The Fort Pierce Historic Preservation Board voted to approve a certificate of appropriateness to add support structures at 239 South Indian River Drive after a public hearing and board deliberation. The board opened the quasi-judicial hearing, confirmed advertising and notice requirements were met and heard staff and the applicant before taking a roll-call vote in favor of the requested modifications.

Board attorney and staff framed the matter as a quasi-judicial proceeding and said decisions must be based on competent substantial evidence. City staff confirmed advertising and notice requirements had been met for the item. City staff presented the application and answered board questions; there was no cross-examination by members of the public and no public speakers on the item.

The applicant told the board the original device on the property “has not been changed” and described plans that included a balcony the applicant said would be an attractive feature. Board members asked staff and the applicant whether the project still matched plans approved in 2023 for an open-air restaurant and whether the columns or supporting features discussed in that approval had been built. A city staff member said the project appeared to be a continuing work in progress and that the columns were intended but not clearly visible from the roadway; the record shows board members expressing concern about the structure’s appearance relative to the earlier approval.

Board members also asked about the balcony’s structural capacity and whether weight limits and other controls would be required. The applicant said the balcony is cantilevered into the building and described that design; the applicant and staff discussed imposing limits on occupancy or loads as part of the project review, but no new permitting conditions beyond the certificate of appropriateness were specified in the hearing transcript.

After closing questions and public comment (none), a board member moved to approve certificate of appropriateness PZCOA 2025-00030 for addition of support structures at 239 South Indian River Drive; the motion was seconded. The clerk called the roll. The transcript records votes of Yes from Ms. Davis, Mr. Westbury, Mr. Vinson, Ms. Spivey, Mr. Hayek and Vice Chair Stark. The motion passed and the certificate of appropriateness was approved as requested.

The record shows no additional conditions recorded in the hearing transcript. Staff will proceed with the administrative steps required after a board approval for a certificate of appropriateness, including any separate building-permit review and inspections required by the city’s permitting process.