Published by former Mayor George Gardner February 11 2015
The Report is an independent publication serving our community
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- city zoning's black sheep
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If you're going to do a moratorium you don't wait to do it. You do it right away and you do it for a specific period of time.
City Commissioner Leanna Freeman
A moratorium on PUDs? You have to ask the question "to what end"? What other tool in our tool box gives the City Commission 100% control of how a site will be developed...
John Valdes commentary on Planned Unit Development zoning
Several public comments at Monday's City Commission meeting, a commissioner's concern, and a commentary in today's Report keep alive the focus on a moratorium for the city's Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning.
Several residents urged commissioners not to circumvent current zoning codes through PUDs, which allow developers to be creative while giving city government control over all details of a development plan.
And Commissioner Leanna Freeman's urging of an immediate moratorium was allayed by assurances a review of the zoning tool is underway, with staff recommendations going to the March 3 meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board - particularly more advanced notice to the community of all rezoning applications.
"We need to ascertain whether there are things that need to be changed in order to create a moratorium," Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline said.
Former Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) Chair John Valdes makes a case for Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning as "an effective zoning tool" in a commentary in today's Report.
"Thankfully, we are finally starting the zoning code review process," writes Valdes. "While we review and improve our zoning code, we should not eliminate the ability to take advantage of the development of desired projects in our City," says Valdes, a veteran of more than 20 years on several city boards including PZB.
"The PUD, used properly, should continue to be a valid consideration and an effective zoning tool."
Read Valdes' full commentary here.
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A secret people
Crypto-Jewish Behavior in the New World Colonial Spain
opens the St. Augustine Jewish Historical Society 2015 program series February 18, 7 - 8:30 pm at the Flagler College solarium.
Author Gabe Galambos, The Nation by the River, will look at Crypto-Jewish behaviors that might have been found in Colonial St. Augustine - recognizable behaviors, signs or hints to look for, for those who are today wondering if they have a Crypto-Jewish or Converso background.
Crypto-Jewish or Converso is secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith, and was practiced during the Spanish Inquisition..
The session is free, and will include dialog with the author.
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The Report is now online at
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Appeal denied on
concrete brick pavers
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Support in four public comments and 38 letters notwithstanding, city commissioners Monday denied the appeal of O.C. White's restaurant to overturn its Historic Architectural Review Board decision that concrete brick pavers installed on the restaurant's patio are inappropriate.
While City Planning and Building Director David Birchim told commissioners that for properties predating 1821, "modern materials are not appropriate in public spaces," specifying asphalt and concrete among them, Attorney Undine George, also a St. Augustine Beach commissioner, argued that "HARB essentially created a new standard, not in the city's historic architectural guidelines."
Among public comments before the appeal hearing, lifelong resident Tom Taylor said, "I've watched the city over the years make a lot of decisions that seem illogical, and this is one of them."
But Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline, at the end of the hour-long hearing, said the project contractor has been working some 25 years in the historic district and should have known the HARB guidelines.
"I think that the laws and guidelines were applied correctly. Repeatedly the HARB members tried to make that clear," said Sikes-Kline before the unanimous vote.
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Lighthouse rezoning
continued to March 9
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As Commissioner Freeman discussed, you have the possibility with 20 percent lot coverage of building a darn huge structure. I think what we want is a combination of setbacks and lot coverage which expresses what the lighthouse wants and what would make the neighborhood feel comfortable.
Mayor Nancy Shaver
City commissioners Monday voted to continue to march 9 a request by the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum to rezone its property to Marine Use District following two hours of public comment, presentation and discussion.
For the lighthouse, it's a matter of need to rezone after the property was transferred from the county, making the current Government Use zoning unacceptable. But to the neighborhood it's fear of what that rezoning can allow.
Former Planning and Building Director Mark Knight, representing the lighthouse, offered the lot coverage reduction from 25% to 20% and noted all marine district uses except maritime museum have been removed from the application.
Facing a continuation vote, Knight said, "I don't know if what we achieve will be what everybody is looking for, but we'll give it one more shot."
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'Fascinated by what lies beneath their feet'
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"We have four stations at the site, so the public can participate in the excitement of archaeology and discovery right along with us," City Archaeologist Carl Halbirt told city commissioners Monday as he described an archaeology dig at the Ximenez-Fatio House on Aviles Street, continuing to March 14.
He said in its first four days the project attracted 600 visitors. "Everyone is fascinated by what lies beneath their feet and awaits discovery right before their eyes," he said.
The project is open to the public 11 am to 3 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays.
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450 plans trump 'core principals'
On the agenda are two core principals of what we're doing here, strategic plans and infrastructure, and we pushed it for the 450th. ... To me it states where our priorities are. We need to be careful of that.
City Commissioner Todd Neville
 City Commissioner Todd Neville raised an alarm toward the end of a five-hour meeting Monday, two hours beyond Mayor Nancy Shaver's goal of three hours.
Most of that time included a one hour appeal of a Historic Architectural Review Board decision and two hours discussing the St. Augustine Lighthouse and Museum application to rezone its property to Marine Use District.
Put off until a future workshop were discussions of the city's strategic principles and infrastructure assessment.
A 45-minute presentation of plans for the 450th included Police Chief Loran Lueders, who has taken over planning for a festival weekend of music and fireworks September 4-6, and city hall's 450 Director Dana Ste. Claire, promising "a light day" Monday, September 7th, with music and cake-cutting in the Plaza and "a solemn day" Tuesday, the anniversary date, with a landing reenactment at the Mission of Nombre de Dios and procession to the Cathedral for a Mass, followed by individual street festivals around the historic district.
Ste. Claire noted plans for a presentation of a model of founder Pedro Menendez' flagship San Pelayo February 26 and the Noche de Gala February 28: "Perhaps the most interesting part of that is the public piece at 5 o:clock, there will be a procession down St. George Street with the gigante heads," said Ste. Claire.
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Gullah Geechee board to meet here
The four-state Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission will hold its first quarterly business meeting for 2015 Friday, 9 am to 3 pm in the Maritime Room of First Coast Technical College Conference Center.
Local communities will be the focus as area residents help commissioners learn about our history and the significance of the Gullah Geechee culture in this region.
"The Gullah Geechee Corridor continues to grow in its mission of education, economic development and preservation and documentation of the Gullah Geechee culture," says Chair Althea Sumpter.
The corridor was only recently extended to St. Augustine, recognizing the significance of Fort Mose and African-American contributions here for centuries.
Visit the website.
Tree removal fee increase recommended
We're a Tree City. Trees are part of our architecture.
PZB member Cathy Brown
Property owners will be paying a larger after-the-fact permit fee for cutting down trees without a permit if a recommendation of the Planning and Zoning Board (PZB), supported by the city's Street Tree Advisory Committee, is accepted by the City Commission.
"The current fee is $100 for the entire permit which can include multiple trees," Planning and Building Director David Birchim explains. "PZB recommends a per tree after-the-fact permit fee of $100 to $800, depending on the tree size, and it applies to all, not just preserved trees."
The proposed sizes in diameter and fees:
3-7 inch trees $100
8-12 inch trees $200
13-20 inch trees $400
20+ inch trees $800
Birchim noted the code enforcement penalty of up to $2,500 per preserved tree remains in effect and is controlled by the Code Enforcement Board.
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History's Highlight
Our historic black sites
210 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
This is the second of two highlights on St. Augustine's historic black sites, drawn from Florida Black Heritage Trail, a Florida Heritage Publication of the Florida Division of Historical Resources.
Butler Beach - On Anastasia Island east of St. Augustine on Highway Al A just south of the Mary Street ramp. In 1927, Lincolnville businessman Frank B. Butler bought land between the Atlantic Ocean and Matanzas River which he developed into Butler Beach. For many years this was the only beach that African Americans were allowed to use between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach.
Cary A. White Sr. Complex, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. This classroom and dormitory area is dedicated to the memory of the first African American deaf graduate of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. Cary A. White, Sr., worked at the school for 46 years and was an assistant in the dorm where Ray Charles lived while he was a student at the school.
Excelsior High School, 102 Martin Luther King Avenue. Built in 1924 as a public high school for St. Augustine's African Americans, for 50 years this building also served as a state social service center. Currently home to the Excelsior Museum and Cultural Center of Lincolnville, with exhibits including seven historical themes. Dr. Martin Luther King Jrs fingerprint card from his arrest here in 1964 is on display. The building also includes a reading resource center and a small library.
Lincolnville Historic District, bounded by DeSoto Place, Cedar, Riberia, Cerro, and Washington Streets. In 1866 former black slaves began settling a three-block area in St. Augustine at first known as Africa but later renamed Lincolnville. By 1885, Lincolnville was a growing black business and residential community. Lincolnville has the greatest concentration of late 19th century architecture in the city.
St. Mary's Missionary Baptist Church, 69 Washington Street. Here, on June 9, 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., told 500 supporters that he would participate in a sit-in at a motel restaurant the next day, anticipating correctly that he would be jailed. Segregation practices in St. Augustine drew national coverage when police arrested and jailed one of the demonstrators, the 72-year-old mother of the Governor of Massachusetts. Protesters
in St. Augustine referred to the community as "America's Oldest Segregated City," and helped propel Congress to passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This Italian Gothic style church was constructed in 1920.
St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, 85 Martin Luther King Avenue. This 1910 Gothic Revival style church served as an assembly point for blacks demonstrating 
against segregated beaches, lunch counters and other facilities in 1964. The kitchen fed hundreds of volunteers who came from other states. Baseball great Jackie Robinson addressed a crowd of 600 here, urging them on to a determined, peaceful struggle.
Willie Galimore Community Center,
399 South Riberia Street. This recreational facility is named in honor of St. Augustine native Willie Galimore. The former Florida A&M three-time All American played seven years with the Chicago Bears in the National Football League.
Images: Excelsior Museum & Cultural Center and Willie Galimore Community Center
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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 a former newspaper reporter and editor. Contact the Report at gardner@aug.com or gardnerstaug@yahoo.com
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