The next meeting of the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission is Wednesday, July 23, 2008 at 3 p.m. in City Hall in training room #2 on the Mezzanine. Deadline for sumitting a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for commission consideration is July 2, 2008.
The deadline is August 6, 2008 for submitting a Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) for commission consideration the August 27, 2008 meeting.
Under Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes, local governments are required to develop comprehensive plans. The preservation of historic resources is addressed under these plans. In 1990, the City of Jacksonville developed a Historic Preservation Element as part of the 2010 Comprehensive Plan. The element defines a much stronger role for the city in addressing historic preservation issues and concerns. This Element identified one goal:
"It shall be the goal of the City of Jacksonville to identify, document, protect, and preserve its archaeological, historic, architectural, and cultural resources. Instilling public awareness of those resources shall be a part of that effort."
One step chosen by Jacksonville and utilized by many other municipalities in the local planning process to meet such a goal is being accepted in the Certified Local Government (CLG) Program administered by the Florida Department of State. The Certified Local Government program was enacted as part of the National Historic Preservation Act Amendments of 1980. The program links three levels of government—federal, state and local—into a preservation partnership for the identification, evaluation and protection of historic properties. Designation as a certified local government makes historic preservation a public policy through passage of a historic preservation ordinance. Having CLG status also provides limited grant-in-aid funding to assist the local government in carrying out its duties.
On Nov. 27, 1990, Jacksonville's Historic Preservation Ordinance was passed. The preservation ordinance constitutes Chapter 307 of the Jacksonville Ordinance Code. This chapter established the local designation process whereby the city formally recognizes its historic resources. It also outlines the review process, which protects these resources. In the ordinance, the City Council asserts that
" the preservation, protection, enhancement, and use of historic resources is necessary because of their importance as visible reminders of the history and heritage of this city, state and nation."
The ordinance also formed Chapter 76 of the Jacksonville Ordinance Code, which formed the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission. The passage of this enabling legislation that empowers the City Council to regulate historic resources and establishes a board to review preservation related activities is the cornerstone of our municipal preservation program.
The Planning and Development Department has been delegated to coordinate municipal historic preservation activities as well as provide assistance and information regarding historic preservation. The Historic Preservation Section of the department also acts as the administrative staff of the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission.