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Published by former Mayor George Gardner July 6 2013
The Report is an independent publication serving our community.
Contributions are greatly appreciated.
or mail to
George Gardner 57 Fullerwood Drive St. Augustine FL 32084
Click to order St. Augustine Bedtime Stories -
two sets of twelve, $15 each set
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And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air ...
Francis Scott Key, standing on the deck of a sailing ship, was overcome by "joyful triumph" and began to jot words down on a piece of paper: "O say can you see ..." SA Entertainer's Scott Manny captured fireworks from the Municipal Marina pier adjacent to the El Galeón tall ship Thursday.
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Traffic wars
City, residents battle influx of tourists
 "You are already seeing some lasting impacts," said City Comptroller Mark Litzinger when asked about traffic cones lining the US 1 shoulder for the July Fourth fireworks.
Litzinger, tasked with making anticipated traffic and parking work for the September 13-14 Mumford and sons Gentlemen of the Road Tour (GOTR) at Francis Field, had forewarned no more traditional parking along the US 1 shoulder for major city events. (Like water seeking the easiest path, cars parked further north along the shoulder for Thursday's fireworks).
And two neighborhoods are joining the resident permit parking program as city government and residents wrestle with the influx of tourists. On Monday's City Commission agenda for public hearings are San Salvador Street between St. George and Charlotte, where two spaces would be reserved for residents, and Water Street between Joiner and Mulberry, three spaces.
 And San Marco Avenue is no longer a shortcut to downtown on busy weekends, traffic often backed up as far as SR 16.
Litzinger's plan for the Mumford concert, for which 25,000 tickets have been sold, is to establish parking at the regional airport on north US 1 with bus shuttles from there and St. Augustine Beach venues every 15 minutes.
Wednesday's Report noted a current study of parking needs and listing of seven potential parking garage sites in the city.
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El Galeón
extends stay
"El Galeón by light of a Matanzas full moon is stunning sight from the Bridge of Lions" is the caption on a photo by Features Editor Rhonda Parker in the St. Augustine Entertainer.
(It's a free monthly publication of St. Augustine events, art, dining and entertainment, available at businesses and restaurants in the area.)
The Spanish galleon has extended its stay through July 23, and while the city and ship owner Nao Victoria Foundation haven't finalized a home port agreement, El Galeón's crew has made itself at home, jumping into work with local marine teams.
They're exchanging skills and expertise with volunteers converting a wooden hull shrimp boat into Espiritu, a 16th century Spanish caravel, and with the St. Augustine Maritime Heritage Foundation, building an historic Spanish longboat called a "Chalupa" at Fountain of Youth Park.
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Performers pushed
in proposed ordinance
An ordinance extending a street performer ban the length of Hypolita Street goes to public hearing and final action at Monday's City Commission meeting.
The meeting begins at 5 pm, with security inspections of meeting attendees before entering the commission's Alcazar Room at City Hall.
Merchants around the city-owned Casa del Hidalgo complained to commissioners that performers, earlier banned from Hypolita Street west of St. George, had moved to the east area. Monday's ordinance extends the ban from St. George to Avenida Menendez on the bayfront.
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Budget season opens
with July 22 briefing
Budget season begins July 22 with a briefing at 4 pm before the regular City Commission meeting.
 | Among city budget cuts, administrative assistant in the city manager's office
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"We have just begun reviewing budgets and of course the original requests are more than approved last year," Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield says. "Over the next two weeks we will have a better handle on what we plan to present."
The budget workshop, when city staff presents details to the commission, is set for August 22 at 9 am. All meetings are in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
The city's operating budget dropped another $352,413 last year in the continuing weak economy and lowered property values, but city officials hope the current upturn will restore some revenue.
City Comptroller Mark Litzinger invites residents' comments and concerns at 825-1030 mlitzinger@citystaug.com.
The final budget for October 2013 through September 2014 goes to two state-mandated public hearings in September.
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Food Truck Crazy
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Scene at food truck event
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Mobile food sales may be banned along city streets, but you can get your fill July 27 as some 23 food trucks visit Francis Field to compete for awards in Casual Cuisine; Delectable Dessert; Top food sales and People's Choice and Spirit awards.
The event is promoted by Food Truck Crazy, based in Orlando. Admission free, 3-9 pm. Food is ala carte from individual menus posted at each truck.
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News & Notes
Community service
Zach & Kaley Grant and Mitch Gerick will receive Certificates of Recognition at Monday's City Commission meeting, "For their quick thinking and courageous actions in the rescue of an injured person thrown into the Matanzas River on Sunday, May 26th following a tragic boating accident.
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Samuels
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"Their heroic deed and selfless acts saved the life of a member of our community."
Robert Samuels gets a bouquet in Folio Weekly's July 3-9 issue on his retirement after a decade with the St. Augustine Beach Civic Association. "Under his leadership, the Farmers Market grew to 84 vendors. Samuels also started the popular Music by the Sea concert series." His wife, Andrea, is a St. Augustine Beach Commissioner.
A tree grows to Champion
Surviving pests, extreme weather and human intervention to soar and thrive, Champion Trees are the largest a species has to offer, and Ethical Markets in St. Augustine has a sprout of one of more than 130 national champions growing in Florida.
 Champion Trees? Rosalinda Sanquiche, Executive Director of Ethical Markets Media at 10 Carrera Street, explains, "The demise of magnificent trees in forests all around the world drives the work of organizations such as Archangel Ancient Tree Archive and the Champion Tree Project International. Their goal is to preserve the genetics of the world's largest and oldest living organisms by cloning exact genetic duplicates of the greatest trees identified around the globe."
During the Ethical Markets spring retreat, Ethical Markets was gifted a clone of a champion tree - a Lagerstroemia indica or Crape Myrtle.
Terry Mock, co-founder of Champion Tree Project International and the Sustainable Land Development Initiative, made the presentation of the clone from the Florida Champion Tree in Marion County, with a trunk circumference of 64 inches, height of 45 feet and crown spread of 27 feet before finally succumbing.
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History's highlight
Precision in Spanish colonial towns
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2 years, 2 months, 3 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
From the writings of Elsbeth "Buff" Gordon, author of Florida's Colonial Architectural Heritage and more recently Heart and Soul of Florida: Sacred Sites and Historic Architecture (University Press of Florida).
In 1573, the (St. Augustine) colony was settling into the area south of today's Plaza. Royal ordinances for laying out new towns in the Americas were consolidated and published by the King of Spain, Philip II. The ordinances specified that the town should be near an abundance of wood for buildings, that the city planning should start with the main plaza, and that the Plaza should be at the landing place of the port. 
The ordinances specified that the Plaza's four comers should face the four principal winds, so the main streets running out from the plaza would not be exposed to the four principle winds, thought to "cause much inconvenience."
In addition, the ordinances were very specific that in hot climates the streets were to be narrow. This tradition of shading pedestrians came out of Mesopotamia, Rome, Arabia, and their colonies.
Sixteenth century St. Augustine was an environmentally planned community, with links to more ancient communities and their climate-engineered streetscapes.
The ordinances specified that the plaza was to be in "Good proportion," a prolonged square, the length equal to 1˝ times the width. It was a time in history when lengths and widths based on proportional ratios were believed to be imbued with harmony and spiritual meaning. It was a time when theology and mathematics were closely related.
The ordinances also specified that lots for the parish church and monastery be laid out first. The parish church was to be built not in or facing the principal plaza as is generally written, but near the entrance to the plaza at the waterfront, so that it was, "seen on leaving the sea." In addition, the church had to serve as a defensive structure for the town.
Next time you visit our Plaza, take a compass.
Image: The Plaza de la Constitución, St. Augustine, William Henry Jackson photo, mid 1800s
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The St. Augustine Report is published weekly, with additional Reports previewing City Commission meetings as well as Special Reports. The Report is written and distributed by George Gardner, St. Augustine Mayor (2002-2006) and Commissioner (2006-2008) and a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com
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