The Architectural Review Board

The purpose of the Tallahassee-Leon County Architectural Review Board (ARB) is to preserve the distinctive character of the historical areas and other specific structures and landmarks identified by the city or county commissions.

To accomplish this purpose, the architectural review board shall approve, disapprove, or require modification to plans for buildings to be erected, constructed, altered, rehabilitated, moved or razed, as they apply to historic preservation overlay zoning.

The board fulfills these duties by:

1. Reviewing and making recommendations on the listing of properties in the local register of historic places.
2. Reviewing changes, except for routine maintenance, to the exterior of properties zoned with historic preservation overlay zoning, and issuing or denying certificates of appropriateness.
3. Reviewing items, both interior and exterior, proposed for funding under the City of Tallahassee Historic Property Grant and Revolving Loan Program and issuing or denying certificates of appropriateness.
4. Assisting the Planning Commission in determining areas suitable for historic overlay zoning.

The certificate of appropriateness may be issued by the historic preservation officer if the work is not “ordinary maintenance” but will result in the “original appearance.” When necessary to protect the character of property in the historic preservation overlay zoning district, the architectural review board may grant a variance.

The combined city-county board has 10 members. The City and the County each appoint: one (1) member of the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation; one (1) member of the American Institute of Architects whose primary business or residence is located in Leon County; and two (2) owners of property zoned HPO. The chair of the joint Planning Commission or their designee and the director of the joint Planning Department or their designee serve as the remaining two members.

The Executive Director of the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation is the Historic Preservation Officer for Tallahassee and Leon County and the Tallahassee Trust for Historic Preservation provides staff for the ARB.

Meetings

The Architectural Review Board meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 PM at the Frenchtown Renaissance Center, 435 N. Macomb Street, 1st Floor Growth Management Conference Room, Tallahassee, Florida 32301.

To facilitate the application process for local historic designation or certificates of appropriateness, the appropriate application forms, along with other historic preservation information, are included in the column at the right of this page. If after reviewing this information you have questions regarding historic preservation in Tallahassee and Leon County, feel free to contact the ARB staff at 850-488-7334 or send a message from our contact page.

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