The Punta Gorda Historic Preservation Advisory Board on Oct. 23 agreed on a set of specific items it wants included in structural‑analysis reports submitted with demolition or substantial‑alteration applications.

Board members and city staff said the list is intended to make clear when damage is storm‑driven and when long‑term neglect or unrelated maintenance issues are being offered as justification for demolition. Rachel Berry, the city’s zoning official, led the discussion and asked the board to reach a consensus so staff can update application requirements.

Board members said they repeatedly see structural reports that rely on a “50/50 rule” conclusion without a structural explanation of why a building cannot be repaired. Board member David Perry said: “Yet every 1 of them concludes with the 50 50 rule,” and added that the reports often include long lists of pre‑existing maintenance issues unrelated to storm damage.

Members asked staff to require the following, and expressed consensus that the items be listed on the application package and on any structural analysis submitted by an applicant:
- An engineer’s résumé or professional credentials so reviewers can confirm the engineer’s qualifications to provide a structural determination; no automatic reliance on an unqualified opinion.
- Clear statement of probable cause of damage (for example, identify whether the report attributes damage to a named storm or to long‑term neglect).
- Interior and exterior photographs that show the conditions relied on in the analysis; photos should support — not replace — a technical explanation.
- A written explanation from the property owner/applicant of other options considered (relocation, elevation, partial salvage) and why they were rejected.
- Findings of fact in the analysis that explain why the professional concluded demolition (or another action) is necessary; the board asked that the 50/50 formulation not replace a technical structural rationale.

Berry said the board’s recommendations will help staff and future reviewers. Board members also noted the permitting process provides an option for delays; several members referenced the code’s longest delay of 18 months as a tool that can give owners time to pursue alternatives.

Board members said the new checklist aims to reduce instances where an abbreviated or broadly written report results in a demolition recommendation without clear, storm‑related cause. The board asked staff to return the updated application materials with the new structural‑analysis checklist for formal adoption.