It’s been said that the past holds the key to the future. If that’s true, Boynton Beach is propelling itself forward — while safeguarding its past.
Historic preservation efforts have taken center stage since the City Commission unanimously passed a historic preservation ordinance in January. “This ordinance is the city’s statement that it will protect and preserve part of our history which is slowly being lost and hopefully not being forgotten,” said City Commissioner Bill Orlove.
The ordinance, crafted by the city’s seven-member Historical Preservation Ad Hoc Committee, includes an agreement with the county to offer tax breaks to property owners who fix up their historic homes or buildings (the value added to a property by restoring it would be exempted from taxes for 10 years). “We want to use the ordinance to preserve the past and rejuvenate parts of the city,” explained Orlove.
It also allows the city to take steps to be eligible for certain grants — and could protect historic buildings from being demolished. “Over the years, historical buildings have been torn down and if we would have had this in place that wouldn’t have happened,’’ said Vice Mayor Marlene Ross. “The historic train station is gone, along with some other historic buildings and that is really sad. I think this commission would have saved them. … It’s an example of the losses we have had, and I am happy we are putting a stop to that.”
Orlove agreed. “A sense of history was being lost. I think past commissions had not taken the idea of preserving our history seriously.”
The ad hoc committee also suggested the city hire a full-time historic preservation planner — and the commission agreed. However, it’s a new position. So although it will be part of the 2011-2012 budget, which the commission will have to approve and money will have to be located for the $45,000 to $75,000 salary, said Mike Rumpf, the city’s director of planning and zoning. “We need to find a way to program the money into the upcoming budget, which will be challenging given the anticipated budget deficit.”
In addition, he said, the commission indicated it wanted to hire someone before that budget is adopted.
The planner would, among other things, find and apply for grants and update a 1996 inventory of possible historical buildings in the city. The 15-year-old document lists about 130 buildings, said Rumpf. But he added, “that doesn’t mean they are all worthy of being on a historical places list. They were put on the list in 1996 if they were 50 years or older, but the list didn’t note other criteria necessary, like architectural style.”
Although the ad hoc committee isn’t directly involved with saving the old high school, built in 1927, its members support saving it, said committee member Barbara Ready.
The Boynton Woman’s Club and the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum & Learning Center are on the National Register of Historic Places. But there are others that might qualify for historic status, including the 92-year-old, 1,500-square-foot, two-story Oscar Magnuson House, expected to open as an upscale restaurant in the fall, and the 1,000-square-foot Ruth Jones Cottage, built in 1940, planned as 201 Trading Post, a combo restaurant/market with to-go meals and catering service.
Passing the ordinance was a giant step forward, but much work remains, Ready said, including identifying and adopting possible historic districts.
Yet, she says, “things are finally clicking and I am so optimistic.”
Others agree. “I think we are starting to define our city … who and what is the city of Boynton Beach. This is an aspect of the city’s identity that is
important,” said Ross.
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