Published by the Department of Public Affairs, City of St. Augustine. Florida March 19 2010
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| Proposed ordinance limits uses |
A proposed ordinance going before our City Commission Monday would blunt the possibility of commercial, recreational, and entertainment facilities setting up virtually a fulltime business in commercial medium zoning areas.
The ordinance limits the time and height allowed for such businesses as ferris wheels and tethered balloons to 35 feet and 30 days.
The proposed ordinance is part of an agenda that includes appointments to three city boards and one regional board, and a resolution opposing offshore drilling. The commission meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the Alcazar Room at City Hall. | |
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Knighting
Ceremony
Join in a 16th century knighting ceremony Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Queen Isabella Gardens at St. George and Hypolita streets.
Look for all the pageantry as St. Augustine's royal family of 1672, the year construction was begun on St. Augustine's Castillo de San Marcos, recognizes individual community service and support of the Easter Festival.
This year's Spanish heritage royal family includes Teresa Tezack as Queen Mariana, Katie Raulerson as Princess Margarita Teresa, and Matthew Wood as King Carlos.
The royal family entourage and Sally Walton dancers will add to the colorful ceremony, one of a series of festivities conducted annually for the past half century by the Easter Festival Committee. | |
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Proposal rises from balloon plan |
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The applicant seeking a permanent use by exception for tethered balloon rides on the former Bozard Ford lot on US 1, which was denied by both our Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) and City Commission, reapplied for a 90-day "seasonal" use by exception.
"The PZB felt this time frame creates virtually a fulltime business," Planning and Building Director Mark Knight says. "It could open the door to all sorts of longer term carnival-type uses."
The proposed ordinance, which as a zoning change faces public hearings Monday and at a later meeting, would limit "all use by exceptions for such facilities ... to 30 days maximum in the future," Knight says.
Among affected uses: "museums, carnival or circus, shooting gallery, skating rink, pony ride, go-cart track, athletic complexes, arena, auditorium, convention center, dance hall, indoor theater and similar uses."
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Board appointments on agenda |
Commissioners will make appointments to our Code Enforcement, Historical Architectural Review, and Planning and Zoning boards Monday, as well as a representative to the Citizens Advisory Committee for the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
The code board appointment will replace Gary McMahon, who has moved out of the city, while the Planning and Zoning Board appointment will replace Bill Leary, who resigned to run for City Commission.
Two terms on the Historical Architectural Review Board have expired, and both members - Len Weeks and Fred Halback, are eligible for reappointment. Also seeking a seat in Robert Hall.
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Resolved - No extension of drilling |
Commissioner Leanna Freeman has proposed a resolution "That the City of St. Augustine strongly encourages all elected officials at the county, state and federal levels to oppose legislative attempts to expand offshore oil drilling past the areas already approved ... and to take immediate steps to encourage and assist in the development of alternative sources of energy."
The resolution notes the impact extended oil drilling could have on our state's tourism, space program, "testing and training ranges of the eastern Gulf of Mexico (which) are a unique and irreplaceable national security asset," and the environment.
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| Container housing idea has partners |
A story in Tuesday's Report on converting those transoceanic shipping containers into emergency housing - being explored by students at Flagler College and the University of North Florida - drew a response from one reader about Atlanta-based Global Container Partnerships, currently building container homes and
schools in Jamaica and Haiti.
The company grew from an idea by yet another school, the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Richard Martin, now retired professor of construction and industrial design, challenged his students to find uses for the thousands of old steel shipping containers piling up around the world, and container housing was hatched. Funds raised by former Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush are supporting container housing as part of their Haitian relief effort. Flagler's Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) is moving forward with plans to convert a 40-foot container donated by Crowley Maritime in Jacksonville, with hopes of generating funds for a container housing complex for our county's homeless. |
| Spring - our season of parades |
 Our spring season opens tomorrow with a Festival of the Chariots parade downtown and festival in our Plaza. The fifth annual Festival of the Chariots - one of the oldest Hindu festivals and celebrated worldwide - will include a parade starting at 11 at Government House, winding through our historic district and back to the Plaza for a cultural festival until 4 p.m.  Meanwhile, entries are coming in for our annual Easter Parade on Easter Sunday, April 4, but Parade Chair Dave Chatterton says there's plenty of room for more churches, organizations and businesses to join the festive line of march - and for volunteers to assist along the parade route. Contact Dave at 904-669-7992. The parade begins at 3 p.m., preceded by a promenade in our Plaza de la Constitución, an opportunity for boys, girls, and families to show off their Easter finery. Winners received gift baskets, while all youngsters receive a gift. |
History's Highlights
Easter Festival based on historic research
One in a series of historic features as we prepare for our commemorations, drawn from research by George Gardner
Fifty years ago, our city and county worried about the "quiet time" of early spring, and asked Eleanor Barnes to research St. Augustine's history for events that might liven up the period.
Her research found a royal trio reigning in Spain at the time construction of our Castillo de San Marcos was ordered in 1672 - the Regent Queen Mariana and her children, Princess Margarita Teresa, 21 years old at the time, and Carlos, 11, destined to be king.
The St. Augustine Easter Festival was born.
Since 1959, the St. Augustine Easter Festival has promoted St. Augustine as this famous trio represents St. Augustine in festivals, events, and parades, including our own Easter Parade. They are selected from St. Augustine natives who can trace their ancestry to 1672.
This all-volunteer organization provides everything from event coordination to the period clothes, for a range of events including the royal family transfer and knighting ceremonies, and our annual Easter Parade. Support comes from our Tourist Development Council and the City of St. Augustine.
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The St. Augustine Report is published by the Department of Public Affairs of the City of St. Augustine each Tuesday and on Fridays previewing City Commission meetings. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, former St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a longtime newspaper reporter and editor. Contact The Report at gardner@aug.com | |
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