ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando leaders are set to discuss an ordinance Monday night that could temporarily loosen restrictions in one of the city’s downtown historic preservation districts to try to attract investment, but critics warn it could put irreplaceable buildings at risk.
The proposed ordinance would establish a three-year moratorium that would limit the role of the city’s Historic Preservation Board in reviewing changes to buildings within the downtown historic preservation district.
Orlando has six historic preservation overlay districts. Currently, the Historic Preservation Board reviews all proposed changes to buildings within those districts. Under the proposed ordinance, that review process would be paused — but only for the downtown district.
In a statement, the city said the ordinance is “aimed at encouraging private sector investment and making it easier to renovate, reuse and invest in older downtown buildings.”
The city pointed to a gap between public and private investment as a driving factor behind the proposal.
“Despite more than $200 million in public investments through the DTO Action Plan to improve downtown streets, parks and public spaces, many buildings in the Historic District remain vacant or underutilized. Private-sector investment has not kept pace with these public investments due to the regulations imposed by the Historic District that can make renovation projects difficult, costly and unpredictable,” the city said.
The city added that the change is intended to encourage investment and bring vacant buildings back into productive use, “while preserving the area’s historic character.”
It is also proposing a financial incentive program for projects that preserve important architectural elements of historic buildings.
Jeffrey Thompson, chair of the Historic Preservation Board, tells News 6 he is opposed to the ordinance and made clear he intends to say so, regardless of the consequences.
“I’ve been a historic preservation board member for 18 years. I’m the current chair. After Monday, I don’t know if I’ll still be on the board or not, because this is not what the administration wants to hear,” Thompson said.
Thompson pushed back on the notion that the board is an obstacle to progress, pointing to its track record in the downtown district specifically.
“My most recent stint on the board these past five years, even before I came back to the board, of all the historic districts in the city, we have not denied a single request from an applicant in the Downtown Historic District,” he said.
He also noted that the city already has the authority to override board decisions on individual applications.
“Then once we approve it, city council has to approve all our actions. So that’s their opportunity to say, ‘Historic Preservation Board, we want to let the applicant do this.’ They can do that. They have had the opportunity for every single certificate of appointments we approve or deny,” Thompson explained.
Thompson argued that rather than viewing preservation as a barrier to investment, the city should see it as an asset, one that has already proven it can drive economic success downtown.
“It’s almost like this is coming down to the money. There’s no denying that. But there’s also no denying that historic preservation works,” Thompson said.
Thompson also acknowledged recent steps the city has taken to revitalize the downtown area and said he supports that direction, but said he draws the line at scaling back preservation oversight.
“I applaud the city for what they’ve done. They’ve done away with the cruising. They’ve tried to rein in the bar culture, they’ve done away with the street parties. That’s all moving in the right direction. But blaming historic preservation is not the right direction,” he said.
He argued the city should allow those recent changes more time to take effect before taking aim at preservation rules.
The Historic Preservation Board has already passed a unanimous motion opposing the ordinance. Board members plan to voice their opposition at Monday night’s City Council meeting as the first reading of the ordinance is on the agenda.