Sec. 111.909. - Restore Endangered Historic Adaptable Buildings Special Revenue Fund.

(a) Fund creation. There is hereby created an account to be known as the Restore Endangered Historic Adaptable Buildings ("REHAB") Special Revenue Fund , an ongoing fund which shall carry forward each fiscal year and not lapse. The REHAB Special Revenue Fund shall be comprised of funds as may be appropriated from time to time by Council, and all fees, fines, and civil penalties as may be designated for deposit into the Fund from time to time by Council. It shall also include all such donations, contributions, gifts, and related sponsorships received by the City for use toward the general purpose of furthering the goals of this Fund. All monies and interest placed into this fund are hereby appropriated for the purposes of this fund, and all appropriations shall carry forward each fiscal year and shall not lapse. (b) Fund purpose. These funds are designated to pay for the repair, rehabilitation and restoration of non-residential income-producing historic buildings, mixed-use historic buildings and historic buildings owned by not-for-profit corporations, located throughout Jacksonville, excluding the Downtown Area as defined in Section 55.105 , Ordinance Code. (c) Grant funding limitations. Grant requests from the REHAB Special Revenue Fund shall not exceed $100,000 and shall be administratively approved pursuant to this program. Subject to availability of unencumbered funds, applicants that request $100,000 or less in the aggregate for a project may be approved by the Historic Preservation Section of the Planning and Development Department, without further Council action, in accordance with Subsection (e) below and the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines, available on the City's website. For the purpose of this Section, the dollar amounts in all grant applications for any one project submitted within five years of the first grant approved under this fund for the project, shall be aggregated to determine if the grant amount exceeds $100,000. (d) Fund administration. The Historic Preservation Section shall follow the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. The Historic Preservation Section shall review and approve the design aspects of the grant application, and the City's Chief Administrative Officer ("CAO") or their designee shall review and approve the financial aspects of the grant application and administer fund allocation, in accordance with the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. Changes to the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines which have financial impact shall be jointly approved by the CAO or their designee and the Historic Preservation Section and shall be submitted to the Council for approval. Approved applicants may receive financial assistance through reimbursement grants as set forth in the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. Funds may only be used for one or more of the purposes specified in Subsection (b) above. (e) Eligibility Criteria. (1) The building must be located within Jacksonville outside of the Downtown Area, as defined in Section 55.105 , Ordinance Code; and (2) The building must be at least 50 years old; and (3) The building must be non-residential income-producing, mixed-use or owned by a not-for-profit corporation; and (4) The building must be architecturally or historically significant, as determined by the Historic Preservation Section, in accordance with Section 307.102 (s), Ordinance Code; and (5) The building must be: (i) A local landmark, designated by the City pursuant to Chapter 307 , Ordinance Code; or (ii) A contributing structure to a local historic district, designated by the City pursuant to Chapter 307 , Ordinance Code; or (iii) Declared a potential local landmark, as defined in Chapter 307 , Ordinance Code, however, final local landmark designation must be obtained from City Council prior to final approval of the grant by the CAO or their designee; and (6) The building must be declared critically endangered by the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission (the "JHPC"). In considering a building for critically endangered status, the JHPC shall consider the following criteria: (i) Evidence of a physical threat of loss, damage, or neglect; (ii) If the building is currently vacant; (iii) The building's susceptibility to development pressures or natural disasters; (iv) The building's suitability for preservation or rehabilitation; and (v) Any other criteria the JHPC considers relevant. (f) Historic Preservation Section Review. To receive grant assistance from the Fund, the owner of a historic building, or their agent, shall submit a grant application to the Historic Preservation Section for eligibility review, and an application to the Historic Preservation Section for a Certificate of Appropriateness for the improvements proposed, in accordance with the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. (1) The Historic Preservation Section shall review the grant application for eligibility pursuant to the criteria in Subsections (e)(1)—(5) above, and the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. If the Historic Preservation Section finds that a building meets the eligibility criteria in Subsections (e)(1)—(5) above, they shall issue a recommendation regarding whether the building is critically endangered, as required by Subsection (e)(6) above. Said recommendation shall be forwarded to the JHPC. (2) The Historic Preservation Section shall also review the application for the Certificate of Appropriateness for compliance with the United States Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and any applicable historic preservation design guidelines. The Historic Preservation Section shall evaluate Certificate of Appropriateness applications based on the historic importance and significance of the project, the overall contribution of the project to the restoration of the historic fabric, and the overall preservation of the building. If appropriate, the Historic Preservation Section shall issue administrative approval of the Certificate of Appropriateness in accordance with the Administrative Matrix, pursuant to the authority granted in Section 307.107 , Ordinance Code; otherwise, they shall forward a recommended approval, denial, or approval with conditions to the JHPC. (g) Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission Review. The JHPC shall review all REHAB Special Revenue Fund grant applications and the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Section, for a determination on the critically endangered status of each building, pursuant to Subsection (e)(6) above. The JHPC shall also review those related applications for Certificates of Appropriateness which are not eligible to receive administrative approval according to Section 307.102 (a), Ordinance Code. The JHPC shall issue its decision to the CAO or their designee in accordance with the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. (h) Review by the CAO or their designee. To receive a reimbursement grant from the fund, the owner of a historic building, or his or her agent, shall submit, in accordance with the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines, a grant application to the CAO or their designee for the grant requested. The CAO or their designee shall analyze the specific finances of the project for the express purpose of determining if the project meets the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. (i) Fund programs. The owner of a historic building which meets the eligibility requirements in Subsection (e) above, or their agent, may apply for assistance from the fund in the form of reimbursement grants for repair, rehabilitation or restoration, according to the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines which includes, but is not limited to: restoration or rehabilitation of the building exterior, restoration of historic features on the building interior, rehabilitation of the building interior, code compliance improvements and general requirements and overhead of the general contractor, as further detailed in the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines. (j) Final inspection. A final inspection shall be conducted within 90 days following completion of the project to ensure compliance with the terms of the approved Certificate of Appropriateness and REHAB Special Revenue Fund grant application. The final inspection shall be conducted by, or at the direction of, the Historic Preservation Section staff. An applicant whose project fails to meet the REHAB Special Revenue Fund Guidelines and criteria set forth herein shall be deemed ineligible for a grant under this program. The inspection required by this subsection shall not replace or supersede any other inspection required by local, State, or federal law. (Ord. 2023-316-E , § 1)