FAQ About Preservation
Please see below commonly asked questions. If you dont see your question or concern addressed here please reach out to the City Clerk Department at cityclerk@miamisprings-fl.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Historic designation often carries a certain prestige that may improve the marketability of your property, increase property values, and secure financing that would not otherwise be available for an older building. The pride that often results in owning recognized historic structures creates neighborhoods that statistically have lower crime rates, higher public investments and cleaner streets and lots. All of this adds up to an increased quality of life. Additionally, the Historic Preservation Board and its staff can provide technical advice to property owners concerning appropriate design, construction methods and selection of materials.
Designations are meant to protect important historic resources, whether architectural or archaeological, against unnecessary demolition or destruction. Any physical changes to the exterior of a designated historic property must be reviewed and approved in advance by the Historic Preservation Board. This review process is designed to assist owners in developing appropriate plans and designs and inform them of any available benefits.
No. In fact, in most instances the value of historic properties increases after designation, and properties within historic districts often have higher property values than comparable neighborhoods in close proximity. Buyers often search out for historically designated neighborhoods because they know that their own investments will be protected from intrusions into the neighborhood that are out of character with the district.
No. Historic designations merely act to preserve those historic portions of the buildings and the features that make them historic. A property owner may add, alter, and even demolish portions of historic buildings provided the proposed project is in keeping with the character of the original structure.
No. Most application reviews are handled administratively by staff. You are only required to appear before the Historic Preservation Board for applications to demolish or for significant additions/alterations that are visible from the street.
Historic designation and assessed value are independent of each other, and taxes are not automatically increased just because a property has been declared historic. However, it is possible that the value of your property would increase because a historic building is often considered a desirable place in which to live or work. Additionally, designated commercial structures can request to have their taxes assessed at actual income if it is currently being assessed at the “highest and best” use. This has the potential to provide property owners significant savings on their taxes.
No. You are not required to do anything new to your property just because it has been designated. The only time we get involved is when you choose to undergo renovations or restorations.
Yes. There is an Ad-Valorem tax exemption available to owners of designated properties who restore or make improvements to their buildings. And as historic preservation grants become available, only those properties that are already designated would be eligible. The Historic Preservation Board is continually on the lookout for other avenues of financial assistance, such as state and federal grants, which we can then inform our historic property owners about.
We do not regulate what you do to the inside of your house, apartment or condo unit. Changes to interiors are only reviewed if the interior space was specifically part of the designation (like the interior of the Dade County Courthouse, for example) because those interiors are an integral part of the historic fabric.
No. An owner can sell to whom they please, as far as the Historic Preservation Ordinance is concerned.
Before a building permit can be issued to a property that is designated, a special permit must first be issued by the City’s Historic Preservation Board. This special permit is called a COA, or Certificate of Appropriateness. The COA basically says to the building official that we have “Certified” that the work is “Appropriate” for the historic building. The Historic Preservation Board meets as needed to review special COA applications, such as those involving demolitions and major additions.
