Commission Agenda Item

MEETING DATE:  3/25/2019

SUBJECT:  Ordinance 19-22, Second Reading: Land Development Regulations (LDR) Text Amendments - Relating to Certificates of Appropriateness; Amending, modifying, or creating the following Sections of the City of Alachua Land Development Regulations (LDRs): 2.2.1(B) and Table 2.1-1, relating to the development review structure; 2.1.3(C), relating to the powers and duties of the Planning & Zoning Board; 2.1.6(A)(2), relating to the powers and duties of the LDR Administrator; 2.4.6, relating to Certificates of Appropriateness; 3.7.2(A)(5)(a), relating to the requirement to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness; and 10.2, definition of Certificate of Appropriateness (Legislative Hearing).

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the City Commission find the proposed Text Amendments to the City's Land Development Regulations (LDRs) to be consistent with the City of Alachua Comprehensive Plan and in compliance with the City's LDRs and adopt Ordinance 19-22 on second and final reading.

Summary

Section 3.7.2(A) of the City’s Land Development Regulations (LDRs) establishes the Historic Overlay District (the “District”). Section 3.7.2(A)(1) states that the purpose of this district is to recognize the City’s historic and architectural resources, which are assets that are important to the City’s health, safety, and economic, educational, cultural, and general welfare. Among the stated purposes within this section, the District is intended to:

• Protect the beauty of the City and improve the quality of its environment through identification, recognition, conservation, maintenance and enhancement of its historic and architectural resources;
• Protect designated land and buildings or structures having historic and architectural significance from the intrusion of development that fails to protect such significance;
• Stabilize and improve property values in such districts, strengthening the local economy;
• Foster civic pride; and,
• Encourage redevelopment of the City's downtown.

The District is comprised of all lots in an area bounded by Northwest 145th Avenue, Northwest 145th Terrace, Northwest 148th Place, and 138th Terrace.

Section 3.7.2(A)(5) requires any demolition, new construction, addition, or alteration of exterior architectural features which occurs within the District to obtain a Certificate of Appropriateness prior to any such action. The procedures for the review of a Certificate of Appropriateness and the standards of review are set forth in Section 2.4.6. Under the current regulations, all Certificates of Appropriateness must be reviewed and issued by the Planning & Zoning Board (PZB).

In the process of implementing the current regulations which pertain to the District and Certificates of Appropriateness, Staff has found that amendments could be made to establish a more efficient review process for certain minor projects or those which are proposed on residential properties. Currently, limited changes to building facades, even when occurring as part of ordinary maintenance and repair, and additions to residential uses not readily visible from public areas, such as streets, require the issuance of a Certificate of Appropriateness by the PZB. In order to create a more efficient and streamlined review process, Staff proposes to amend Section 2.4.6 and other related sections of the LDRs. 

In summary, the proposed amendments would:

• Create a new administrative review process for residential maintenance and repairs projects which would presently require approval of a COA by the Planning & Zoning Board;
• Exempt from the Certificate of Appropriateness review process residential additions, alterations, or demolitions when the addition, alteration, or demolition is not visible from a street (except for structures listed on National Register of Historic Places or Contributing to COA Downtown Historic District);
• Exempt from the Certificate of Appropriateness review process minor material changes to a building façade when the change is associated with ordinary repair and maintenance; 
• Reduce duplicative reviews of projects which have received a Business Façade Improvement Grant from the City’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), while also reducing the amount of time required to obtain permits for such grant-funded projects; and,
• Make minor revisions to the existing regulations to clarify the purpose and intent of existing standards of review.
  
  

At the February 12, 2019 Planning & Zoning Board meeting, the Board voted 4-0 to find the proposed Text Amendments to the City’s Land Development Regulations to be consistent with the City of Alachua Comprehensive Plan and in compliance with the City’s Land Development Regulations and transmit such finding to the City Commission with a recommendation to approve.

At the March 11, 2019 City Commission Meeting, the City Commission voted 5-0 to find the proposed Text Amendments to the City’s Land Development Regulations to be consistent with the City of Alachua Comprehensive Plan and in compliance with the City’s Land Development Regulations and to approve Ordinance 19-22 on first reading.