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HomeMy WebLinkAbout01.07.2025HISTORICAL COMMISSION ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA Regular Meeting January 7, 2025 Convened: 4:14 pm Adjourned: 4:47 pm 1.CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 4:00 PM by Chair Betty Jo Starke. 2.PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Pledge of Allegiance led by Chair Starke. 3.ROLL CALL Present Commission Member Betty Jo Starke, Commission Member Mike Menard, Commission Member Krissta King, Commission Member Paul Langel, Commission Member Judy Biglin Excused Commission Member Lynn Swartzel Others Present Staff: Kori Benton, SLC Planning Manager and Historic Preservation Officer; Caroline Valentin, Assistant County Attorney; Melanie Trewyn, Dana Pirulli, Commission Secretary 4.ANNOUNCEMENTS The retirement of Chair McAfoos and Vice-Chair Trewyn from the Commission was announced, along with the introduction of the newest member, Deputy Chief Paul Langel from the Fire District. Commission Member Paul Langel expressed his appreciation, noting that he has lived in Fort Pierce for 53 years and possesses some historical knowledge. He emphasized his willingness to contribute to the Commission in any way he can. Langel shared his background, including his 28 years with the Fire District, during which he served as fire marshal and worked alongside Mike Menard on development projects. He highlighted his understanding of land development, procurement, and the county’s planning history. Langel also mentioned his previous work with Mr. Benton and expressed his eagerness to assist in any capacity. Historical Commission Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:14 PM 2 | P a g e Former Vice-Chair Melanie Trewyn offered her gratitude, reflecting on her time with the Commission. She hoped that the momentum of the positive work they had begun would continue. Ms. Trewyn acknowledged the leadership of Former Chair McAfoos, who had been deeply involved in serving the Commission. She expressed her willingness to return if the opportunity arose and sent her blessings to all members. The Commission acknowledged its newest member and expressed appreciation for the service of the outgoing Vice-Chair and her extensive contributions. They also recognized Former Chair McAfoos, who had been deeply involved in the Commission's work, serving as Chair for consecutive years and playing a key role in spearheading initiatives. The hope is that the momentum from these contributions will continue as the baton is passed forward. APPROVE Commission Member Judy Biglin Commission Member Krissta King Commission Member Betty Jo Starke, Commission Member Mike Menard, Commission Member Paul Langel None 5.PUBLIC COMMENT 6.ELECTION OF OFFICIALS 2025 Mr. Benton opened the floor for the election of the Chair. Commissioner Starke inquired whether she could serve as Chair for one year. Mr. Benton confirmed that she would be able to serve as Chair through the end of her current term. Betty Jo Starke was subsequently nominated as Chair of the Historical Commission. APPROVE Commission Member Judy Biglin Commission Member Krissta King Commission Member Mike Menard, Commission Member Paul Langel None Chair Starke opened the floor for the election of the Vice-Chair and nominated Commission Member Mike Menard for the position. APPROVE Chair Betty Jo Starke Commission Member Krissta King Historical Commission Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:14 PM 3 | P a g e Commission Member Judy Biglin, Commission Member Paul Langel None 7.MINUTES Commission Member Judy Biglin wanted to clarify that more appropriate doors should be used. She emphasized that period-appropriate doors would better align with the historic nature of the plaque and the initiative, as the current ones do not reflect this. The minutes were approved as amended. A.Approval of the October 1, 2024 Historical Commission Meeting Minutes RESULT:APPROVE MOVER:Chair Betty Jo Starke SECONDER:Commission Member Krissta King AYES:Commission Member Judy Biglin, Vice-Chair Mike Menard, Commission Member Paul Langel NAYS:None 8.ITEMS FOR ACTION / CONSIDERATION A. OLD BUSINESS 1.Status Update: Edwin Binney Historic Sign Kiosk & Support Exhibit Mr. Benton provided an update on the Edwin Binney Historic Sign Kiosk, noting that it has been completed and installed at the Regional History Museum and Center. He mentioned that the kiosk has garnered significant attention and interest. Earlier that day, Mr. Benton received an inquiry from Harry Quattro, a curator at the museum, who asked about the company that had fabricated the sign, as someone was interested in creating a comparable one. Mr. Benton explained that the same framework is being considered for use at White City Park, Indrio Road Schoolhouse, and other locations across St. Lucie County. 2.Status Update: Edwin Binney Estate Historic Designations & Adjacent Indrio Woods PUD Development Mr. Benton provided an update to the Historical Commission on the Edwin Binney Estate and the Indira Woods PUD, which is adjacent to the estate. He noted that there has been no movement on the application, but the board did approve the final site plan as previously Historical Commission Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:14 PM 4 | P a g e mentioned. Benton also shared that the Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to consider a road paving waiver for Taylor Dairy Road to support the North County water treatment facility, which will be located southeast of the Binney Estate, across the canal and approximately 1,500 to 1,800 feet away. Mr. Benton further reported that the property owners of the Edwin Binney Estate incurred some damage from Hurricane Milton and the tornadoes that followed, including tree damage, vegetation loss, and debris. He mentioned that travelers along Kings Highway and St. Lucie Boulevard may have seen scattered scrap metal, tree limbs, and branches in the area. 3.Status Update: Fort Pierce Farms (Indrio Road) Schoolhouse Historical Sign Kiosk Mr. Benton provided an update on the Fort Pierce Farms Schoolhouse Historical Sign Kiosk, stating that most of the content and exhibits have been completed. However, progress has come to a halt due to funding constraints. He mentioned that they are actively seeking community partners and have made efforts to engage several groups. He plans to make an appeal to the Fort Pierce Rotary Club and is also considering reaching out to the Kiwanis Club in hopes of garnering philanthropic support for the signs. 4.Status Update: White City Historic Sign Kiosk at White City Park Mr. Benton provided an update on the White City Historic Sign Kiosk at White City Park. He stated that while much of the content and exhibits have been completed, progress has stalled due to funding limitations. Mr. Benton mentioned that they are actively seeking community partners and are looking to revive discussions with the White City Improvement Club, which has shown interest and contributed exhibits and review for the sign. He expressed hope that this project will be one of many moving forward as they look ahead to 2025. 5.Naming Request Approval Update: The Board of County Commissioners’ approved of the Jean Ellen Wilson Library within the St. Lucie County Regional History Center Mr. Benton reported that the doors were retained and repainted before the plaque was installed. He added that the plaque is now up and visible to visitors of the Center, on display for all to see. 6.Fort Pierce Farms School (AKA Indrio Road Schoolhouse ) – initiation of National Register of Historic Places Application Mr. Benton provided an update on the Fort Pierce Farms Schools. He stated that earlier this year, plans were made to begin researching and coordinating with the History Center staff to compile additional background for the Fort Pierce Farms Schoolhouse. The goal is to bring the recommendation for the National Register back to the Commission for endorsement. In October, the Commission recommended that the Board of County Commissioners allocate resources for this effort, which was included as a consent agenda item before the Board before the end of last year. The Board supported the Commission's encouragement, and now the focus is on studying the subject and gathering further historical information to strengthen the case for extending the application. Historical Commission Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:14 PM 5 | P a g e B.OLD BUSINESS RESULT:APPROVE MOVER:Chair Betty Jo Starke SECONDER:Commission Member Krissta King AYES:Commission Member Paul Langel, Vice-Chair Mike Menard, Commission Member Krissta King, Commission Member Judy Biglin NAYS:None 9.MEMBER MATTERS & DISCUSSION Mr. Benton discussed the demolition of the Peter Ankeny House on South Indian River Drive, also known as the Piowaty House. He inquired if the Commission had any questions about the evaluation process from 2022, when the demolition was initially delayed and ultimately occurred in the last couple of months. Benton explained that the prior owners had submitted a written request for evaluation after filing a building permit to demolish the structure in 2022. He, along with then Building Official Doug Harvey and Planning Compliance Specialist James Glover, conducted a site visit but were unable to access the interior. They surveyed the exterior and noted the condition of the structure, including an electrical fire at the rear of the building that had not been repaired. The fire’s timeline was inconclusive, and although there had been tenants on the property previously, none were present at the time of the visit. Mr. Benton also pointed out that the guest home on the property had non-original modifications. Based on their findings, staff recommended that the owners explore rehabilitation, restoration, or potentially relocating the structure if they wanted to build a new home on the property. However, the owners did not pursue these options, and no emergency designation was initiated due to the damage documented by the building official. After some time, the property changed hands, and Benton assumed someone might preserve the house. It wasn’t until late 2024, after an inquiry from the newspaper, that they learned the demolition had taken place. Mr. Benton emphasized that while the structure was listed on the historical survey as potentially eligible for local historic designation, it was never officially designated by previous owners or the Historical Commission. Had it been designated it would have required review by the Commission before any demolition could occur. He noted the importance of designations like those for the Edwin Binney Estate and encouraged property owners with historic structures to apply for designation to protect their properties for future generations. Commission Member Judy Biglin asked why the Piowaty House did not come before the Commission, questioning what made it different. Mr. Benton explained that when he became the Historic Preservation Officer in 2018, he brought with him the practices from his previous work with the City of Fort Pierce, where demolitions of historic structures were required to be reviewed by the Historic Preservation Board. Historical Commission Tuesday, January 7, 2025 4:14 PM 6 | P a g e He noted that his protocol for the County has been to review structures 50 years or older. For structures built before 1955, he would automatically bring them to the Historical Commission. He mentioned that a few structures had gone through this process, but the Piowaty House was not designated, and given its condition, there was no advocacy to block the demolition. Benton had attempted to reach out to the previous property owners and others who might have been interested in preserving the property, but the demolition occurred without further intervention. In response to Chair Starke’s question about whether property rights take priority over historic designation, Mr. Benton clarified that if the structure had been on the local register, it would have had greater protections. An emergency designation could have been requested by a local historic group, the owner, or staff to prevent demolition, but such efforts are often met with opposition from property owners. He noted the extensive damage to the property, including replaced windows and a non-original roof, which made it difficult to pursue preservation. Despite this, he suggested that there might be future efforts to preserve structures along South Indian River Drive, particularly as part of efforts to designate the area as a historic scenic highway, which would recognize the history of structures like the Piowaty House. 10.ADJOURNMENT RESULT:APPROVE MOVER:Chair Betty Jo Starke SECONDER:Vice-Chair Mike Menard AYES:Commission Member Paul Langel, Commission Member Judy Biglin, Commission Member Krissta King NAYS:None