On October 13, 2021, the State Division of Historical Resources (DHR) notified the City and County it would cease providing cultural resource clearance letters as of November 23, 2021. In the past, DHR has performed desktop cultural resource reviews free of charge for development applicants within Leon County.
Since learning about this change, City and County staff developed interim procedures to ensure an appropriate level of cultural resource review while not delaying development applications. This interim process will apply until formal code amendments can be drafted in Spring of 2022.
The interim procedures require (with limited exceptions) the applicant to procure a desktop survey/report by a qualified archaeologist. The report will provide a recommendation as to whether development should be allowed to proceed or whether an archaeological field survey should first be required.
As the City was provided only a month’s notice regarding this change, there was limited time to prepare an interim process. However, in early 2022, staff will coordinate a full outreach effort in support of the Land Development Code amendments necessary to formalize a permanent process.
For general questions regarding this process, contact Cherie Bryant, Special Projects Coordinator at 850-891-7042 or Rodney Cassidy, Environmental Biologist at 850-891-7158.