TO: Mayor and Commissioners
FROM: Anthea Gianniotes, Development Services Director
THROUGH: George Gretsas, City Manager
DATE: May 19, 2020
Title
APPROVAL TO SUBMIT APPLICATION FOR STATE OF FLORIDA DIVISION OF HISTORICAL RESOURCES SMALL MATCHING GRANT (SMG) CYCLE.
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Recommended Action:
Recommendation
Motion to approve application for State of Florida Division of Historical Resources Small Matching Grant (SMG) Cycle.
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Background:
The purpose of the Small Matching Grants (SMG) program is to provide funding to assist local, regional, and state-wide efforts to preserve significant historic and archaeological resources, and to promote knowledge and appreciation of the history of Florida.
While the name of the program is the "Small Matching Grant", qualified Certified Local Governments are not required to provide matching funding for these grants. The City of Delray Beach has been a Certified Local Government (CLG) since 1988. A benefit of being a CLG is that the city can apply for the SMG program without the requirement to locally match the grant funding request.
The grant funding opportunity is a total of $50,000 per grant request, with an award potential of two grants per grant cycle for a total of $100,000. Matching funds are not required. Eligible projects include Survey; Planning; Nominations to the National Register of Historic Places; Heritage Education; and state Historical Markers. The program does not fund operational support for historic preservation organizations.
The Historic Preservation Division of the Development Services Department proposes to seek funding for two projects:
1. Historic Geographic Information System (GIS) Mapping Project:
This grant request would facilitate the provision of information to the public regarding historic properties in Delray Beach via an online digital/interactive mapping system. The Historic Preservation GIS Mapping Project will provide a tool to improve the staff's ability to analyze resources, distribute records to the public, and aid in the assessment of resources for emergency management purposes. This is especially important given the recent updates to the Federal Emergency Management Association Flood Maps, which has increased finished floor elevation construction requirements.
This project will build upon two projects funded by two successful grant applications from last year (totaling $100,000), including a 5-District Resource Resurvey and a Historic Scanning & Digitization Project.
2. Delray Beach Municipal Cemetery Historic Resource Survey
This grant request would facilitate a Historic Resource Survey of the Delray Beach Memorial Gardens Municipal Cemetery (formerly known as the Pine Ridge Cemetery), which is located on 902 SW 10th Street. The cemetery was developed in early 1900 and is the final resting place of members of many Delray Beach pioneer families, such as the Swinton and Sundy families. The project will:
• Document the boundary of the historic cemetery and create a GIS map of the cemetery & plots;
• Record grave markers and monuments (dates, inscriptions, condition, etc.), and natural features, such as trees, landscaping, fencing, etc. through GPS, photographs, survey tools, etc.; and,
• Establish a written history and background for the cemetery.
Both proposed grant projects support policies in the Always Delray Comprehensive Plan Historic Preservation Element:
Policy HPE 1.2.4: Create and regularly update a digital database of Florida Master Site File forms for properties and historic districts listed on the Local and/or National Registers of Historic Places. [Complete by 2022].
Policy HPE 1.4.6: Analyze the historic development pattern and characteristics of each historic district for the purpose of creating context-related Land Development Regulations. [Complete by 2025]
Policy HPE 1.5.6: Survey the City cemetery for potential designation to the Local Register of Historic Places. [Complete by 2022]
City Attorney Review:
Approved to form and legal sufficiency.
Funding Source/Financial Impact:
No matching funds are required.
Timing of Request:
The State of Florida Division of Historical Resources (State) historic preservation grant application cycle is open and will close on June 1, 2020.