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Preserving a feel of history

Tarpon Springs residents seem to favor two new historic districts, but some wonder how it would directly affect them.

By ELENA LESLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published September 23, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS - Just the mention of McMansions and sleek new townhomes elicited groans from the audience at Heritage Museum Thursday night.

Fans of a more traditional aesthetic, dozens of Tarpon Springs residents gathered to discuss fending off such modern encroachment by expanding the city's historic district.

"These newer houses feel sterile," said Jim Schlaf, who lives in one of the areas under consideration for the expanded district. "Part of the charm of Tarpon Springs is that it has that flavor and heritage."

The public meeting was one of the city's first efforts to gauge resident support for designating two new areas - roughly in the S Spring Blvd. and Hope Street/W Athens Street areas - as historic districts. For the most part, those present approved of the idea.

Response "was very encouraging," said Kathleen Monahan, Tarpon Springs' cultural and civic services director. "There seemed to be a strong consensus at the meeting," she said.

The city began holding public workshops last year where locals identified these two neighborhoods as strong candidates for historic status, said Renea Vincent, director of planning and zoning. Tarpon's current historic district was surveyed and identified in the late 1980s.

No surveys have been done since then, but in the ensuing years, a number of structures have aged into potential qualification, Monahan said. Buildings generally need to be over 50 years old and have no major changes to the original character to be eligible, she said.

If community members support designation in these two areas, the city will apply for a state grant to do new surveys. The entire designation process could take eight to 12 months and would require approval from city commissioners, Vincent said.

The main question on residents' minds: What's in it for us?

Some said they worried historic district designation brought more stringent guidelines and they wouldn't be able to do what they wanted to their property.

"I don't want it to be Big Brother coming around, watching everything you're doing," said resident Mike Carter.

While board member Cyndi Tarapani admitted there may be some lag time in getting approval from the Heritage Preservation Board, which meets once a month, she said members try to be flexible.

Nils Hase, another resident, said he wanted assurances that regulations would be enforced. He noted that property owners in the current historic district had just built "a hideous black chain link fence."

"It's not in context at all," he said. "How did it get passed?"

Though representatives from the city and board said approval of the fence was a mistake and would be rectified, Hase said he would be watching closely to see how the matter was handled.

But even those who had concerns said they largely supported the historic district effort.

Tarapani told residents historic designations could help stabilize property values and even qualify some for tax breaks.

At the very least, it will help create a bulwark against the expanding sea of fresh stucco.

"Hopefully," Carter said, "it will keep things from getting any worse."

Historic areas?

The boundaries for the two areas under consideration for historic status are:

- Spring Boulevard from Lime to Bath streets. Bath Street from S Spring to Lemon Street. Lemon Street from Bath to Banana streets. Banana Street from Lemon Street to Lime Street. Lime Street from S Spring Boulevard to Banana Street.

- Cross Street from Hope Street to W Athens Street. W Athens Street from Cross Street to N Pinellas Avenue. Pinellas Avenue from W Athens Street to W Park Street. W Park Street from Grand Boulevard to N Pinellas Avenue. Grand Boulevard from W Park Street to Hope Street. Hope Street from Grand Boulevard to Cross Street.

To view the city's design review guidelines manual for the local historic district, visit the Web site at www.ci.tarpon-springs.fl.us/text.html, scroll down and click on the Historic Preservation link on the left side of the home page.

[Last modified September 22, 2007, 21:49:42]