863-04 Land Use Amendment for Jeter Property

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OR BK 5910 Fc 1462 15 of 25 The building of Highway 301 was spearheaded by Walter R. Gall who was the principal owner of the Zephyrhills News during the 1940s. The veterans tradition continued after the war with promotion of the colony to surviving veterans of other wars. Plots were carefully laid out in the Oakside Cemetery to accommodate veterans of various conflicts. The establishment of the Krusen Land and Timber Company and the Zephyrhills Crate Company,which employed 300 employees, was a boom for the economy during this period. Agricultural crops during this time were citrus, strawberries,watermelons, and tomatoes. Zephyrhills began to appreciate its past with the First Founders' Day held in 1950. Initially dubbed"Pioneer Day,"the festivities were coordinated by the Garden,Women's, and Lions Clubs. Instrumental in beginning this popular festival was Willa Rice who was president of the Garden Club. She would later be the first woman member of Zephyrhills City Council and then became the town's first mayor in 1957. In 1954,Zephyrhills passed its first comprehensive zoning map separating several residential, commercial, and industrial areas with language that required structures (except in industrial zoned areas)to "at least conform to other structures in the area, in which they are to be constructed and shall be of a nature that in no way could be considered detrimental to that area or detrimental to the city in whole or part." This law also prohibited secondary dwellings in certain zones. Other changes came to 5th Avenue when the shade trees were removed in 1958 when the street was widened and new lighting installed. Continually known for its pure water throughout the twentieth century, a private enterprise began bottling the city's water in 1960 and it has since developed into Florida's leading brand of bottled water. Industry continues to play a part in the economy of this community. Services provided to the seasonal and year-round residents are also significant to the local economy. The development of U.S. 301 has evolved into the major commercial corridor of Zephyrhills. Some of Zephyrhills' most important buildings have been lost over time. Most of the original wood Colony commercial buildings have been replaced by masonry buildings or were destroyed by fire. Because of the excessive development along U.S. 301,the SCL depot was demolished in,j 1968. In 1974, the ACL Depot was closed. Even with these losses, the historic character of Zephyrhills remains intact with over 400 buildings constructed prior to 1950 still remaining in the city. PREVALENT ARCHITECTURAL STYLES The City of Zephyrhills displays a variety of building types and styles dating from the 1910s through the 1940s. The major styles represented include Frame Vernacular, Craftsman, and Masonry Vernacular. Several good examples of Neoclassical Revival, Colonial Revival, Mission, and Art Deco are also extant. Most architecture in Zephyrhills can be placed in the following categories: Frame Vernacular The Frame Vernacular style is somewhat a misnomer as "vernacular" implies a lack of style. Vernacular (or Folk) houses are designed without imitating a specific style. Most often they are built by nonprofessionals and,in many cases,by the occupants themselves. These structures tend to be simple, largely unornamented, and constructed out of readily-available materials. In Zephyrhills, many of these houses incorporate Craftsman-influenced detailing and bungalow massing but generally are devoid of the more elaborate ornamentation and overall sense of design associated with this style. The majority of buildings Zephyrhills employ Frame Vernacular techniques and building materials. Of special note, are the "Colony Buildings" which were also built in the Frame Vernacular style but are distinguished by a form associated with the Civil War veterans that settled the area in the 1910s. These buildings are usually constructed in typical folk forms but are sometimes very small to reflect the limited means of the pensioners. These buildings are clearly identifiable by their use of roof and wall dormers, a distinct 1/2 story, and use of porches along three sides of the building. Craftsman 9