Public forum on Historic Preservation master plan

Historic City News readers with questions or comments concerning the development of a historic preservation master plan will have an opportunity next week to attend a public forum with the consultants hired by the City of St Augustine.

The forum will be held in The Alcazar Room, off the courtyard of the Lightner Museum and City Hall building, located at 75 King Street, on Thursday, May 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Planning and Building Department launched a program to develop a historic preservation master plan last year. Thus far, the work has included a presentation by experts in the field to the Historic Architectural Review Board, several public workshops where public input is not taken, and a community wide survey.

In March, the city retained a planning and design service firm located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to complete the work. The consultants, Professional Design Partnership, have reviewed existing planning documents, results of the community survey, and community histories to gain an understanding of the unique historic and archaeological resources of St. Augustine.

The City has declared that the next step in this process should include comments, questions, and ideas from the public. So, after a brief introduction to the preservation planning process, the public will be given an opportunity to be heard and to ask questions of the consultants May 19th from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.