Published by former Mayor George Gardner December 9 2015
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 Flagler College's plan for 150 student dorm rooms and a four story parking facility at Malaga and King Street won recommendation from the city Planning and Zoning Board (PZB) last week to advance to the City Commission for final approval.
Wrapping around the former trio of Florida East Coast Railway buildings, the estimated $23 million project will include 150 dorm rooms along the San Sebastian River and a parking garage on the current Malaga Street parking lot.
The four story parking garage will be within the 35 foot height limit as the levels don't require normal ten foot height of living spaces.
College President William Abare repeated to PZB what he noted in gaining approval two weeks ago from the Historic Architectural Review Board, that the site has been under study for more than a year, that the city identified the location as desirable for a parking facility, and architectural elements will mirror elements used in the FEC buildings.
Project Attorney Ellen Avery-Smith added that the garage will have 534 spaces, and with 260 for existing dorm rooms (with offices and other ancillary uses) and 150 for the new rooms, the facility will have 124 extra spaces.
Officials hope to complete the project by fall 2017.
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Chairman Bill Dudley of the Veterans Council of St. Johns County has announced that a live holiday wreath will be placed at each gravesite in the St. Augustine National Cemetery.
A ceremony will be conducted Saturday, December 12 at 12:00 p.m. at 104 Marine Street.
The public is invited to participate by attending the ceremony and taking part in placing the more than 1200 wreaths.
Chairman Dudley expressed sincere thanks on behalf of the council for the outpouring of participation in fund raising. Military organizations, individuals and local businesses stepped up again this year to ensure our fallen are remembered during the holiday season.
The Wreaths Across America program is conducted nationwide in more than 900 national and state veterans cemeteries.
An open invitation is invited to all to participate in the tribute to our branches of service as well as those interred there.
Image: Rows of wreaths in 2013
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Riberia Pointe moves
toward passive park
The city's Planning and Zoning Board last week endorsed zoning changes for Riberia Pointe at the south end of Riberia Street "in conjunction with creation of a public passive park," Planning and Building Director David Birchim says.
Once a landfill, the marsh area along the San Sebastian River was briefly considered for development of a coral growing business, aquarium and children's museum before being beaten back by Lincolnville residents.
Activist Ed Slavin endorsed the park idea in comments to the board but lamented, "Riberia Pointe sounds like a gated community." He suggested the historic recorded name Puente del Buena Esperanza, meaning Cape of Good Hope.
Conserving city park lands
Undeveloped Conservation Park Lands means a property that shall remain in a natural, undeveloped state in order to preserve and protect the natural resources of the property for the benefits of wildlife, the ecosystem and for future generations to appreciate and study.
Maintenance of undeveloped conservation park lands for the removal of invasive or exotic species, for public safety and to promote the longevity and viability of these park lands is permitted to be done by the City of St. Augustine or by those designated to do so by the City of St. Augustine"
The city's Planning and Zoning Board last week recommended to the City Commission adoption of a definition of Undeveloped Conservation Park Lands and zoning changes to two Lighthouse Park parcels to fit that natural preservation category - near the city's Lighthouse Park and boat ramp and the J. Edward "Red" Cox Park.
"The Vision Plan, the 2015 Strategic Plan and the City 2015/16 Budget lead to the conservation of undeveloped park lands," Planning and Building Director David Birchim told the board.
"The city is also in the process of mapping all city- owned, undeveloped lands in support of these conservation efforts."
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By the numbers
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Members of the city's Historic Architectural Review Board have joined members on the Planning and Zoning and Code Enforcement Board in a requirement to file financial disclosure statements.
The Florida Commission on Ethics Commission ruled in October that, because they possess certain powers and perform certain functions, the members are "local officers" subject to the financial disclosure requirements of Section 112.3145, Florida Statutes.
According to the opinion "local officer" means:
1. Every person who is elected to office in any political subdivision of the state, and every person who is appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term in such an elective office.
2. Any appointed member of a board having the power to enforce local code provisions or to recommend, create or modify land planning or zoning within the political subdivision.
Not included are citizen advisory committees, technical coordinating committees and such other groups who only have the power to make recommendations to planning or zoning boards.
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Can you see it now?
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City Fire Marshal Bob Growick asks, "Is your house number visible from the street?"
We depend on that number to receive deliveries or a repair service, but most important is that hopefully rare time when emergency personnel are on the way.
The Florida Building Code requires that numbers be at least three inches high and of a contrasting color to the background. And keep shrubbery trimmed and make sure it still stands out after the house has been painted.
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A Night in Old Havana will help
four agencies' homeless efforts
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 For you it's a night out with live music, silent auction, and much more. For more than 1,161 homeless adults and 803 homeless children in St. Johns County it's a ray of hope through four great supporting agencies: Home Again St. Johns, St. Francis House, Wildflower Clinic and St. Johns Housing Partnership. ' Home for the Holidays: A Night in Havana is presented Saturday with reception at 6 pm and party at 7 pm at the Renaissance World Golf Village. "This first of its kind event will bring awareness to the needs of the homeless and how our agencies work together to provide assistance in every step, from street outreach to shelter to medical care to affordable housing, the team of agencies works to make homelessness history in the oldest city," organizers say. Tickets begin at $75, Visit the website.
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Also ...
Regatta of Lights
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Annual holiday parade of boats in the bay, decorated for the season. Beginning at 6 pm Saturday between the Bridge of Lions and Castillo de San Marcos. Hosted by the St. Augustine Yacht Club.
22nd Annual
Bed and Breakfast Holiday Tour
Two-day tour 1- 5 pm Saturday and Sunday featuring 24 inns throughout historic St. Augustine. Each day, 12 inns open to display entertaining decorations and scenes based on Christmas carols, holiday pop tunes and other music of the season.
St. Augustine restaurants offer tastes, treats and refreshments. Self-guided tour easily navigated on foot, but a special tour shuttle also will offer transportation along the route.
Tickets $30 and should be purchased in advance on the website (partial proceeds benefit a local charity). Visit the website.
Castillo Holiday Open House
Free admission to the Castillo de San Marcos Saturday 6 - 8:30 pm. Experience the Castillo after dark with a variety of historic soldiers, sailors, marines and civilians who have served within the Castillo walls throughout its long history.
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History's Highlight
December 1571
 Pedro Menéndez is sailing from Florida to Havana with two frigates when, as he tells it, "I was wrecked at Cape Canaveral because of a storm which came upon me, and the other boat was lost fifteen leagues further on in the Bahama Channel, in a river they call the Ais.
"I, by a miracle, reached the fort of St. Augustine with seventeen persons I was taking with me.
"Three times the Indians gave the order to attack me, and the way I escaped them was by ingenuity and arousing fear in them, telling them that behind me many Spaniards were coming who would slay them if they found them."
From Irving Rouse, Survey of Indian River Archaeology. Yale University Publications in Anthropology
December 1702
 Some 2,000 townspeople, soldiers and Indians huddle inside the protective walls of the massive Castillo de San Marcos in the midst of a 54-day siege by English forces from the Carolinas. On Christmas Eve two sails are sighted. They are English. Morale inside the fort sinks. Governor Joseph de Zuniga y Zerda focuses on morale: A Christmas Eve party for all and bonuses for the troops.
His accountants say the treasury can't afford it. The governor replies, "Charge it to next year's account!"
Five days later a Spanish relief fleet from Havana chases off the English and ends the siege.
From Siege, St. Augustine Bedtime Stories
December 1835
 Army Major Francis Dade leads a reinforcement column from Fort Brooke, near Tampa, to Fort King at Ocala 100 miles distant. Dade is a last minute replacement for an officer whose wife is ill. Where the trail breaks into a clearing near an area called Wahoo Swamp, a Seminole force of 180 opens fire from heavy foliage. Half the column of 110 is dropped with the first deadly spray of shot, with them Major Dade. The remainder, their sky blue uniforms making easy targets, dive for the cover of trees.
A six-pounder is quickly readied, and its roar so shocks the Indians they retreat for the better part of an hour.
The Indians soon reorganize and continue the attack, shredding men and logs in deadly gunfire. When the cannon falls silent for lack of ammunition, the Indians close in with tomahawks and knives.
From Dade's Massacre, St. Augustine Bedtime Stories
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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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