May 1st, 2025. Chaplain Malbury is with us, I believe. If you could share, please send the invocation followed by the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States led by M. Vote. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Father, we give
you thanks and praise again for another day. We thank you dear God for how you blessed us to come together once again. Pray God that you will bless this council meeting on this evening. God give them wisdom to lead and decision
making. We pray God for your wisdom and guidance and all that we undergur to do for your glory. And father whatever you do with us, through us and for us, we praise you continuously. It is in Jesus name we pray. Thank God. Amen. Amen.
Amen. I pledge to the flag of the United States of America and to the flag for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank
you, Madam Clerk. If we could have the roll call, please. here. Here present member [Music] here. Thank you, Miss Hayes. I trust we have a quorum. Moving on to item D, uh,
meeting purpose disclosure. The purpose of the Historic Preservation Board is to stewart the architecture of properties in our city's historic districts by applying the guidelines of the Secretary of Interior standards for historic preservation. I'm also going to add the
appeals proceedings which is any person wishing to appeal any decision made by the historic preservation board with respect to any matter considered at such meeting will need a record of the proceedings and for such purpose may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made at the
applicant's expense which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based. Florida statute 286105. Moving on, ladies and gentlemen, anything in the way of exparte communication?
No. If uh let's move on to our oaths of office. metal city clerk. I mean, I need you all to see Good afternoon. Elizabeth,
historic preservation board office to of liability of Florida laws in the state of Florida, but county in the city of city of
Palaca. I hereby I hereby this oath trust and affairs the duties duties of the public trust and affairs. Thank you. And Maggie, the first will be Miss Favville. When we get to the parking lot, you'll be Megan, but in here, you're always
Mavville. All right. Moving on to item two on the agenda is the approval of minutes for the February 6th, 2025 meeting of his preservation board. Ladies, gentlemen, yes. Thank you, Vice. We have a motion. We
have a second. take vote. All in favor, please say I. And opposed. The minutes are approved. Moving on to item three on our agenda, public comments. Let's open the floor to public comments. Would anyone wish to address us at this
point? Good afternoon, Miss Kitchens. We just opened up public comments. Carry on. Carry on. Or lovely to have you, too. Seeing that we'll close public comments and move on to new business. Item four on our
agenda. Um item B is the HB case 256. A request for a certificate of appropriateness for porch replacement wood repair and exterior painting. Owners of course are the city of Pala. The address is 100 Madison Street, better known as the Bronson Maholland
House. Um I took the liberty if you don't mind me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me mentioning I could not read the um specifics terribly well a so I asked if we could please have a larger version um so you have that before you let's begin with our staff report yes
thank you uh the city is very excited uh with this project it will restore you know a very uh important historic structure in the city of Palaka and we have the the consultants working for the city. Just as a matter of background,
let me just give you a little bit of information about about this project. Uh like you mentioned, you know, that the improvements uh that are being proposed in the project are to restore the the porch around and also, you know, the
columns and the structure to secure, you know, the integrity of the of the building. Uh the project is funded through a special category grant store preservation which is administered by the Florida Department of State the
division of historical resources. Under this grant the city of Palaka was awarded uh $500,000 with the $100,000 uh matching from uh from the city. So it's a substantial amount of
money for the project and and it does require you know this kind of funding uh to do the preservation. Um like like I have mentioned you know these proposed repairs are needed and they're very critical for the preservation of the
house and to restore you know to to the restorative values that it has. included some information the staff report a little bit more information about the house itself you it was built around in the year
1845 it was as a this threetory frame uh structure with two porches veranda around the south and the east of the house um from the When I was reading from the
u the register, it said that at one point that the east side porch bar was enclosed and they put it uh an apartment that was later, you know, removed and um
the house was built as you know by Mr. Bronson who was origin from Brooklyn, New York and he was appointed US judge to the eastern district of Florida in 1940 and then uh what became the state
in 19 I mean 1845. Uh he was chosen as a judge for the eastern circle and then in 1846 when the state was divided in special district Mr. Bronson was appointed US judge for the
Northern Distri of Florida which he served until his death in 1855. Right on his death, you know, her his widow stole the house and moved back to New York. The house of many have had many owners through for through all the
years um eventually was sold to Miss Mary Mohan who occupied the house longer than Mr. Bronson. And today as you know the house is owned by the city of Paka. Um I think those this this
improvement these repairs are needed to to secure the value of the house and also to secure the integrity of the structural interior of the house. Uh with that I'm going to turn it over to to our consultant in case you have any questions that he might walk us through
to the specific project down to house. also included some bunches of facts in the staff report in case you want to use them for your for your decision on this request. Thank you very much. Before you do that,
ladies, gentlemen, do we have any questions of staff at this point? All right, welcome. Hi, thank you very much. I'm Christopher Nardon Associates on the architect. I'm here to answer any question. I mean, you pretty much talked
about it before or if you want me to talk about it a little more depth on what exactly you're going to do to the porch. Is it the two the upper and the lower and the columns and the stairs? The house has gone through a lot of
disrepair to the point where the foundations are no longer structurally integrity for the building. Um, so the whole design is to bring it back to the splendor of the early days when some font snaps as early as we can looking through historical photographs. Uh, we
follow the proportions of the upper railing. The only thing different that's not historical is that we're 32 in. We have code but otherwise we made the proportions work. Otherwise everything else we have the proportions best we can
even structure also foundation historically steps that we see. We work at the top faces even the uh covering up underneath
the foundation and then of course day you know use it and function well. So we do have electricity tax electricity but outlets. We also have lighting from the back
side. So radiate the light shine outside without any lights back. on the front of the building lower side
really involved. without anyone really. Do we have questions? Mr. Hollister, the materials you're using, are they going to be what are you using for lumber and everything? all things
like we also took the time to make sure the spec is all. Okay. What What is the decking going to be made out of? We don't know it's treated Walmart. Cheap southern pine tree with lumber,
right? You have a lot of problems with that. What's the Why can't you go with cedar? It'd be a shame to do the whole deck over, you know, how the tree lumber is going to split and shrink and be nothing
but trouble for it. Yeah. [Music] Thank you. Is that a question that that could be answered possibly by staff of No, this stuff
other staff but you know so so basically what we're hearing here is just restraints financially. Yeah, I think probably that is the constraint you know it's a funding is the funds available for this but I maybe
we can discuss you know with the project manage with the city see whether there is any way you know for us to to do this is the pressure treated tongue and grave in question has it been killed and tried because we do
have pressure treatment is kried I shut out. It doesn't. It doesn't. Well, nowadays they don't really fit the right chemicals into pressure. No, they don't. If you look at any pressuret treated
lumber nowadays, after a few years, it just starts splitting and shrinking. And you know, if you ever put a deck on, you know, you put your spacers in, you come back two years later, that deck is shrunk. You know, the wood shrinks drastically. I think it's a poor choice
to go treated decking. Again, it's about economics. see the earth over it. It's kind of a shame. You're such What was the previous wood that was on there? Uh for what the city took off?
That was and it was in deplorable condition, rotting, falling apart, splitting. Pretty much why we Okay. How much more would it add to the budget? Uh, it's hard to tell. I mean,
it's it's crazy numbers these days. Trying to get swags, but very volatile. Yeah, very difficult except for this
last time to put in another could quickly do an ask receiver. In other words, we can say okay price and more real
number could work out. So, we could post that. I think that's an awesome idea. We agree. Miss, I have one question because it says that the first floor tongue and group decking is to be provided by the
city. So, someone on city staff should know what that is. I'm sorry. You already purchased that. Okay. Decision needs to be made. What is that? And thank
you for checking and hopefully store that also. Do we have clarification on that note? I I I don't have that information, you know, but I definitely possible to the
project manager. I can do a suggestion. support by the city. No, God has a place for all A and then B have a good choice that the
city's going through a lot of changes only. So, let's give our new chance to follow through and find that time by the time he knows his answer by contractors. Question, what kind of a a time are we
talking about in reference to finding out all this information? Uh the final addendum is today. It should not affect the bid. a little bit open. Okay. What does that mean? You have to
get your bid and you What's the actual process? Honestly, I do have to I'm going to have to extend it. Yeah. ask for all stuff and other numbers. It
might take a little while to shop. Okay. So, we're not looking at like a really long time because 15 also. There's been numbers city attorney frame for
because you know that it's fun that But the next could we make a motion in the sense that we approve um the doing the Bronze
and Mahan House and and doing all these things and asking for the cedar but it not being the total deciding factor. Yeah, because that's my concern. This building has been sitting many, many,
many years. It's deteriorating every day and that's a concern of mine. Yes, it has been very difficult getting hairs. on that. Well, absolutely. Yeah, absolutely agree that we don't want to
offer the process up, but the same token if if the you know the $1,000 funding that's coming out of the north the last there was a lot of money on that pot. Um, so I would rather not put
what, well, last time was literally a band-aid that didn't hold onto this building as opposed to try to do it correctly. Um, however, at this point, if we don't have any more questions currently for you, if you don't mind,
let's go ahead and open up to public comment. Sure. Thank you very much. Thanks. Thank you. All right, let's go ahead and open up to public comment. I see we have Miss Ketchins. Why don't you start us off ma'am? Allelu Kitchens 1027 South 12th Street
Florida. I have some history on the Bronson House as well as the repairs. I did an extensive research on the Bronson House where I wrote a roughly 10page article magazine around 2002. The original one was put
in6 my dad and one moment Mr. It has not a moment and it has not a timeline on the plant. If we come up again and miss the timeline and once
again been going on. The only reason the porch messed up the last time was the city set out the bid. They left the lowest these use that term loose supposed to be an expert used on
the he took all the wood off and replaced all the good wood, not just bad wood. He took porch off and replaced the interior flooring. It took and tore up roughly maybe less than a year. So he was interior for by
the time and I'm on the board of directors of putter county historical society now. I wasn't a member then but by the time the historical society got through red tape the city the time was up to go back on the contract and make good white stuff. Prior to that been done
probably maybe be done in 1974 when the city behalf the house and let the service charging and it was a problem up that point. Another important point, the Bronson house built was not built in 1845. It was built 1854
not just built 184. It is the oldest house. However, uh and there's only been a few owners white Holland and then one or two owners have five owners since it was built. So,
and I think we need to go with the Pine and it is historically accurate and if this is on this is on the National Register. I wasn't sure if it's in the North Historic District. So, I think pine is fine. When you paint it, it'll be fine.
enough we get fixed. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Kitchens. It is always wonderful to have your historical historical history. Mr. Sheffield park a lot. Uh I live right
behind the uh the house and I'm just concerned just to make a couple points that we don't have double standards for properties owned by the city versus properties owned by individuals and the standard we make them stick to. I do
understand the grant situation, but what do we tell the citizens when they come up here and say there's an economic concern? They say, "Well, you know, the property that you own and you you should be looking to take care of it." So, I don't want to shrink the standards
because it's a city uh project. Um and I I really applaud really going after what materials are going to be used and in today's environment if pine is is what is then and I understand you're shaking your head if if that is being selected
and that's historic then is there some treatment to that before you just flat out lay it out there and put it together you need a a very good contractor that understands how to use this this in in these elements. So, I don't want to
shrink away from what we hold our citizens to uh just because it's the city. That's my my major point. And please get this thing done and help get it done right. Uh because it was a fiasco hearing the story. Uh and I was
going to mention the one uh she mentioned in terms of now having Thank you, Mr. Sheffield. All right. Uh anyone else for public comments? If not, let's go ahead and close that down. Missville,
who's in charge of the maintenance at the M? I'm I don't know the answer to this because a lot of the porch issues have to do with who maintains it too. The senior will be responsible for it. Mr. Just a quick comment. If we could
find 100-year-old pine, that would be fantastic, but the pine nowadays is really garbage. The stuff that your house has in it is unbelievable. The old growth pine. If you can find old growth pine too, that'd
be that would be great. Ladies, gentlemen, what is our pleasure? What is the question also cedar mills? Maybe they can work with them. Is that I don't know if there's local cedar mills or not.
there of of course there are but you know once again um one situations where we don't want to the board don't feel the second time didn't work out however we also don't the
board you know the grants went away uh one of the questions that might help us in our endeavor would be to ask for the project you not what we're doing, but tell us about
your historical restoration projects you've done. You are the the gentleman for the job. That's right. Okay. Thank you for the clarification. because
I suppose I first should have asked if I could ask the question. Um, well, in in that case, where are we at? What are we thinking? I'd like to make the motion that I made originally or said, could we make that motion? I think it's very important that we we get the grant. I
think it's very important that we do it in the timely manner that we need to do it because it cannot sit anymore. The if we keep doing that, it's going to cost a million dollars to fix it because as it sits, it deteriorates and
deteriorates. So, I would like to to make a motion that we go ahead with approving um fixing the Bronson and Mahaland, the porches, the columns, the ducking
um and also putting in there if the cedar wood is something that is something that we can get that's within our budget or within the process time without stopping it. Then I make that motion.
Take this vote. We have a motion. Do we have a second? Does that we have a second? Motion dies. Would someone else like to move us along? Miss Pavville, I wanted I'm not sure how to phrase this. I'm new. So, I'd like to approve the plans that have
options for the killed dried, pressuret treated, and the cedar options in the bid process. That's my only concern is not to have both options. Sir, would you mind coming back up and proposing the uh addendum language that
you suggested so we would just do an alternate price for the entire would one week make a big difference as far as the funding and everything. Just one week the number they have right now is going
to be very tight and over Thank you, Miss Pierce. I personally believe that the pressure treated will be fine. It's also going to be painted, which is going to give it an extra barrier to the weather. It's going to be ton and groove, so it's going to be
tightly adhered together. Um, I hope I mean what they're proposing is ideal and also with the procurement of getting a van, you're looking at another two weeks. As Miss West said, if it goes
over, we're going to have to go back to the CRA, which is asking them for additional funding, which is going to prolong it. So we will not see the 42 actually finished if we are seeing for the cedar wood until probably next year in the
spring and I believe the grant expires in June 2026. Right. So we are programing determining this building even further. I have a motion to go ahead and approve what is being
presented in front of us so we can go ahead and preserve this building. I thought that's what they said. Um, well, hold on. Point of clarification. I believe Miss Deville had a a motion. So, first, I was just saying that it doesn't specify that it's pressuret treated
decking. So, I wasn't I wasn't sure what the product would be. It shows all the other lumber is pressuret treated, but not the deck. Okay. Thank you. Okay. So, more of a comment than a motion.
sleep. It's not. Thank you, Miss Pierce. I make a motion to approve as presented. Um, go ahead. Was in the process of making a motion or
No, I was going to agree with her. I just had one point of clarification. One more question. Go ahead and do we have a second for that? I'll second. Thank you. Um, what is the state has the the
governing body of, you know, our board and everything state? What do they say about the use of non-traditional materials for remodeling a historic structure? No. Lumber instead of, you
know, whatever. I'm going to defer to our city attorney. So, You can advise on this, but the Department of Interiors and that those are just guidelines. They're not mandatory.
Yeah, Miss Pearson. So, we are replacing wood for wood. Yes. I mean like more like Okay. Further discussion. Otherwise, we have a motion in a second. Let's go ahead and do a um a roll call vote if we could.
Miss Fel say I agree. I miss I Mr. Nay. Miss Pierce Iber.
Yes. Yeah. history is uh required to section 5476 I've done this in the past but the visa requirements so the that's the reason we put it back to you for some reason they have
one if you approve this then we will present it to the commission because the course is to be presented the city to receive a file unless they have to do that's
it's merely a presentation that's not subject to any action by the city commission. It's just to keep them apprised of the activity that we've been engaged with for the last year and and I will ask you know the the the chair you know if you want to come to the city commission to present a report or you
prefer not to do it. I would be glad to uh to come and do that. Absolutely. Or we just give us Yeah, I guess you if you're okay with the report that you have some changes, you have any suggestions? No, I
thought it was great and in answer to your question to to the best of my knowledge, we have not done this in the past. Yeah. Okay. It was quiet. Understood. Understood. Thank you, Miss West. Well, my my board
is wonderful and we do our homework, so I know we have all poured over this. Um, is there anything that you would like to see addressed within the report? No. We are looking for a um a move forward and accepted and
forwarded to our city commission. I will go ahead and make the motion to accept and move forward. Thank you, Mr. Harris. Second. Thank you, M. All right. All in favor, please say I. I miss you and look forward to it. Thank
you once again. I will I will let you know when I when it is scheduled for the city commission. Question. My birthday is in July. So that would be beautiful. On to other board business. Yes, Mr. Um I sorry I went um next door. I saw our
brochures that we have done were there. My question was did they go to the rers? Oh yes, they did. So realtor. Oh yes. Every property own in the both districts realtor insurance companies. Uh yes. Okay. Yeah, we've done that. And this is
a comment. Um, but before you do that, the the acoustics in this room, ladies, kitchens, the acoustics in the room are so horrible. Um, if if you wouldn't mind, we can't hear us over hearing you. Thank you. I apologize. I
apologize. Yeah. Sorry, Mr. Yes. I said I had a comment. Yes, ma'am. Um, I questioned that because I hadn't seen it. And being that I historic districts, I'm seeing a
a lot of um homeowners making lots of changes and doing lots of things and now have been, you know, fortunate enough to see them here. I don't know how
we address that or we don't address it or Well, we do address it through code enforcement. There's no other way around it, you know. Okay. The Bureau I don't think the Bureau is going to stop, you know, property owners to because I think Yeah. things being painted colors and
then I I see spindles being dumped that don't match the other, you know, I just didn't know where where we go from here and if we do it also. I didn't know. is continued patrolling. You know, that's what the court for staff is doing. The
officers, you know, they go block by block. Uh but that's the only way to address it. Okay. Thank you. So, right. Snapchat. So, you know, Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Miss West. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Vote. All
right. Ladies and gentlemen, otherwise a motion to return. Motion to return. Thank you. So I won.