Venice preservation board hears outreach, survey and code updates; flagged stalled projects

At its Jan. 8 meeting the City of Venice Historic and Architectural Preservation Board received a series of staff updates and discussed broader program items.

Planning staff announced that a revised historic preservation brochure — updated per the board’s feedback — is now available at the museum and that copies were being delivered to planning and zoning for public distribution. Staff also said a kickoff meeting would begin that afternoon for the Edgewood and Seaboard Historic Resources Survey Project; consultants Chronicle Heritage were selected to perform the survey work.

Board members discussed a recent code change that city council adopted at second reading: the mayor was asked to encourage, but not require, that one board member be a Venice Main Street representative. Staff characterized the change as a preference rather than a requirement and said it has been adopted.

The board pressed staff about several previously approved projects that have not moved forward, including properties on Venice Avenue and Miami Avenue, the Comcast building, a 219 building and a proposed condominium project. Staff said some approvals have expired and that owners or potential buyers may need to return for approvals; one site-development approval has an upcoming expiration in June. Staff said they will follow up and notify the board about the status of a cleared lot on South Harbor Drive with a Beachwood Builders sign.

Other items: board members discussed restarting or repeating a local-register education seminar and noted a Sarasota Alliance roundtable in February on historic-building restoration, which staff said they would promote. Members also praised reuse of the Lord High Gold House and recommended making outreach materials available there.

The board adjourned following a motion to close the meeting.