At a glance
- Who
- Owners of homes and buildings in the village of Cortez, Manatee County
- What
- A Certificate of Appropriateness comes before the building permit in the overlay district
- When
- Before drawings are finalized and before you apply for a permit
- Where
- Manatee County (historic preservation and Development Services)
- Why
- Design guidelines can shape windows, additions and exterior changes, so you need them first
What Cortez has on the books
Cortez has two layers of recognition. The first is federal: the Cortez Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Keeper's entry on the nomination form is dated 3/16/95. The form lists 94 contributing buildings, 3 contributing structures and 39 noncontributing buildings, and describes the boundary as Cortez Road, 119th Street West, Sarasota Bay, and 124th Street Court West.
The second layer is local, and it is the one that affects your permit.
The county overlay and design guidelines
Manatee County's historic preservation page lists the "Cortez Fishing Village Historical and Archaeological Overlay District" (Section 604.6.8.1) and the "Cortez Fishing Village Design Guidelines" (Section 401). It says a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a building permit in these districts. We could not find the date the overlay was adopted.
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What this means for your timeline
The order matters: Certificate of Appropriateness first, then the building permit. If you start with permit drawings and learn about the guidelines later, you may redraw. So read Section 401 first, and ask the county which of your plans need the certificate.
Start with Manatee County Development Services at 941-748-4501. Our guide to the Manatee County building permit covers the regular permit steps that come after.
How the flood rule treats historic structures
Cortez sits on Sarasota Bay, so flood rules may matter. We could not confirm flood zones for Cortez parcels, so look yours up with our guide to the Manatee County flood zone lookup.
One detail from the federal definition in 44 CFR 59.1: the "substantial improvement" rule excludes alterations of a historic structure that keep its historic designation. That is a federal exclusion. Whether and how your local office applies it to a specific building is a question for the county floodplain office. For the rule itself, see our FEMA 50 percent rule guide.
A short history that explains the rules
The county says the 1912 Cortez Schoolhouse is part of the district, which was designated in 1995, and that a hurricane in 1921 destroyed most of the village.
Questions to ask the county
- Is my parcel inside the overlay district boundary?
- Does my planned exterior change need a Certificate of Appropriateness?
- Is my building contributing or noncontributing?
- How does this affect the order of my permit steps?
What to bring when you call the county
- Your street address and parcel number.
- Photos of the front and sides of the building as they are now.
- A short written description of what you want to change on the outside.
Ask the county to tell you in writing whether the Certificate of Appropriateness applies to your plan, and what the guidelines in Section 401 say about it.
What we could not confirm
- The date the county adopted the Cortez overlay.
- Flood zones for individual Cortez parcels.
- Which specific exterior changes the guidelines treat as needing a certificate. Section 401 is the document to read, and the county is the office to ask.
We would rather tell you what we did not find than guess. Anything that affects your plan should come from the county in writing.
A sensible order for the project
- Confirm your parcel is inside the overlay boundary.
- Read the design guidelines and ask the county about your plan.
- Get the Certificate of Appropriateness question settled.
- Finish drawings and the written scope.
- Apply for the building permit.
How Hildebrand handles this kind of work
Hildebrand Construction & Remodeling is a Florida Certified Building Contractor (license CBC1257253) in Palmetto, and Cortez is in our service area. We read the guidelines with you and bring the drawings you need for the county. We pull every required permit and meet Florida Building Code inspections.
See our impact windows and doors and home additions, or our process page. The visit and written estimate are free.
Questions homeowners ask
Do I need a Certificate of Appropriateness in Cortez?
Manatee County says a Certificate of Appropriateness is required before a building permit in the Cortez historic overlay districts. Confirm with the county that your parcel is inside the boundary.
When was the Cortez Historic District listed?
The National Register nomination form shows an entry date of 3/16/95. The county says the district was designated in 1995.
Which county section covers Cortez design rules?
The county lists the Cortez Fishing Village overlay as Section 604.6.8.1 and the design guidelines as Section 401.
Does the 50 percent flood rule apply to historic homes?
The federal definition excludes alterations of a historic structure that keep its historic designation. Your local floodplain office decides how it applies to your building.
Planning a Cortez remodel?
Free in-home consultation and written estimate from a Florida licensed general contractor serving Cortez and western Manatee County.