CRA delays Jeffrey House reroof decision pending historic-board review and building inspection

The Zephyrhills Community Redevelopment Agency heard staff recommendations Aug. 25 to replace the roof at the Jeffrey House and continued the item to a short CRA meeting on Sept. 8 for further review.

Staff said the building’s roof is leaking and in poor condition after an on-site inspection. The agency packet included a proposed scope of services and staff recommended replacing the roof with galvalume metal and considering a standing-seam style so fasteners are covered and require less periodic resealing.

Why it matters: Jeffrey House is a locally significant, historically sensitive property; material and method choices affect both durability and the appearance that the city’s historic-preservation policies guard.

City staff said contractors who visited the building found panels pulling up, rust spots and active leaks. Historic Preservation Planner Will McCaw and public-works and construction staff urged replacing the roof rather than piecemeal repairs, especially with hurricane season approaching. Staff also advised the board that the Historic Preservation Board would need to review and sign off on the proposed materials before work proceeds.

CRA members and staff pressed for more procurement detail and for a building-official evaluation. City staff said they have a continuing-services roster of four construction firms for smaller projects; under their contract rules, construction work over $75,000 requires multiple prices. Board members asked for the roof area in “squares” so they could judge whether the quoted price fell in line with market rates and asked staff to obtain additional informal quotes from qualified roofers before final approval.

Action and next steps: The CRA voted to continue the agenda item to Sept. 8, with direction that staff obtain a building-official inspection (Calvin, building official), collect additional price checks from qualified roofers, and present the Historic Preservation Board’s recommendation. If those reviews are positive, staff said they would bring an item back at the short CRA meeting before the next council meeting for a final vote.

The board emphasized transparency in procurement: staff agreed to include square footage/squares, a list of comparable quotes and the building-official report in the Sept. 8 packet.

Provenance: Discussion and decision to continue the item occurred in the CRA meeting, Aug. 25, 2025; staff presentation and board discussion are documented in the meeting transcript.