Presentation made to Town of Palm Beach Council opposing amendment of Town's Landmark Preservation Ordinance which would have required properties to be 50 years old before designation.

1. TThhee TToowwnn CCoouunncciill
sshhoouulldd nnoott rreemmoovvee tthhee
““UUnnddeerr 5500 yyeeaarr”” rruullee ffrroomm
tthhee TToowwnn ooff PPaallmm BBeeaacchh’’ss
LLaannddmmaarrkkss PPrreesseerrvvaattiioonn OOrrddiinnaannccee..
A Presentation of
A Presentation of
The John L. Volk Foundation, Inc.
The John L. Volk Foundation, Inc.
to the
to the
Palm Beach Town Council
Palm Beach Town Council
March 13, 2001
March 13, 2001

2. Michael W. Morell
Attorney & Counselor
• Administrative, Governmental &
Regulatory Law
• Land Use, Zoning, Planning and
Redevelopment Law
• Local Government Law
• Historical Preservation Law
• Consumer Law

3. PPuurrppoosseess ooff tthhee
JJoohhnn LL.. VVoollkk FFoouunnddaattiioonn,, IInncc..
Support, educate and
encourage landmark
preservation efforts
within the
Town of Palm Beach
Preserve the architecture
and life work of John L.
Volk
Provide scholarships in
the study of architecture

4. 33 rreeaassoonnss wwhhyy tthhee VVoollkk FFoouunnddaattiioonn
w 3 reasons whhyy tthhee VVoollkk FFoouunnddaattiioonn
ooppppoosseess rreemmoovviinngg tthhee
““UUnnddeerr 5500 yyeeaarr”” rruullee
ooppppoosseess rreemmoovviinngg tthhee
““UUnnddeerr 5500 yyeeaarr”” rruullee
(1) The Town would lose its ability to designate properties
and sites of “exceptional importance” which are “unique”
and which have achieved significance within the last 50
years.
(2) There are some properties and sites which are so
“exceptionally important” and “unique” that they should
be recognized as landmarks now!
(3) The Council’s decision to remove the “Under-50” rule
has not been reviewed by the Landmarks Preservation
Commission -- which is comprised of residents and
experts with a special knowledge of and known interest in
landmarks preservation issues.

5. TThhee VVoollkk FFoouunnddaattiioonn’’ss 44
rreeccoommmmeennddaattiioonnss oonn
PPrrooppoosseedd OOrrddiinnaannccee NNoo.. 88--0011
(1) Oppose the newly proposed changes to our current
ordinance.
(2) Table and refer to Landmarks Preservation
Commission for further study by experts.
(3) If the Town Council rejects study by experts, add
an “exceptional importance” criteria for “under 50
year” properties and sites.
(4) Keep both the “Under-50” and the “Over-50” rules.

6. AAnn aalltteerrnnaattiivvee ttoo cchhaannggiinngg tthhee TToowwnn’’ss
An alternative ttoo cchhaannggiinngg tthhee TToowwnn’’ss
ccuurrrreenntt oorrddiinnaannccee:: AAdddd
ccuurrrreenntt oorrddiinnaannccee:: AAdddd
aann ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ccrriitteerriiaa ffoorr
““UUnnddeerr--5500 yyeeaarr”” pprrooppeerrttiieess aanndd ssiitteess..
aann ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ccrriitteerriiaa ffoorr
““UUnnddeerr--5500 yyeeaarr”” pprrooppeerrttiieess aanndd ssiitteess..
Sec. 54-161. Criteria for landmarks and landmark sites.
(a) General Criteria. A landmark or landmark site shall meet at least one of the following criteria:
(1) Exemplifies or reflects the broad cultural, political, economic or social history of the nation, state,
county or town.
(2) Is identified with historic personages or with important events in national, state or
local history.
(3) Embodies distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type or is a specimen
inherently valuable for the study of a period, style, method of construction or use of
indigenous materials or craftsmanship.
(4) Is representative of the notable work of a master builder, designer or architect whose
individual ability has been recognized or who influenced his age.
(b) Properties not generally considered; exceptions. A property or site that has achieved significance within
the last fifty (50) years, will not normally be considered for designation as a landmark. However, a
property or site achieving significance within the last fifty (50) years will qualify if it is an integral part of
a district that does meet the criteria specified in Section 54-162(a), or if it is of exceptional importance. A
less-than-fifty-year-old property or site must not only meet the general criteria specified in (a) above, but
in addition the property or site must be of exceptional importance.

7. TThhee TToowwnn sshhoouulldd kkeeeepp bbootthh rruulleess aanndd aadddd
aann ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ccrriitteerriiaa ffoorr
The Town should kkeeeepp bbootthh rruulleess aanndd aadddd
aann ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ccrriitteerriiaa ffoorr
UUnnddeerr--5500 yyeeaarr pprrooppeerrttiieess aanndd ssiitteess
UUnnddeerr--5500 yyeeaarr pprrooppeerrttiieess aanndd ssiitteess
OVER-50 RULE
Applies to: properties
or sites which achieved
significance fifty or
more years ago
Criteria: Property or
site must meet General
Criteria in §54-161(a)
UNDER-50 RULE
Applies to: properties
or sites which achieved
significance within the last
fifty years
Criteria: Property or site
must meet General Criteria
in §54-161(a)
AND
Property or site must be of
“exceptional importance.”

8. TThhee 33 rreeaassoonnss wwhhyy tthhee ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall
iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ssttaannddaarrdd ffoorr ““UUnnddeerr--5500””
pprrooppeerrttiieess iiss ssoouunndd lleeggaallllyy ppoolliittiiccaallllyy
The 33 rreeaassoonnss wwhhyy tthhee ““eexxcceeppttiioonnaall
iimmppoorrttaannccee”” ssttaannddaarrdd ffoorr ““UUnnddeerr--5500””
pprrooppeerrttiieess iiss ssoouunndd lleeggaallllyy ppoolliittiiccaallllyy
1. There are professional standards which are generally
accepted within the field of historic preservation as to
what is “exceptionally important.”
2. Florida law, National Register of Historic Place
Guidelines and landmarks preservation literature
make clear that the “exceptional importance”
standard is best suited for development through
case-by-case adjudication rather than general rule.
3. Adding a new “exceptional importance” criteria
means that “less than 50 year old” properties
will not normally be considered for designation.

9. TThhee FFlloorriiddaa CCoouurrttss rreeccooggnniizzee tthhaatt
““EExxcceeppttiioonnaall,, bbyy iittss oowwnn ddeeffiinniittiioonn,,
The FFlloorriiddaa CCoouurrttss rreeccooggnniizzee tthhaatt
““EExxcceeppttiioonnaall,, bbyy iittss oowwnn ddeeffiinniittiioonn,,
ccaannnnoott ccaannnnoott bbee bbee ffuullllyy ffuullllyy ccaattaalloogguueedd ccaattaalloogguueedd oorr oorr aannttiicciippaatteedd””
aannttiicciippaatteedd””
“The National Register...encourages nomination of recently significant
properties if they are of exceptional importance to a community, a State, a
region, or the Nation. The criteria do not describe exceptional, nor should
they. Exceptional, by its own definition, cannot be fully catalogued or
anticipated. It may reflect the extraordinary impact of a political or social
event. It may apply to an entire category of resources so fragile that survivors
of any age are unusual. It may be the function of the relative age of a
community and its perceptions of old and new. It may be represented by a
building or structure whose developmental or design value is quickly
recognized as historically significant by the architectural or engineering
profession. It may be reflected in a range of resources for which a community
has an unusually strong associative attachment. Thus a complete list of
exceptionally significant resources cannot be prepared or precise indicators
of exceptional value prescribed.”
Metropolitan Dade County v. P.J. Birds, 624 So. 2d 170, 178 (Fla. 3rd DCA 1995)(“The
Parrot Jungle Case”) (Quoting the U.S. Department of the Interior, Guidelines for Evaluating
and Nominating Properties that have Achieved Significance within the Last 50 Years, at 3,
National Register Bulletin No. 22)

14. CCoonncclluussiioonn:: TThhee TToowwnn sshhoouulldd
kkeeeepp tthhee ““UUnnddeerr--5500 yyeeaarr”” rruullee
(1) Oppose newly proposed changes to our
current ordinance.
(2) Table and refer to Landmarks Preservation
Commission for further study by experts.
(3) If the Town Council rejects study by
experts, add an “exceptional importance”
criteria for “under 50” properties and sites.
(4) Keep both the “Under-50 year” and “Over-
50 year ” rules.

15. PPrrooffeessssiioonnaall ssttaannddaarrddss,
PPrrooffeessssiioonnaall ssttaannddaarrddss,
NNaattiioonnaall RReeggiisstteerr GGuuiiddeelliinneess aanndd
eexxaammpplleess ooff pprrooppeerrttiieess lliisstteedd wwhhiicchh
aattttaaiinneedd ssiiggnniiffiiccaannccee iinn lleessss tthhaann 5500
NNaattiioonnaall RReeggiisstteerr GGuuiiddeelliinneess aanndd
eexxaammpplleess ooff pprrooppeerrttiieess lliisstteedd wwhhiicchh
aattttaaiinneedd ssiiggnniiffiiccaannccee iinn lleessss tthhaann 5500