Published by former Mayor George Gardner January 23 2016
The Report is an independent publication serving our community
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$1 million FDOT offer
for May Street property
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 The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has offered the city $1,097,687.50 for the former 7-Eleven site at May Street and San Marco Avenue'
City Manager John Regan will tell city commissioners Monday, "With the sale of this property and the anticipated sale of the property at 1 Nelmar Street, staff anticipates the City will recoup approximately $1,250,000" of the $1,458,000 purchase of the site last May.
That total estimates a sale price of $152,000 for 1 Nelmar Street, a house on an adjacent parcel that was part of the 7-Eleven site.
FDOT would use the site for a large pseudo roundabout to ease congestion at the intersection.
FDOT Senior Project Manager Eric Shimer says of the project, "Construction bids are due in March, 2017, so they should begin work June, 2017. The construction duration still needs to be determined."
Regan will present the proposal at the end of Monday's regular City Commission meeting, which begins at 5 pm in the Alcazar Room at City Hall and will be available on CoSA.TV. Says Regan, "I believe it is in the best interest of the City at this time to dispose of this property."
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Downton Abbey
to visit Lightner
The Lightner Museum and WJCT Public Television will host an early screening of the Downton Abbey series finale March 6 at The Lightner Museum.
That final episode of Downton Abbey's last season broadcasts at 9 pm on WJCT.
The special screening event begins at 5 pm with a reception and opportunity to view the museum's exhibits after hours.
At 6:30 the Museum will screen the final episode in the historic Alcazar Hotel pool area.
Tickets are $40 and must be purchased online or by contacting the Lightner Museum 904-824-2874 or by email.
Light refreshments will be provided and period dress is highly recommended.
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Proposed cab ordinance
could create burdens
A taxi business's proposed ordinance that would require taxi businesses to have at least five vehicles, all less than 10 years old, and with meters "would eliminate any sole proprietor with less than 5 vehicles and create a financial burden for other companies in the requirement to install taxi meters," Assistant City Attorney Denise May will tell commissioners at Monday's City Commission meeting.
She will add, "These proposed changes have the potential of usurping the City Commission's ability to set and establish rates."
The proposed ordinance was prepared by attorney James Whitehouse for Sax Taxi, and commissioners asked May to prepare an analysis for discussion.
In December May said there are 276 currently issued medallions and 36 companies registered as vehicles for hire, including 47 taxi cabs, 150 trains, trolleys and horse carriages, and 12 pedicabs.
"Our ordinance for vehicles for hire originates from 1964," said May. "It has been hodgepodged a couple of times over the years. It mostly addresses taxicabs. There are opportunities to make that more up to date, more encompassing."
Commissioners are planning to tackle regulations for all vehicles for hire in coming months.
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Plans for a San Marco Hotel patterned after the original Victorian San Marco Hotel go before the City Commission Monday in an ordinance for modifications to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) approved in 2006.
Hotelier Kanti Patel plans to demolish the original 3D Theater building and his adjacent Best Western Inn at San Marco Avenue and West Castillo Drive for the project.
Modifications include increasing the number of hotel rooms from 84 to 89 rooms and parking spaces from 89 to 114, a larger footprint and height measurement reference from 9 foot to 10 foot finished floor elevation.
Commissioners will decide whether to advance the ordinance to public hearing and final action at a later meeting.
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Variety on Commission agenda
Defining dormitories
Commissioners will also consider advancing an ordinance defining dormitories and where and how they can allowed.
The city Planning and Zoning Board has recommended dormitory as a permissible use by exception in the commercial low districts and hostel as a permissible use by exception in Historic Preservation Districts One and Three.
The ordinance would also assign parking requirements for hostels and college dormitories and modify parking requirements for college/universities and hotel/motel/inns.
Tweaking PUDs
A third ordinance for consideration to advance makes adjustments in the city's often maligned Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning.
Along with clarifying purpose, permissible uses and termination date, the ordinance would require additional documentation, notifications outside defined neighborhoods and additional public hearings and reviews before the Planning and Zoning Board begins its review.
Update on city mobility
Public Works Director Martha Graham will update commissioners Monday on the variety of initiatives to improve mobility "within and around the city," with "a summary of the holiday season traffic and parking initiatives and what actions are being taken related to traffic and parking during the spring festival season."
Public hearings on Madeira and mini-storage
Ordinances for a comprehensive plan amendment for the Madeira Community at the former Ponce de Leon golf course on US 1 and code revisions to provide for mini self-storage and climate controlled storage go to public hearing and final action Monday, as well as revisions to the sewer use ordinance for public notification of industrial pretreatment permits.
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 Obelisk project wins Diversity Award
Compassionate St. Augustine (CSA) will receive a $1,000 award from the Florida Division of Cultural Affairs and the Citizens for Florida Arts, Inc. in February for programs representing efforts to broaden the reach of individuals engaged in cultural programming in Florida.
CSA developed the highly successful Obelisk Art 450 (OA450) public art tribute to the city's 450th anniversary. It's one of 17 organizations across the state to be recognized and awarded funds at the Division of Cultural Affairs' Convening Culture Conference in Fort Lauderdale February 2.
Images: OA450 Compassion Through the Eyes of Children, Hope Photography
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History's Highlight
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Her harbor come back to its own
B Dewitt Webb, Publications of the Florida Historical Society, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Oct., 1908)
 Twenty-five years ago the harbor of St. Augustine during society's season was white with the sails of many yachts. There were more than seventy-five of them.
Each morning saw them one by one leaving the wharf, each with its own pleasure party, bound for some point on the beach or some place up North River or down the Matanzas. Some returned for lunch, but more were out for the day. Another party would go out in the afternoon for a shorter sail, returning at evening with the rest.
The full beauty of the scene came when toward sunset they sailed slowly home in the glow of the setting sun. They sailed slowly, for the wind was going down with the sun, and the reefs taken in in the fresh breeze of the morning were now all shaken out to catch its last light breath before the calm of the evening finally fell.
They did not all get to shore at sunset. Generally in the distance as the sun went down one or two idly flapping sails might be seen slowly making their way homeward propelled by an "ash breeze," the natural consequence of some party "from the interior" unaccustomed to the way of the wind in this part of the world, disregarding the warning of the skipper as to the falling of the wind at sunset.
Then over the harbor, as the sun went down, boomed the (Castillo) sunset gun as it had for 300 years; for, from its founding St. Augustine had been a garrison town, and the flag came down for the night as the sound died away.
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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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