HomeMy WebLinkAboutFlorida Division of Historical Resources LetterRICK SCOTT
Governor
VIVA F10RIDA
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT 00STATE
Megan McLaughlin
City of Miami Planning and Zoning Department
444 SW 2nd Avenue 3' Floor
Miami, FL 33130
Dear Ms. McLaughlin:
KEN DETZNER
Secretary of State
February 7, 2014
I have reviewed the most recent case study material and the Archaeological Action Plan, and in
my opinion the City of Miami and MDM have produced a thorough and very useful document. I
think that the number of design, development, and preservation alternatives developed is
impressive, and although it is clear that not all of them are feasible there are several compelling
alternatives that should foster deliberate consideration.
I believe that MDM's Archaeological Action Plan is appropriate. It would be remiss to ignore the
considerable resources put forth by MDM to sponsor the archaeological research that has taken
place at Met Miami over the last decade. In fact, the completeness of the archaeological
excavation at Met is remarkable and unusual for most development projects in the United
States. I believe that the commitment to the archaeology is due both to the significance of the
site, and to the willingness of MDM and the City to recognize that significance and proceed
accordingly. Both the City of Miami and MDM should already consider the research and
documentation conducted up to this point a success, and the archaeology at Met Miami could
serve as a good example of how developers and cities can collaborate productively when
archaeological and historic sites may be damaged or destroyed by development activities.
That said, most of the archaeological excavations at Met Miami are complete and the onus is
now on the consultant, Bob Carr, to complete scholarly documentation and reporting of the site,
and for the City and MDM to sponsor or make possible the reporting and publication of the
results. There are certainly years of analysis and writing ahead, and it is important that the
reporting be high quality and complete regardless of any current or future development. I am
encouraged that MDM has included the production of a final report in its Archaeological Action
Plan.
Division of Historical Resources
R.A. Gray Building • 500 South Bronough Street• Tallahassee, Florida 32399
850.245.6300 • 850.245.6436 (Fax) flheritage.com
Promoting Florida's History and Culture VivaFlorida.org
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Ms. McLaughlin
Page 2
2/7/2014
Assuming that the reporting and publication will take place, the current issue at hand is not one
of documentation but one of preservation. It is not the role of the state to endorse any specific
course of action, and Dr. Seinfeld and I do not have the statutory authority to do so. However, I
feel that the case study document meets the guidelines that were established early in the
consultation process, and that the alternatives appear to have been deliberately and thoroughly
vetted. As long as MDM and the City continue good faith discussions, it should help the parties
come to a resolution that, at the very least, takes in to account the effects of any potential
development on the compelling features carved in to the limestone bedrock.
Sincerely,
Timothy A. Parsons, PhD., RPA
Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer
for Compliance and. Review