Jake Firth wanted a few variances to make his "Castle of Lions" at the point of Flagler Boulevard and Alcazar Street in Davis Shores into a "small events venue."

Pleading the case before the city Planning and Zoning Board recently, Firth's attorney Jeremiah Mulligan found the concerns are far greater than a few variances, as a dozen residents including a representative of the North Davis Shores Neighborhood Association (SANDS) spoke out about dealing with commercial zoning in a residential neighborhood.

"I want to minimize the damage commercial property will do to our residential properties," said one neighbor.

"It is apparent the zoning code is inappropriate and not compatible with surrounding uses," said another.

"There are a lot of uses commercial zoning can allow that are not a vague as a small events venue," said board member John Valdes. "What is a small events venue?"

The board denied the variance package, but the specter of unintended consequences like the proposed 7-Eleven project impacting a north city neighborhood brought to light again the need to revamp a 38-year-old zoning code designed for 1976 neighborhoods with mom and pop businesses. 

   The 2014-15 city budget passed first reading last Thursday and is expected to pass final reading September 25 at 5:05 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall, after an adjustment apparently to mollify two commissioners who opposed a $938,000 budget for next year's 450th anniversary celebration.

   Announcement that City Manager John Regan will hold added funds from an earlier trimmed $799,000 budget appeared to have little effect on Vice Mayor Nancy Sikes-Kline and Commissioner Leanna Freeman, who both voted no on passage of the city budget at that first reading.

   That $139,000 will not be available to the city hall 450 trio and assistants (the two commissioners objected among other things to the 450 staff budget growing from some $200,000 originally to more than $400,000) without approval by Regan.

Big ticket items will go to the City Commission for approval.

It was note-taking time for City Manager John Regan at a recent Town and Gown session to open dialog between the city and Flagler College, while college President Bill Abare deflected community concerns over student neighborhood rentals, college growth and consuming property off the tax rolls, pleading the college's financial burdens and preservation need of its historic buildings.

In this first of a planned ongoing series of city/college sessions, Regan said "We're here as the city and college to listen."

Plans for the next session have not been made.

The October 7 city candidate forum will be held at River House, Neighborhood Council President Rhey Palmer says.

"We were searching for a larger location," Palmer noted, "because the Galimore Center was standing room only for the Primary candidate forum."

The forum will begin at 6:30 pm.

Candidates for the November 4 General Election are:

Palmer says the format will be like the first one, but with questions directed toward specific candidates based on their platforms.

Questions we'd like candidates to answer can be emailed to rheypalm@comcast.net, with "Candidate Forum" in the subject line. Deadline is September 21.