Tallahassee Zoning, Site Plan and Subdivision Regulations in 1992, this parcel was zoned RM-1, Single, Two, Three, Four and Multiple Family Dwellings.
1992: The City of Tallahassee adopted the City of Tallahassee Zoning, Site Plan and Subdivision Regulations. At this time, the property was changed from RM-1 to the Mixed Use A zoning district.
November 1997: The City of Tallahassee implemented “Site Specific Zoning” and the subject site was zoned OR-1 (Office Residential).
April 2007: The City of Tallahassee changed the future land use from Mixed Use A to Suburban pursuant to the adoption of the revised Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan due to Comprehensive Plan Reform.
January 7, 2009: The Architectural Review Board voted unanimously to include the property at 967 Briarcliff Road in the Tallahassee-Leon County Register of Historic Places (Attachment 2).
April 7, 2009: The Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Commission was scheduled to hold a public hearing on this item. Prior to the hearing, the Planning Commission attorney raised concerns regarding the sufficiency of the application. The applicant subsequently requested that the public hearing be continued to the May 5, 2009 Planning Commission Meeting in order to allow him time to resolve the Planning Commission attorney’s points of contention.
April 7, 2009: This ordinance was introduced to the City Commission.
April 22, 2009: This ordinance was continued at the City Commission meeting and was scheduled for the first and only public hearing before the Commission on May 27, 2009.
May 5, 2009: The Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Commission held a public hearing on this item and voted unanimously (7-0) to recommend approval of Ordinance 09-Z-10.
FACTS
Built in 1942, this two-story home and the cottage behind it are located in a small neighborhood known as Briarcliff. Both structures reflect either Georgian or Colonial Revival architecture and are listed in the Florida Master Site File. The exteriors of both the main house and the cottage appear to have remained relatively unchanged from the time they were built.
Planning Commission Discussion (April 7, 2009)
This ordinance was scheduled for a public hearing before the Planning Commission on April 7, 2009. The Planning Commission attorney, however, determined prior to the public hearing that the application was incomplete. He required that the application contain a signed Order of Recommendation from the Architectural Review Board and that the applicant complete a rezoning application. The applicant submitted both documents, to the satisfaction of the Planning Commission and its attorney, and they are included as Attachments 2 and 3.
Public Notification and Response
The application is a Type D review and requires City Commission action. This request has been noticed and advertised in accordance with the provisions of the Tallahassee Land Development Code (See Attachment 4). The Planning Department mailed 172 notices to property owners within 1,000 feet of the subject property. To date, the Planning Department has not received any verbal or written response to the notice.
The historic preservation officer and the Architectural Review Board have determined that the property meets the following requirements, and therefore recommended the property be added to the Local Register of Historic Places (Attachment 5, including photos).
ISSUES
1. Section 10-318 of the Tallahassee Land Development Code, states that the following criteria shall be considered for listing on the Local Register:
(1) A site, building, structure, object, or district must meet the following criteria before it may be listed on the Local Register:
(a) It possesses integrity of location, design setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association; or,
(b) It is associated with events or persons that are significant to local, state, or national history; or it embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
(c) It has yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.
(2) A site, building, structure, or object located in a Local Register of Historic Places district shall be designated as contributing to that district if it meets the following criteria:
(a) The property is one, which, by its location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association adds to the district’s sense of time and place and historical development.
(b) A property should not be considered contributing if the property’s integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association have been so altered that the overall integrity of the property has been irretrievably lost.
(c) Structures that have been built within the past 50 (fifty) years shall not be considered to contribute to the significance of a district, unless a strong justification concerning their historical or architectural merit is given or the historic attributes of the district are considered to be less than 50 (fifty) years old.
(3) Section 10-317 of the Tallahassee Land Development Code provides that the need for overlay zones is established by the City based on the need for special protective measures in that area. The Historic Preservation Overlay (HPO) zone is specifically intended to apply to properties listed on the Local Register of Historic Places.
2. School Capacity. Is there capacity in area schools? What effects on enrollment could the proposed rezoning have on area schools?
The development at the maximum allowed under the OR-1 Zoning District would not result in capacity being exceeded, because the area schools have capacity. The letter of explanation and school impact analysis calculations of each school level are included in Attachment 6.
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS
N/A
OPTIONS
1. Adopt Ordinance 09-Z-10, thereby adding the property to the Local Register of Historic Places and amending the Official Zoning Map to change the zoning classification from the OR-1 (Office Residential-1) zoning district to the OR-1 (Office Residential-1) zoning district with HPO (Historic Preservation Overlay), based on the findings of the Planning Commission and any evidence submitted at the Hearing herein.
2. Do not adopt Ordinance 09-Z-10, thereby retaining the existing OR-1 (Office Residential-1) zoning district with no HPO (Historic Preservation Overlay), based on the findings of the City Commission.
3. Provide alternative direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS/REFERENCES
1. Proposed Ordinance
2. Order of Recommendation
3. Rezoning application
4. Tallahassee Democrat Advertisement
5. Tallahassee-Leon County Architectural Review Board Nomination Application Packet
6. School Impact Analysis Form