Dow PUD wins

first round 3-2

   A second Corneal project, conversion of the former Dow Museum of Houses into a 30-room Cordova Inn, also won commission approval in a split vote to advance a planned unit development (PUD) ordinance to public hearing and final action in August.

   Corneal, apparently concerned with months of heated debate in the community over PUDs, is currently designing two of the Dow houses into nine apartment units while awaiting the outcome of the PUD request.

   "If you were Mr. Corneal, Attorney Ellen Avery-Smith told commissioners, "and you were listening to all this conversation over several months, I don't know that you wouldn't want to hedge your bets."

   Mayor Nancy Shaver and Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline voted against advancing the ordinance. "What we're being asked to do is change zoning in the oldest most established part of our city," said the mayor, "and nothing that I've read in the narrative is compelling."

   If the commission approves the ordinance it still goes back to the city's Planning and Zoning and Historic Architectural Review boards to approve modifications made during earlier recommendation processes.

Demolition delay ordinance advances

   An ordinance to add a 30-day appeal period to demolition approvals will go to public hearing and final action, commissioners decided Monday as Commissioner Todd   Neville warned he wants to see the time frame shortened.

   The ordinance was sparked when Developer David Corneal got Historic Architectural Review Board approval to demolish the tilting Carpenter's House in the former Dow Museum of Houses and carried out the demolition days later.    

   Activist Ed Slavin later filed an unsuccessful appeal of the demolition approval.

Commission wants more

detail on event venues

   Commissioners Monday voted unanimously to delay final action on a special event venues ordinance to get more details, including who qualifies and when.

   "I want to see compliance not only with events, but that you've been in compliance with every ordinance in the city," Commissioner Leanna Freeman said. "To me this is worth the additional two or four weeks. The issue is certainty."

   A major stumbling block was grandfathering preexisting special event venues. City Attorney Isabelle Lopez said the ordinance was written using common law which would allow venues to qualify years beyond the establishment of the ordinance.

   "Do you want a procedure that's very codified or do you want common law vesting?" she asked commissioners.

   They answered with a unanimous vote to refine the ordinance before final action.

HARB gets new member

   Landscape architect Jeremy resigned his seat on the Historic Architectural Review Board and other board member frequently recuse themselves as they are working for petitioning clients.

   After a month of advertising, one applicant has stepped forward to fill the fifth board seat, St. Augustine Architect Joseph Cronk. He was approved by commissioners Monday.