Cultural resources board delays appointment to seek architect-qualified member

The St. Johns County Cultural Resources Review Board on a voice vote agreed to hold in abeyance consideration of the current applicants for a vacant board seat to allow the board time to recruit someone with architectural qualifications. A board member proposed the delay "in an effort to find someone who meets the architectural qualification," and the motion was seconded and approved; the chair recorded "4 ayes."

Board members reviewed the applicant pool and debated whether real-estate experience satisfies the code’s requirement that members "have practical or professional experience" in fields such as archaeology or architecture. County counsel advised that real-estate experience is listed in the code as one qualifying field but that the board may prefer to seek someone familiar specifically with historic architecture. The board’s motion directs staff and members to outreach to regional architectural professionals and to reconvene the appointment discussion in approximately two months.