Published by former Mayor George Gardner April 29 2015
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'A tree meeting day'
for City Commission
Nine cedar trees on Inlet Drive, 20 date palms on medians at the San Sebastian bridge on SR 16, and an application for a forestry grant to continue inventorying the city's trees prompted Mayor Nancy Shaver Monday to quip, "This is apparently a tree meeting day."
Inlet Drive cedars
A foreshortened City Commission Monday reversed Planning and Zoning Board denial of a permit to remove nine cedar trees at 165 Inlet Drive - a unanimous vote with Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath and Commissioner Todd Neville absent.
The hour-long hearing turned on plans to replace the trees with 18 larger than required trees and Florida Power and Light's concern with the existing trees interfering with its power lines and transformer.
The Planning and Zoning Board vote was 3-3, a technical defeat of a motion to approve the removal.
SR 16 palms
Florida's state tree, the cabbage palm, made a brief appearance Monday as the tree of choice to plant along the median approaches to the SR 16 San Sebastian bridge, but the Florida Department of Transportation-recommended date palm won out in a 2-1 vote.
Mayor Nancy Shaver was the lone dissenter, saying, "I have to go green - for my daughter." She explained later her support of native trees like the cabbage palm for the benefit of future generations.
A highway department arborist argued the date palm is showier, and Public Works Director Martha Graham noted the date palm was planted in the recent seawall project.
Forestry grant
Commissioners approved a resolution, added to the agenda Monday, to apply for a $6,000 grant from the Division of Forestry to continue inventorying the city's tree canopy.
The city's match would be covered by in-kind services donated by arborist Chuck Lippi.
Graham told commissioners this would be the third grant and "We've inventoried close to 1,000 trees since 2012. This grant would cover 400 additional trees."
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St. Augustine's 3rd Annual Chalk Walk fills the pavilion at the Visitor Center this Friday - Sunday with a Happy Birthday St. Augustine 450 Years! theme, hosted by the St. Augustine Regional Council.
The weekend opens Friday evening at 6 with a free Meet the Artists Party featuring a live band at the Colonial Quarter on St. George Street.
Saturday 10 am - 5 pm more than 60 artists will use the 500-year old art form of chalking to express St. Augustine's Spanish Colonial heritage.
Cash prizes will be presented for the best sidewalk creations. Sunday is a full day of public viewing, ending with a sidewalk washing.
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Parking garage
city's 'cash cow'
Visitor Center parking facility revenue through the first half of fiscal year 2014-15 "is $231,000 or 20 percent higher than anticipated," City Comptroller Mark Litzinger told commissioners Monday.
The comment came during a monthly financial briefing to commissioners. Mayor Nancy Shaver asked that the garage revenue be listed separately "as it's become the city's cash cow."
Litzinger noted a series of commission updates continues at the May 11 meeting in preparation for budget workshops in August.
Shade meeting on 7-11
City commissioners will meet with the city's legal staff in a shade - or non-public - meeting before its May 11 regular meeting to be updated on progress in the 7-Eleven lawsuit.
Attorneys for 7-Eleven and the city agreed last week to a continuance of the case but City Attorney Isabelle Lopez said she couldn't discuss reasons for the continuance.
The corporation is appealing the city's withdrawal of a building permit for a store and 12 gas pumps at May Street and San Marco Avenue.
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Mayor begins quarterly report
Democracy can be noisy messy and complicated, but it is forthright and honest, and encourages people to pay attention and consider the views of others.
Paraphrased from "American Democracy"
 The quote leads off the first of planned quarterly reports by Mayor Nancy Shaver, tackling what she calls the "Big Three" - infrastructure, zoning and congestion, and approaches to solutions - partner with experts to help build a plan, identify the most promising quick wins to pilot from the many ideas we have, and organize City staff so we have a centralized team focused on all aspects of mobility.
Read the mayor's report here. Shaver, who's been active on many fronts since taking office - monthly coffees, neighborhood walks, active website, even dressing out in period garb to join in historic reenactments - writes, "First, thank all of you for the new energy and active participation you are bringing to City Hall and our City."
Of the sometimes animated City Commission meetings she writes, "...your Commission has made some tough decisions-with most of our votes unanimous. Our lively and thoughtful discussions are a far cry from a "rubber stamp" (and as one resident told me, "It's the best TV in town"). We all work hard and each brings unique skills and experience to representing you."
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Sides gear up for Dow PUD
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Residents of the historic preservation district south of the Plaza have continued to wage a battle against planned unit development (PUD) zoning of the former Dow Museum of Houses for a Cordova Inn.
Now come forces favoring a PUD as "the only use that will save, protect and preserve the property and these precious historic buildings for another 30 years."
Melissa Stuart, a former manager of the complex, writes in an email, "Between business Facebook, individual e-mails and our Petition we have nearly 2,000 supporters. Some have written in favor to the (St. Augustine) Record and other local publications."
The rezoning request goes before the Planning and Zoning Board next Tuesday, May 5, in a session beginning at 2 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
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Menendez' manifest remake
First Coast News' Jessica Clark needed 100 reenactors - she got 140.
"Many told me the experience gave them a new appreciation for what the first people of St. Augustine went through. It was thrilling and humbling at the same time. If Pedro could see us now! As one said, it was real living history!"
Clark and her team will video edit last week's shoot aboard the el galeon Andalusia at the Municipal Marina to create 400 believed to have been aboard Founder Pedro Menendez' San Pelayo on his epic 1565 voyage.
The video will run May 8 at 11 pm on First Coast News, one in a series of historic pieces on St. Augustine's 450th anniversary running on the 8th of each month through September. Here's the link to their 450th page.
The series began in March with Timucuan Indians and April with the start of Catholicism in North America.
First Coast News' 6 pm newscasts each month on the 8th are Digging into History, stories behind artifacts found at a current archaeological dig.
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760,707 visitors, $42,622,800 impact
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A National Park Service (NPS) survey shows that 760,707 visitors to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in 2014 spent $42,622,800 in the communities near the park.
 Fort Matanzas National Monument saw 568,530 visitors, spending $31,884,900 in local communities.
The spending supported 1,218 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of approximately $100 Million, according to the visitor spending analysis conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Homas and Christopher Huber and National Park Service economist Lynne Koontz.
"Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments have long stood as cornerstones in this city," says Superintendent Gordie Wilson. "Today we are proud to be a part of a vibrant local community and an important piece of the authentic character that greets visitors to this historic city."
The report shows $15.7 billion in direct spending by 292.8 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park, supporting 277,000 jobs nationally. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $29.7 billion.
The spending breakdown: lodging 30.6 percent, food and beverages 20.3 percent, gas and oil 11.9 percent, admissions and fees 10.2 percent, and souvenirs and other expenses 9.9 percent.
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Castillo presents the change of flags
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A somber time for Spanish residents, joyous time for British newcomers - July 21 1763.
Spanish and British troops massed in the Castillo de San Marcos; townspeople gathered to witness this historic change of occupation from two centuries of Spanish rule to its enemy, Britain, a result of the Treaty of Paris.
The Castillo de San Marcos will present reenactments of that occasion Saturday, May 2 at 11 am and 2 pm, with forces from today's Spanish Garrison, the 60th Royal Americans of St. Augustine, 42nd Highland Regiment and special detachments of the Royal Navy.
Park rangers and volunteers of the Castillo de San Marcos and Fort Matanzas National Monuments are sponsoring the day's activities.
The program is included in the regular admission price. For questions, call (904) 829-6506 ext. 233.
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133 days to St. Augustine's 450th anniversary
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For 200 years the Spanish Empire ruled over a third of the world but growing wealth from the newly 'discovered' lands of Africa, Asia and the Americas spawned rivals to Spanish Power in Europe and overseas. A series of conflicts erupted throughout the colonial era.
 In 1763 the Seven Years War, the first great world war, came to an end. Known in North America as the French and Indian War, it involved all the major powers of Europe: Prussia, Great Britain (with British Colonies in North America), and Hanover were pitted against Austria, France (with New France), Russia, Sweden, and Saxony.
Spain and Portugal were later also drawn into the conflict.
The most tangible outcome of the war was the end of France's power in the Americas and the emergence of Great Britain as the most powerful colonial power in the world. More importantly, France's Navy would never again be at near equal terms with the British Navy.
During the conflict (1754-1763) Britain captured Havana in Spanish Cuba and Manila in the Philippines, the two major trans-shipment points for the Spanish Treasure Fleets. Part of the Treaty of Paris ending the war returned these cities to Spanish control in exchange for the territory of Florida which became the British Crown colonies of East and West Florida (the 14th & 15th colonies in North America).
For the Spanish Floridanos it meant abandoning the only home they had ever known, one that many of their great grandfathers had created from the wilderness. For the English it meant a new colony to found and untold opportunities in land and trade and they flocked to St. Augustine, changing the face of the city forever.
On July 21, 1763, Spanish officials in St. Augustine transferred the territory to British forces under the command of Captain John Hedges of the British Army. The Change of Flags event recreates the ceremonies that officially transferred Florida from Spanish to British control and celebrates this important moment in history.
Account from National Park Service
Image: Fanciful painting of St. Augustine, 1760
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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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