Saturday, February 6, 2010

To the delight of historic preservationists, the Key West City Commission closed troublesome loopholes in guidelines for the Historic Architectural Review Commission. The vote was unanimous.

The loopholes were the definitions of "pitched roof" and "2¬½ story." The old guidelines did not define pitched roof. However, the city's land development regulations state that if a building in the Old Town historic district had a pitched roof, the height of the building could be up to 45 feet. Otherwise 40 feet was the height limit.

Developers had a field day with that definition -- a fact that gained public attention with the former Watermark project between William and Elizabeth streets on Lazy Way. The developer had submitted plans for a condominium building 45 feet high, with a roof pitch of only 1 inch per linear foot -- though they still considered it a pitched roof. (Actually, a pitch of at least 1 inch per foot is required for flat roofs so rainwater will drain.)

The new HARC guidelines provide a more specific definition for a pitched roof -- one with at least a 4-inch rise per foot.

The new definition for a 2¬½-story building states the rafters of the roof must rest directly on the top plate of the second floor below. In other words, a half-story is actually the attic space under the pitched roof. The half-story cannot have vertical walls that make the roof higher.

Several other items are clarified in the new guidelines. Floor space of the half-story can have no more than 50 percent of the floor space of the second floor below, and that floor space must be centrally located with equally proportioned distances to the four sides of the floor below.

Because a new building's first floor must be above the minimum height prescribed by federal flood regulations, owners sometimes desire to use the resulting ground space for parking. This can result in what former Key West City Commissioner Bill Verge called the "gaping mouth syndrome." The new HARC guidelines state that before approving parking under a building, HARC must consider how visible the parking is from the public right of way; whether the parking area is enclosed or otherwise concealed by walls, louvers, lattice, landscaping or other features; and whether fill and/or berms are used to minimize the gap between the finished floor and the crown of the nearest road.

These new guidelines were developed by HARC and passed unanimously after three years of deliberation, collaboration and planning. Input was obtained from the city Planning Department, local architects, developers, historic preservationists and the public.

HARC planner Enid Torregrosa deserves special credit for her leadership and research. It was done correctly. Good job.

-- The Citizen