Neighbors upset with Castillo cannon fire
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Published by former Mayor George Gardner February 22 2014
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BOOM!!
Neighbors upset with Castillo cannon fire
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Castillo cannon crew prepares for demonstration
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Historically 750 feet around the Castillo de San Marcos - effective cannon range - has been reserved for military purposes.
Today residences are built within that range, and those residents would like less noise from cannon firing demonstrations.
Castillo Superintendent Gordie Wilson, responding to complaints, says in a message to his park rangers, "In an effort to be responsive to these concerns we have evaluated our program and we are preparing to take some measures to minimize the noise impact to our neighbors, employees, volunteers and to our community."
Included in those measures, reduction in the amount of black powder used, moving the demonstration cannons further away from Water Street and other nearby settled areas, and measurements of sound, wind, temperature and humidity levels.
"It is important to remember that the historic weapon program is an interpretive tool presented to educate and inform our visitors," Wilson wrote. "Our most important goal is to run a safe program. Safety includes protecting against any potential hearing loss that could result in our volunteers, employees or visitors.
"Reducing noise impacts to the community is also important for their quality of life."
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Waterworks on
National Register
The North City Waterworks Building has been entered into the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places.
The building, dated to 1883 as the city's first train depot and later its first water plant, sits behind fencing today with its crumbling brick a safety hazard, awaiting funding to restore it.
Architect Dave Mancino five years ago designed a $1.2-$1.8 million restoration as a community hall that could seat 150, complete with a catering kitchen. Later estimates included $600,000 for basic structural work.
Officials hope the National Register designation can encourage public and private contributions to its restoration.
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Further 7-Eleven appeal
'most likely' after denial
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Tee shirt at 7-Eleven hearing
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7-Eleven Attorney James Whitehouse says appeal to the City Commission is "most likely" after two hours of effective argument for and equally effective arguments against ended Thursday in a unanimous rejection of 7-Eleven's appeal to the city's Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB).
While most comments from a roomful of neighbors and commuters on the busy San Marco Avenue/May Street site cited congestion and pedestrian safety, HARB Chair Len Weeks tried to keep discussion on point - the board's review of a permit denial based primarily on the project's San Marco Avenue driveway width.
But even Weeks strayed briefly, interrupting Whitehouse to note that "gas stations in St. Augustine were traditionally one or two pumps; you are proposing twelve."
His comment was greeted with loud cheers.
Whitehouse pointed to the difference in driveway widths, 30 feet required by the Florida Department of Transportation and 24 feet dictated by the city's entry corridor guidelines, as critical.
"Without that 30-foot width," he said, "the project isn't feasible."
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$50,000 available for
450 federal director
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The National Park Service has $50,000 to spend on an executive director for the 450th federal commission, but isn't allowed to do the hiring.
Commissioners Monday will consider the city as holding agent for the funds but, says City Attorney Ron Brown, "the Federal Commission would hire and supervise that person. The city would assist by providing some office space but would not control or direct the activities of the person hired."
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Riberia Pointe city's 'Battery Park'
"Think of Riberia Point as the 'Battery Park' of the St. Augustine peninsula," City Manager John Regan will suggest to city Commissioners Monday as he seeks $60,000 for a master development plan for Riberia Point and Planned Unit Development zoning for a children's museum, aquarium and public space. Battery park is a 25-acre public park in New York City.
"The private systems should support financial sustainability of the master development plan," says Regan.
the commission meeting begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
Included in those systems, an $8 million for profit aquarium by Marine Conservation Partners, LLC, a $7 million nonprofit Children's Museum of St. Johns, and the balance public space. One outparcel would be sold for the aquarium, another leased for the children's museum.
"Development capital from the contribution in aid of construction and land sale to the aquarium is expected to range between $400,000 - $600,000," says Regan. "It is anticipated that new revenues from the aquarium and children's museum in the near term (less than five years) should range between $100,000 to $120,000 annually."
Aquarium construction could begin in June.
"The multiplying economic impact, job creation, neighborhood pride and quality of life experiences for our youth are not calculated at this time," says Regan.
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$225,000 offer for M&M property
City commissioners Monday will consider an offer of $225,000 for the former M&M Market property purchased by the city in 2010 to protect it from criminal activity which led to the arrest of its former owners.
The offer comes from David and Sandra Corneal of Corneal law firm and proposes moving the original building toward ML King Avenue and adding a second building to the east and rehabilitating "the existing building so that it will reflect the original historic character of the period in which it was built."
Architect and current City Commissioner Don Crichlow would oversee the project, which the Corneals say would be a seven-unit apartment complex with potential future restaurant use.
While not the $345,000 the city sought after paying $305,000 for the property and recently $30,000 for underground tank removal and $12,000 in needed repairs, the offer is likely to get better reception than an earlier bid commissioners feared would return it to its former convenience store use.
The Corneals seek city financing for $200,000 payable in two years.
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Ordinances for signs, gas pumps, streetscape
Three ordinances will be considered Monday by city commissioners for public hearing at a later meeting.
Sign Removal - Commissioners will consider a recommendation by the Planning and Zoning Board for removal of vacant on-site signs and sign structures, requiring sign removal within fifteen days and sign structures within six months following a commercial vacancy.
Gas pumps - Also recommended by the plan board, a limit of eight gas pumps at gas stations along the city's entrance corridors, King Street (including West King Street), San Marco Avenue and Anastasia Boulevard.
Streetscape - And finally, an ordinance for improvements along Spanish, Hypolita and Treasury streets in the historic district and establishing a special assessment district for a $750,000 share of the $2.7 million project from property owners along the improved streets.
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Lighthouse Park tennis courts to city
Transfer of the Lighthouse tennis courts from the county to city - on condition the county will continue to maintain them - will be considered by commissioners Monday.
"They are giving the lighthouse and surrounding properties to the Junior Service League and the only piece not going to them is the tennis courts," Assistant City Manager Tim Burchfield explains. "They figure since we own the other courts across the street that it would be appropriate for us to own both.
"We agreed to the transfer as long as they maintain the court into the future. If at any time they stop maintaining that court it automatically reverts back to the County to ensure we don't have to take on additional expenses," he says.
Regulating smaller vehicles
City Attorney Ron Brown has some ideas on regulation of smaller vehicles filling city streets nowadays - pedicabs, Segway personal transport vehicles, and small battery operated golf-carts - and will seek commission input Monday on how to proceed.
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History's highlight
Pedro Menendez 495 years young
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1 year, 6 months, 18 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
Noche de Gala honoring of St. Augustine Founder Pedro Menendez' birthday takes place at Lightner Museum tonight.
 He was born February 15, 1519, at Aviles on Spain's north coast, among the youngest of 20 children. With his father's early death, he grew up with relatives.
He showed his unusual talents at an early age. As a teenager he was in command of a small armada protecting Spanish shipping in the Mediterranean. At one time, French corsairs attacked vessels carrying a wedding party. His small patache was no match for the three attackers, so he separated two in a chase, and took them one by one. The remaining attacker fled.
By 1558 he had proved himself a responsible, if not always obedient, commander. Ordered to escort six zabras (freighters) with four warships to the battleground at Flanders, he found only four freighters, and no warships, ready. He decided not to wait, and sped the convoy to the distant port before the corsairs could attack.
The return trip was more spectacular. Ordered to escort six ships, he found another 27 stacked up, fearing a French armada. Adding the 27 to his convoy, he approached the French fleet, gathered his charges and wove and darted about, leaving the fleet in confusion and safely reaching port.
By his fortieth year, 1559, Menendez was General of the King's armada, hailed as a brilliant seaman, but exhausted and poor. He battled depression and fever for nearly two years before answering a summons of the king. He was to be Captain General for the Fleet of the Indies, the ships bringing treasure from the Americas.
Six years later, Pedro Menendez de Aviles y Alonso de la Campa would accept the royal asiento for his greatest challenge - to drive the French from the American continent, establish a permanent settlement, and Christianize the native population.
Nine years after his founding of St. Augustine, Pedro Menendez, now captain general of a massive Spanish armada being organized, died at the armada harbor of Santander near his birthplace of Aviles. He was 55 years old.
Inscribed on his monument at Aviles:
Here lies buried the illustrious Captain Pedro Menendez de Avilés, a native of this City, Adelantado of the Province of Florida, Knight Commander of Santa Cruz, of the Order of Santiago, and Captain General of the Oceanic Seas, and of the Armada which his Royal Highness collected at Santander in the year 1574, where he died on the 17th of September, of that year, in the fifty-fifth year of his age.
Excerpts from Menendez, in St. Augustine Bedtime Stories. Click for further information on this fascinating historic series.
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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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