§ 157.31. Historic and Prehistoric Preservation.

(A)

Any development activity on a property that contains a site of historical and archaeological significance as defined in this subsection shall be subject to the prevailing city, state, and federal regulations. No archaeological or historic sites in the city shall be destroyed or altered without a permit from the city. Permits shall be issued after the site review procedure has been completed, according to the instruction of the City Council.

(B)

Site Review Procedures. The following procedures shall be followed when historic or archaeologic sites identified by the city, or other sources, exist on a property for which a building permit is sought from the city:

1.

All sites shall be subject to a determination of significance. Significance shall be determined by the Site Plan Review Committee in accordance with state and federal regulations.

2.

Significant sites shall be protected from adverse effects of development through mitigation, as determined by the Site Plan Review Committee and approved by the City Council in accordance with state and federal regulations.

(C)

Designation . The city shall have the authority to designate areas, places, buildings, structures, and archaeological sites as significant historic or prehistoric sites, and thereby ensure their protection. Designation of sites as significant shall be the responsibility of the Site Plan Review Committee. Significant sites shall be subject to mitigation requirements during development.

(D)

Sites shall be identified in one of three ways:

1.

On the Florida State Master Site File;

2.

By the city as part of a historic and prehistoric site survey;

3.

By property owners, qualified professionals, or site developers.

(E)

The criteria established by the National Register of Historic Places shall be the set of standards to be used in the determination of significance to designate historic sites, districts, places, buildings, structures, landscape features, archaeological sites, and other improvements or physical features that are significant in Port St. Lucie's history, architecture, archaeology or culture and possess an integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling or association, and meets one or more of the following criteria:

1.

(Significant event) Are associated with events that have made significant contributions to the pattern of history in the community, St. Lucie County, the state or the nation; or

2.

(Significant person) Are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or

3.

(Architectural significance) Embodies the distinctive characteristics of an architectural type, period, style or method of construction; or the work of a prominent designer or builder; or contains elements of design, detail, materials, or craftsmanship of outstanding quality; or that represents a significant innovation or adaptation to the South Florida environment; or represents a distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or

4.

(Archaeological Significance) Have yielded, or are likely to yield information in history or prehistory; or

5.

Is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; or

6.

Is listed on the Florida State Master Site File; or

7.

(Aesthetic significance) Is a part of or related to a landscape, park, environmental feature or other distinctive area, and should be developed or preserved according to a plan based upon a historic, archaeological, cultural, or architectural motif; or because of its prominent or special local, contrast of siting, age, or scale is an easily identifiable visual feature of a neighborhood or area or contributes to the distinctive quality of such neighborhood or area.

(F)

Certain properties which include cemeteries, birthplaces, properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved from their original locations, properties commemorative in nature, and properties that have achieved significance within the last 50 years, will not normally be considered for designation. However, such properties will qualify if they are integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria, or if they fall within the following categories:

1.

A religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic distinction or historical importance; or

2.

A building or structure removed from its location but which is primarily significant for architectural value, or is the surviving structure most importantly associated with a historic event or person; or

3.

A birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is no other appropriate site or building directly associated with his/her, productive life; or

4.

A cemetery which derives its primary significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance, from age, distinctive design features, or from association with historic events; or

5.

A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition or symbolic value has invested it with its own historical significance; or

6.

A property or district achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional importance.

(G)

Historic significance shall be determined by a qualified professional through a site assessment survey and shall contain:

1.

Mapping of the site.

2.

Standard site data compiled and submitted to the Florida Master Site File.

3.

Archival research of site.

4.

An assessment of site integrity, including potential effects of vegetation removal.

5.

An assessment of significance in terms of National Register eligibility, to include information on architectural style, condition, date of construction and significance.

6.

Recommendations of appropriate site treatments and determination of significance.

(H)

Archaeological significance shall be determined through an archaeological site assessment survey conducted by a qualified professional and shall analyze the significance of the site in terms of site condition and the importance of cultural remains. The site assessment shall contain:

1.

Mapping of the site, including horizontal and vertical boundaries.

2.

Standard site data compiled and submitted to the Florida Master Site File.

3.

Apparent site function based on type and distribution of artifacts and associated features.

4.

An assessment of site integrity, including potential effects of vegetation removal.

5.

An assessment of significance in terms of National Register eligibility.

6.

Recommendations of appropriate site treatments.

(I)

Mitigation of project impacts will be required when a historic or prehistoric site, which has been determined to be significant by the city, is located on a development site. Mitigation shall include either:

1.

Preservation of the site, or a portion of the site through modification of the development through redesign, reorientation of the project site, sensitive reuse, or other similar actions; or,

2.

Data recovery in accordance with the guidelines as set forth in The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings (Revised 1983), as amended.

3.

Adequacy of proposed mitigation shall be determined by the Site Plan Review Committee.

(J)

Sensitive development uses for historic structures and associated features, such as restoration, rehabilitation, or maintenance activities, is allowable as long as reuse meets the provisions of The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings, as amended.

(K)

Any determination of site significance or mitigation requirements shall be subject to appeal by the applicant to the City Council.

(Ord. No. 15-68, § 1, 9-14-15)