Preservation advocates urge council to uphold HPC denial, cite stop‑work order violation

During the public‑comment portion of the Oct. 30 appeal hearing, preservation advocates and descendants of the Richards family urged the City of Fort Myers City Council to uphold the Historic Preservation Commission's denial of after‑the‑fact approval for work on the Richards Building.

Gina Saviston, speaking on behalf of preservation interests, emphasized that the matter is not merely about color but about preserving historic materials and cited the Secretary of the Interior's Standards. "The applicant even ignored a stop work order," she said, asking the council to hold the owners to the same standards as others in the district. Former commissioner Raymond Ollen also testified he had inspected the facade and stated, "The brick on that building... has never been painted," offering mortar‑joint color and brick composition as evidence. Multiple commenters said weekend work proceeded after the city issued a stop‑work order, raising concerns about precedent and the integrity of the district.

Staff recommended upholding the HPC, telling council members that photographic evidence and public testimony supported the commission's finding that the upper floors of the front facade had not previously been painted. Staff also recommended a remedy that would include removal of the covering using Secretary of the Interior guidance and a subsequent certificate of review for removal methods. Council members asked follow‑up questions about whether the facade could be returned to its prior state and whether penalties should be pursued; City Attorney Alley said fines or enforcement proceedings would require their own separate hearing.