A. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES REQUIRING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS

A property owner who wishes to physically alter the exterior of a contributing structure, or construct a building within a designated historic district must obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) before beginning work. An application and instructions are available from the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department at 128 E. Forsyth Street, The Florida Theatre Building, Suite 700.

A Certificate of Appropriateness is required for many permitted activities which change the appearance of an existing building as viewed from a public right-of-way, for new construction and for demolition or relocation of historic buildings.

Certificates of Appropriateness may be issued at two levels depending on the complexity of the proposed change. For simple projects, such as the repair of deteriorated features, a Certificate of Appropriateness can generally be issued following an administrative review by the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department staff. Staff may also issue a Certificate of Appropriateness for plans that have been certified for purposes of obtaining federal tax credits or approved by the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Florida Department of State, for purposes of using state or federal loans or grants-in-aid. Denial by staff of a Certificate of Appropriateness may be appealed to the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission.

More complex changes will require review by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission conducted as a public hearing.

A Certificate of Appropriateness will not be required for the demolition of non-historic buildings or for ordinary maintenance or painting of historic buildings (except for the painting of unpainted masonry). Ordinary maintenance is defined as work to repair or prevent deterioration of a building. A COA is also not required for interior changes to a structure that would not be visible from a public right-of-way. At the request of the owner or at their discretion, the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department and the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission may also issue non-binding recommendations for certain changes not requiring a Certificate of Appropriateness. Examples of such changes might include landscaping, paint colors, and alteration and additions not visible from the public right-of-way.

Activities requiring only Planning and Development Department staff review:

1. Awning and canopy installation.

2. Deck installation at ground level which is not visible from a public right-of-way and which does not alter a historic building.

3. Door installations when replacement is compatible in design, size, and material with the original.

4. Driveway placement.

5. Exterior fabric or feature (stucco, wood siding, shingle) repair and replacement with same material, including repair of cornices using the existing materials and duplicating the original design and placement of front columns with ones matching the original in style, size and material.

6. Fencing size and placement.

7. Foundation repairs and enclosures.

8. Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (exterior placement only).

9. Masonry cleaning.

10. Patio or other slab placement.

11. Porch repair.

12. Roof repair or replacement with existing material except if existing material is incompatible (Example: roll roofing).

13. Satellite dish, skylight, solar collector placement.

14. Window repair or limited replacement with matching unit (replacement of less than 25% of existing units).

15. Additions to historic buildings or new construction not visible from the public right-of-way or new construction.

Activities requiring Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission review;

1. Additions to historic building visible from the public right of-way.

2. Major changes to or addition of door and window openings.

3. Demolition of all or part of historic building.

4. New construction and additions visible from a public right- of-way.

5. Porch, porte-cochere, or garage enclosure (visible from the public- right-of-way)

6. Porch replacement or addition.

7. Relocation of historic building.

8. Roof replacement with material different from existing or change in form.

10. Storefront restoration or replacement.

Activities for which Planning and Development Department Staff or Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission may issue an advisory opinion at the owner's request or their discretion:

1. Changes to historic features not visible from the public right-of-way.

2. Landscaping or other changes to historic setting.

3. Parking lot placement and resurfacing.

4. Paint colors.

5. Placement of window air-conditioners.

6. Placement of burglar bars.

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B. THE APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS

In order to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness, a property owner or his or her authorized agent, must submit a City of Jacksonville Certificate of Appropriateness Application. The Application provides a written description of proposed changes to the building. Applications are available from the Building and Zoning Inspection Division, First Floor, City Hall or the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department, Suite 700, 128 E. Forsyth Street.

The deadline to submit an application for review by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission, "commission") is fourteen days before its next scheduled meeting. Each application submitted within the proper time frame will be reviewed at the public meeting of the commission. The applicant should present a brief overview of the proposed project and allow commission members an opportunity to ask questions. The commission will then vote on the application for a Certificate of Appropriateness. If the commission approves the application, the applicant may proceed with the permitting process on the effective date of the Certificate. If the request is not approved as submitted, revision of the plans may be made at the meeting or the applicant may revise the plans and resubmit them at a subsequent meeting. If the commission denies the application, the applicant may revise and resubmit the application or appeal the denial to the City Council.

For more complex projects, the applicant may wish to submit a preliminary application for an Opinion of Appropriateness before completing more detailed plans. An Opinion of Appropriateness is a non-binding recommendation from the commission designed to review the general concept of an application and determine if it is appropriate.

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C. STEPS IN OBTAINING A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS

For projects requiring only administrative review.

1. Property owner applies for building permit for work on building located within historic district or contact the Jacksonville Planning and Development Department before seeking a permit.

2. Planning official provides an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness.

3. Planning official and property owner confer about the proposed changes to the building and procedures for completion of the application.

4. Planning official approves or denies application for changes requiring administrative review. Owner may appeal denial to the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission or re-submit application with recommended changes.

For projects requiring Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission Review the following additional steps will be required:

5. Property owner submits completed application or request for opinion of appropriateness to planning official at least fifteen days prior to Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission meeting.

6. Notice of time and place of meeting sent in writing to applicant and sign posted on property informing public of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission Meeting.

7. Certificate of Appropriateness granted, granted with modifications, deferred, or denied by Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission.

8. Property owner withdraws and resubmits application or appeals decision of Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission to City Council Commission. Property owner can also appeal decision to the JHPC based upon a demonstrated economic hardship.

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D. DOCUMENTATION

Documentation supporting the application is also required and will vary depending on the complexity of a project. For projects requiring only staff review, a complete application will generally be limited to the following documentation:

1. A site plan, showing location of the building, its distance from property lines, its orientation, and the names of front and side streets. A survey of the property containing the aforementioned information may be substituted for a site plan. A description and the location of any changes should be marked clearly on the plan.

2. Photographs showing the following views: the building for which changes are proposed together with adjacent buildings; all sides of the subject building visible from the public right-of-way; representative close-up views of significant features or features which will be changed, such as windows, doors, trim, entrances, and balustrades. Photographs shall be color or black and white and at least 3" x 5" in size.

3. A sample or manufacturer's description of a replacement material or feature may also be requested by staff.
For more complex projects involving major alterations, additions, new construction, demolition, and relocation the following additional documentation may be required.

4. Schematic plans with drawings showing all street elevations.

5. For applications requesting demolition and relocation, the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission may request documentation establishing the reason for removing a building, its significance, and/or any economic hardship caused by retaining the building at its present site.

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