Florida Historical Resources Act Glossary: Key Terms & Definitions for Developers and Consultants

Florida Historical Resources Act Key Terms & Definitions

Archaeological site: A location where there is physical evidence of past human activity, including artifacts, features, and ecological evidence. Archaeological sites are protected under the Florida Historical Resources Act. (Section 267.021(1), Florida Statutes)

Archaeological resource: Any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, object, or other material remains of human life or activities which are of archaeological interest. These include, but are not limited to, pottery, basketry, bottles, weapons, weapon projectiles, tools, structures or portions of structures, pit houses, rock paintings, rock carvings, intaglios, graves, human skeletal materials, or any portion or piece of any of the foregoing items. (Section 267.021(1), Florida Statutes)

Division of Historical Resources: The division within the Florida Department of State responsible for administering and enforcing the Florida Historical Resources Act, including the identification, research, interpretation, and preservation of the state's historic and archaeological resources. (Section 267.031, Florida Statutes)

Florida Historical Resources Act: A comprehensive state law, codified in Chapter 267 of the Florida Statutes, that aims to protect and preserve Florida's historic and archaeological resources. The Act regulates a wide range of activities that may impact these resources, including development projects, excavations, and alterations to historic properties.

Florida Master Site File: A centralized inventory of the state's known historic and archaeological resources, maintained by the Division of Historical Resources. The Master Site File includes information on the location, significance, and condition of these resources. (Section 267.031(5)(n), Florida Statutes)

Historic burial: Any unmarked human burial, marked human burial, or burial 75 years old or older. The term includes prehistoric and historic graves, burial mounds, cemeteries, and other sites containing human skeletal remains. (Section 872.05(2)(c), Florida Statutes)

Historic cemetery: Any cemetery, marked or unmarked, that is 50 years old or older. Historic cemeteries are protected under the Florida Historical Resources Act. (Section 497.005(36), Florida Statutes)

Historic property: Any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, object, or other real or personal property of historical, architectural, or archaeological value. These properties may include, but are not limited to, monuments, memorials, Indian habitations, ceremonial sites, abandoned settlements, sunken or abandoned ships, engineering works, treasure troves, artifacts, or other objects with intrinsic historical or archaeological value. (Section 267.021(3), Florida Statutes)

Historic preservation: The identification, evaluation, recordation, documentation, analysis, recovery, interpretation, curation, acquisition, protection, management, rehabilitation, restoration, stabilization, maintenance, or reconstruction of historic properties. (Section 267.021(4), Florida Statutes)

National Register of Historic Places: The official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation, maintained by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Properties listed in the National Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. (Section 267.021(5), Florida Statutes)

Permit for archaeological excavation: A permit issued by the Division of Historical Resources authorizing the excavation, removal, disturbance, or destruction of any archaeological resource on state-owned or state-controlled lands. (Section 267.12, Florida Statutes)

Prohibited practices: Activities that are prohibited under the Florida Historical Resources Act without proper authorization, such as the unauthorized excavation or disturbance of archaeological sites, alteration or demolition of historic properties, and removal of historic resources from state-owned or state-controlled lands. (Section 267.13, Florida Statutes)

Research design: A comprehensive plan for conducting archaeological research, including the research objectives, methods, and strategies for data recovery, analysis, and interpretation. A research design is required as part of the application for a permit to conduct archaeological excavations on state-owned or state-controlled lands. (Rule 1A-46.003(2)(c), Florida Administrative Code)

Salvage archaeology: The emergency recovery of archaeological materials from a site that is threatened by imminent destruction, such as from natural disasters, construction projects, or looting. (Section 267.031(5)(m), Florida Statutes)

State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO): The official appointed or designated pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act to administer the state historic preservation program. In Florida, the Director of the Division of Historical Resources serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer. (Section 267.021(7), Florida Statutes)

State-owned or state-controlled lands: All lands owned by or under the jurisdiction of the State of Florida, including submerged lands, and lands owned by or under the jurisdiction of any state agency, department, board, bureau, commission, or other instrumentality. (Section 267.021(8), Florida Statutes)

Undertaking: A project, activity, or program funded in whole or in part under the direct or indirect jurisdiction of a state agency, including those carried out by or on behalf of a state agency; those carried out with state financial assistance; and those requiring a state permit, license, or approval. (Section 267.021(9), Florida Statutes)

Underwater archaeological site: An archaeological site that is submerged in a body of water, such as a shipwreck, submerged prehistoric site, or other underwater cultural resource. Underwater archaeological sites are protected under the Florida Historical Resources Act. (Section 267.021(1), Florida Statutes)

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A Note to Our Readers: We hope this guide is a valuable resource in helping you better understand the . However, it's not a substitute for professional advice and doesn't cover every scenario. Always consult with regulatory bodies and professionals for the most current advice and project-specific guidance.