Keys Patriot Alliance Wants Equal Enforcement of HARC Guidelines
- Liana Gonzalez-Blanco
- Dec 28, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Keys Patriot Alliance Wants Equal Enforcement of HARC Guidelines
By: Liana Gonzalez-Blanco
December 28, 2025
The rainbow fence controversy now facing Key West did not appear out of nowhere. It emerged at a moment when public trust in local government was already strained and scrutiny of City Hall was unusually intense.
In a recent email sent to City Hall and the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC), the Keys Patriot Alliance (KPA) called for enforcement under the city’s historic preservation laws. The group, which has roughly 800 members throughout the Florida Keys, is demanding the removal of primary colors from fences within the Old Town Historic District. Their objection is not framed as opposition to expression, but as resistance to what they view as the selective enforcement of long-established HARC guidelines.
That request landed against the backdrop of a sharply critical Monroe County grand jury report in May 2025 that accused the city of failing to follow its own rules. The report triggered widespread calls for reform, accountability, and adherence to the law. Confidence in local government, already fragile, took another hit.
For KPA and its supporters, the primary color fence issue cannot be viewed in isolation. It follows a troubling pattern by city officials. They have shown a willingness to challenge state laws and risk public funding in order to favor specific causes or groups. While the fence dispute does not carry the same financial risk as the primary color crosswalk controversy — which threatened millions in Florida Department of Transportation funding — it is seen as another example of governance choices that put ideology ahead of equal enforcement.
Get more information about the Key West Historic Preservation Division here. This link will open in a new tab. The city website states, "The role of the Historic Preservation staff is to assist the citizens of Key West who are interested in preserving the architectural heritage of the Historic District. The role also includes serving as the Historic Architectural Review Commission (HARC) staff."
The next HARC meeting is January 27, 2026
from 5:00 PM- 9:00 PM. Location is at City Hall at 1300 White Street. The rainbow fences non-compliance issue is on the agenda. Residents are allowed to speak about this issue during public comment time.
Residents Call for Accountability
According to KPA, the group documented at least twenty-seven nonconforming fence violations within the Old Town Historic District and submitted photos and addresses to HARC and city leadership. For a city already rebuked by a grand jury for ignoring its own rules, they say this moment matters.
The grand jury report described systemic problems inside City Hall and ignited public anger. Some residents demanded immediate resignations from elected officials, even without trials or findings of guilt. Due process — a cornerstone of the justice system — was quickly discarded by an angry public, except when the issue aligned with favored causes. In those cases, accusations were ignored or excused.
The crosswalk debate became a prime example. Critics note that risking millions in FDOT funding was considered acceptable by some residents and officials in order to advance a political agenda. Transportation infrastructure and public safety, they argue, were treated as collateral damage. Now, they warn, historic preservation grant funding may be headed for the same fate.
Despite losing the battle over the crosswalk colors with the state, city leaders, in the eyes of critics, learned little. Instead of recalibrating, they doubled down. That unresolved tension now collides with a new controversy inside the historic district.
In its email, KPA requests strict and consistent enforcement of the rules:
“…strict enforcement of the HARC’s long-standing guidelines regarding fences in the Key West Historic District. These guidelines, as reaffirmed in the Commission’s December 16, 2025 memo…must be applied consistently and without exception to preserve the architectural integrity of our community.”
How the Rainbow Fences Began
The fence issue traces directly back to the removal of the primary color crosswalks. After the Florida Department of Transportation ordered those crosswalks taken out, some residents responded by painting primary colors on fence posts within the historic district. The act was intended as a symbolic protest against state law.
However symbolic the intent, the fences fall squarely under the city’s historic preservation code. Exterior changes in the historic district require prior approval.
According to the KPA email, none of the property owners involved sought HARC approval or obtained a required Certificate of Appropriateness. The group also reminded city officials that HARC guidelines explicitly prohibit alterations that obscure character-defining features, including traditional fence colors. Under those guidelines, wooden fences are limited to white, while iron fences must be dark green or white.
A Certified Local Government with Binding Obligations
Ignoring those rules carries more than local consequences. Key West is a Certified Local Government (CLG) under a partnership program between the National Park Service and the Florida Division of Historical Resources. That designation obligates the city to uphold historic preservation standards uniformly.
Key West has held CLG status since 1991. The city voluntarily agreed to consistent enforcement, proper documentation, and decision-making rooted in preservation guidelines. In return, it receives historic preservation grants. The charm that draws visitors to Key West — the look and feel of its historic neighborhoods — is a direct product of those standards. Undermining them, critics warn, risks damaging tourism and the city’s identity.
Selective Enforcement and Leadership Concerns
Concerns about enforcement extend beyond the fences themselves. City Manager Brian Barroso installed rainbow bike racks in the historic district without HARC approval. Meanwhile, enforcement related to the primary color fences has been minimal. No formal code enforcement cases have been opened. Property owners received warning letters encouraging them to seek approval, rather than citations for unapproved work. Under CLG rules, enforcement driven by politics or selective attention is not allowed.
Critics emphasize that the issue is not the message painted on the fences. The conflict arises when laws are not applied equally. If one property owner is allowed to paint a fence for a political or ideological reason, the same permission must be extended to all. Without consistent enforcement, historic neighborhoods risk becoming cluttered with competing political displays rather than preserved spaces.
Funding and Consequences
Oversight does not stop at City Hall. The Florida Division of Historical Resources administers the CLG program on behalf of the National Park Service. When compliance breaks down, the state can require corrective action, increase oversight, or recommend suspension of CLG certification. Losing that certification means losing access to preservation funding.
Key West recently received a $50,000 Small Matching Historic Preservation Grant to conduct a sustainability assessment of historic structures and expects additional grant funding. These funds come from the federal Historic Preservation Fund and are only available to CLGs in good standing.
The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources maintains a grant history page with official lists of funded preservation projects by year. You can browse FY2024, FY2025, FY2026, and earlier cycles there and download the full Certified Local Government (CLG) and Small Matching Grant lists. Click here for the information.
If that money disappears, critics ask where the city will make up the difference. In a city that recently struggled to fund food pantries during the holidays, even modest losses could have serious consequences. Each time the city ignores the law, the cost is irresponsibly passed on to residents. Residents want this pattern of bad governance decisions to stop.
Uniform enforcement of HARC guidelines is not optional, and CLG status is not symbolic. The public expects transparency and equal treatment under the law. If city leaders continue to disregard those obligations and place funding at risk, the consequences may not come from Tallahassee or Washington — but from voters prepared to hold them accountable.
Liana Gonzalez-Blanco
Liana is a Key West native who loves writing about her island home. She taught English to students in grades 6–12 for nearly 35 years in Key West schools, sharing her love of literature and language with generations of local students. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Florida and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Central Florida. Liana is the owner of Conch Media Group, LLC, and the creator and manager of The Key West Post. Her goal is to keep readers informed about the issues that matter most in Key West. As a lifelong local, she offers a perspective often missing from corporate media and from journalists and bloggers who are new to the island. When Liana isn't writing and managing this website, she enjoys spending time with her friends and family. On most days, you’ll find her walking, biking, or running outdoors, soaking up the natural beauty, friendly people, and diverse cultures that make Key West so special.
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