The Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 14 approved Ordinance 2025-23, adding a historic preservation (HP) overlay to approximately 11.14 acres within a 98.6-acre Planned Unit Development (North Park 2 PUD) owned by Packinghouse Road LLC (Milestone Contractors).

A planning-staff presentation described the history of quarrying on the property and explained that the HP overlay area was identified after review of historic-quarry landscape maps and state SHARD (State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database) resources. Planning staff said the overlay is intended to protect historic limestone-quarry landscapes that are partially within the parcel.

Jason Myers, planning staff (present via Teams), summarized the review process: the Historic Preservation Board of Review forwarded a positive recommendation on March 17, 2025 subject to three conditions (add detailed resource names and locations to the exhibit; locate and document existing historic structures within the designation; submit a written commitment regarding the disposition of any historic limestone or equipment found outside the designated area). The Planning Commission voted 6–0 on May 20, 2025 to forward a positive recommendation with the same conditions. The county legal department reviewed the petitioner’s written commitment and found it acceptable for recordation, Myers said.

Commissioner Thomas noted the petitioner’s cooperation in offering protections and in proposing potential interpretive uses of quarry equipment near a future quarry park; the commissioner called the overlay “a gift to the community.” The ordinance passed with a recorded vote of “aye” and was recorded as carried 2–0 in the meeting minutes.

Why it matters: the overlay formally protects identified historic quarry landscapes on the site while allowing Milestone’s previously approved mass-fill operations on an adjacent portion of the property. Conditions require documentation of on-site resources and a written commitment to coordinate disposition of found artifacts, which staff said may be used for a county outdoor limestone-history exhibit.

The action implements prior zoning approvals, including the earlier North Park 2 PUD amendment (Ordinance 2024-40) that permitted mass grading/filling on part of the site.