Sec. 656.365. - Legislative findings and intent.

The Council hereby finds and determines as follows: (a) Pursuant to the adoption of Ordinance 91-733-570 on January 28, 1992, the City Council established the Springfield Historic District. Since that date, various studies and plans, including the Neighborhood Action Plan, Historic Springfield District, October, 1992, and the Springfield Action Plan dated May, 1997, as revised August, 1998, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the Council Secretary and in the Planning and Development Department, have recommended the implementation of a zoning district overlay to resolve zoning-related problems in the Springfield Historic District. (b) The Springfield Historic District consists of more than 12 City blocks, approximately one square mile in size, with 3,800 structures and a population of over 6,900. The number of historic structures totaled 1,890 (115 of which are landmark buildings) in 1991. The District is the largest historic residential district in Florida. (c) The Springfield Historic District contains 3,800 dwelling units, 1,890 of which are historic dwelling units. Homestead properties in the area were reported at only 521 in August, 1998. Based on these numbers, only 14 percent of the District was owner occupied as of August 1998. (d) Over a period of many years, zoning and land use changes in Springfield have served to encourage the decline of the area and not its redevelopment. The Springfield Historic District has been negatively affected by current zoning districts which do not recognize the unique character of the neighborhood. For many years prior to the establishment of the District, the City allowed intensive and intrusive uses to locate in the neighborhood and did not encourage the type of development that promotes and sustains a stable, economically viable, and primarily single-family/owner-occupied neighborhood. Standard zoning districts also do not recognize the small lots, high lot coverage and other aspects of the neighborhood's unique development pattern. (e) Within the one square mile area of the Springfield Historic District, the Council finds there is a disproportionately large number of rooming houses and automotive uses, including automotive sales and repairs and related automotive uses. (f) As noted in the Springfield Action Plan, the population of Springfield has been in decline during the course of the past two years. Since 1980, the population in Springfield has decreased from 8,049 persons to a 1990 Census count of 6,969 persons. This decrease is primarily attributable to a decline in household size, an increase in vacancy rate, and a decline in building permit activity. Population projections show a continued decline in population into the year 2020, unless the area becomes more attractive as a place to live and invest. In 1990, average (mean) income was only $8,860 per household (only 48 percent of the County's average). Estimates of poverty levels in 1990 affected nearly 46 percent per cent of these households. Fifty percent of the households had a median income of less than $5,710. Income characteristics as found in census data for 1990, on a Countywide basis, show average incomes have increased by more than 80 percent since 1980. However, similar gains for the Springfield neighborhood have not occurred. In 1990, 52 percent of the households had a median income of less than $10,000 and only 9.4 percent with incomes above the County average of $35,618. (g) The Springfield Historic District is an invaluable resource to the City and its citizens and should be preserved for future generations. (h) The property disinvestment and blight caused by incompatible zoning and other factors associated with core City decline must be reversed through a comprehensive revitalization program that will include zoning districts tailored to the neighborhood. Standards should allow appropriate and compatible development to proceed without the high costs associated with variances and administrative deviations required to deviate from current lot and use standards. (i) The zoning districts and regulations contained in this Subpart I were developed with the participation and assistance of neighborhood residents, property owners and City staff. (j) The Planning Commission and the Urban Affairs and Planning Committee considered these districts and regulations, held public hearings and made their recommendations to the Council. Based on the foregoing findings, the Council hereby establishes the Springfield Zoning Overlay and Historic District Regulations contained in this Subpart I for the purpose of encouraging residential owner-occupants, allowing for mixed uses and home businesses, discouraging over-intensive uses, and providing performance standards and special regulations for uses allowed by exception. (Ord. 2000-302-E, § 1; Ord. 2017-36-E , § 4)