Design Review Keeps Downtown Homey

Pete Pollard, executive director of the Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency, says it's all about looking ahead and maintaining minimum architectural standards.

Those who want to build or remodel inside Sebring's downtown CRA district have to go through a design review process.

"If we're going to attract quality development downtown the developers need some assurance that surrounding properties will be required to maintain, at least, minimum architectural requirements in order to protect their investments," he added.

There is one exception. The process excludes new construction or additions within the CRA district - with the exception of the properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"The ordinance stipulates that the historic properties' design and review would take place with the Historic Preservation Commission," Pollard added.

Since the design review ordinance was passed in May of 2005, the CRA board of commissioners has reviewed 43 applications.

"The board has worked with several to make modifications," said Pollard.

The process is rather easy. The developer or property owner must submit the elevation plans to the CRA office located at Sebring City Hall.

The CRA staff forwards those plans to commissioners. They submit comments back for the property owners "so they can make changes before it goes to the board for approval," Pollard said.

"As a consequence, there haven't been very many conflicts," he said.

At Monday's CRA board meeting Carol S. Hubbell, of 560 Rose Ave., submitted a design review application that proposed an addition to her single-family home.

She's lived in the house since the end of 1990, she told the commissioners.

Her mom is 87 years old and visits for several weeks at a time, she said. Hubbell wanted to build an additional bedroom and a laundry room, as well as a wheelchair-accessible ramp to accommodate her mom and stepdad.

She told the board she was working to match the existing siding to that on the addition. When asked about the windows, she told the board, "None of the windows in my house match, she said.

"It's an old house that has been treated over the years by different owners, by putting in windows and improvements, that are not part of the original design," Pollard said.

"I guess we have to take care of family," said Commission Chairman Gene Brenner, before a unanimous vote that approved the application.

She is contemplating coming back with a façade grant application to improve portions of the house not included in the design review, because the CRA does not do façade grants on new construction.

Pollard said Tuesday that CRA staff would help her apply for a façade grant to make improvements to the existing structure, which could include replacing the older windows to match those in the addition.

The CRA has $100,000 available in its façade grant fund. Residents or businesses within the CRA district ready to make allowable property improvements can apply. The board will grant 30 percent or a $3,000 cap toward façade improvements.

Historic residences or business buildings within the CRA district are eligible for grants up to 60 percent of the total project or a $6,000 cap.