ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Department of State notified Orlando that ordinance number 2026-18, approved in June, violates Florida Certified Local Government (CLG) guidelines, putting the city’s CLG status and future funding at risk.
The Certified Local Government program recognizes cities that follow national historic preservation standards. Jeff Thompson, chair of Orlando’s Historic Preservation Board, said the designation carries both recognition and financial significance.
“It’s a prestige for cities to have the CLG status because it says that you recognize the significance of historic preservation and you’re following the national standard for preservation,” Thompson said.
Cities with CLG status are eligible for federal preservation funds. In some cases, that funding can be awarded without the 50% matching requirement. Since receiving the designation in the late 1980s, Orlando has received millions of dollars in funding over the years.
Thompson said the city’s designation and future funding are now in question.
“It’s a sad day for preservation in Orlando,” Thompson said.
State funding was raised as a concern in June, when the state sent its first letter. At the time, Assistant City Attorney Stacy Fallon said the city’s position was that the issue did not apply to the ordinance.
“It is not a code change, it is not a codification. The overlay remains and the local preservation ordinance remains intact,” Fallon said June 22. “It’s our position that this is a change of a rule of procedure.”
In a statement about the second notice, the city said it is reviewing the comments and looking to make any clarifications within the six-month response timeline.
Orlando historian Rick Kilby said he believes the city can find its way back to the Orange Avenue and Church Street he remembers from the late 1980s, but said new development should not come at the cost of historic places.
“The contemporary buildings are wonderful and nice in the appropriate place, but if you have to destroy something with history to it to build a nice new commercial building, you know, you are losing what makes Orlando — Orlando,” Kilby said.
The city went on to say in its statement that “it remains committed to historic preservation and its status as a Certified Local Government to preserve and celebrate our community’s history.”