Published by former Mayor George Gardner May 21 2016
The Report is an independent publication serving our community
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$23 million Flagler College
dorm, garage project begins
 Construction is beginning on a $23 million Flagler College complex at King and Malaga streets which will include a three-story residence hall with 148 bedrooms in suites, a five-level parking garage with 550 parking spaces, and a two-story commons building with convenience store and grill, fitness facility, multipurpose area, student lounges and offices.
College President William Abare said there has been an increase in students wanting to live on campus, but added the college does not plan to increase its overall enrollment from 2,500 students.
The parking garage, north of the original Florida East Coast Railway building triad, is scheduled for completion in November and the residence hall, along the San Sebastian River west of the FEC buildings, by August 2017.
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Coast Guard greets
Safe Boating Week
A US Coast Guard 29' Fast Response Boat will open National Safe Boating Week Sunday with public tours 10 am to 4 pm at the Municipal Marina.
Presented by the 7th District US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 14-7, it's the newest Coast Guard Fast Response Boat .
A booth just past the Marina entrance will be open Saturday to sign up for the 15 minute tours. Brochures and flotilla members at the booth and at the boat will answer questions about boating safety and provide information about various marine programs and Flotilla membership.
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Commission to consider
ban on new field events
No event will be scheduled on Francis Field during the months of March and April or from the third Saturday in November through January 31 of the following year except those events which were held during those months between October 1, 2015 and September 30, 2016.
Resolution before City Commission Monday
A resolution before the City Commission Monday would set a two-year ban on new events at Francis Field during peak periods and limit parades and athletic events along city and state highway streets to Saturdays, athletic events 6 am to 10 am and parades to 9 am to 12 pm.
The regular commission meeting begins at 5 pm Monday in the Alcazar Room at City Hall, and will be live-streamed on CoSA.TV. "Special events of varying sizes have for many years been a rich part of St. Augustine's cultural backdrop,
Public Affairs Director Paul Williamson says in a memo to commissioners, but "many are scheduled during peak visitation seasons (so) the need to manage the impact of events has become evident."
Exempted are those mostly local fundraising events such as the Lions Seafood Festival and Sunrise Rotary's Rhythm and Ribs Festival, while events such as this weekend's Great American Burgerfest, hosted by Jacksonville's Great American Foundation, would not be exempted.
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mobility task force named, open house planned in June
With announcement of a task force and schedule for the task force's first meeting and a day-long public open house, city officials have launched a mobility initiative for age-old parking and traffic woes.
The task force, appointed by the city manager John Regan, will meet June 8, 5 - 6:30 pm and the open house will be June 9, 9 am - 5 pm, both in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.
The City has hired Littlejohn Transportation Engineering to develop a comprehensive Transportation and Parking Master Plan to address overall street network, land use and urban design, streetscapes, parking, transportation demand management, and a capital improvements program.
Find the task force list and planning details here.
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Negative plan recommendations
would require an appeal process
An ordinance to be considered by commissioners Monday would eliminate hearing negative recommendations of the Planning and Zoning Board unless the applicant files for appeal.
Currently all recommendations go to the commission. The code adjustment would assure that the applicant wants to go forward before a City Commission review.
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UF update on Historic St. Augustine
The University of Florida's Historic St. Augustine direct support organization will update commissioners Monday on its accomplishments and future plans since the university took over management of 34 state-owned historic properties in 1999.
Allen Lastinger, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Ed Poppell, representing the university, will make the presentation.
University of Florida Historic St. Augustine was "created to ensure the long-term preservation and interpretation of state-owned historic properties in St. Augustine through historic preservation initiatives and education programs that will be responsive to the state's needs for professionals in historic preservation, archaeology, cultural resources management, cultural tourism, history, and museum administration and will help meet needs of St. Augustine and the state through educational internships and practicums," according to its website.
Transportation projects through 2021
Wanda Forrest of the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization will brief commissioners Monday on the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) for Fiscal Years 2016/2017 through 2020/2021, projects planned and programmed for the region including Clay, Duval, Nassau and St. Johns Counties.
HARB nears full complement
Unsuccessful advertising and a suggestion a commissioner's husband apply will likely fill a remaining alternate seat on the city's Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB).
Only one applicant filed and was approved by city commissioners two weeks ago - former HARB member Karen Harvey. While a second round of advertising went forward, commissioners suggested Vice Mayor Roxanne Horvath's husband, Peter Rumpel - an architect and also former HARB member - could apply without conflict of interest.
His application is expected to be confirmed Monday.
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History's Highlight
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Our counties' names
St. Augustine's City Commission recently passed a resolution "To ensure that City parks and other City facilities are easily identified and located by designating such areas with names that are consistent with the character of the City."
Here's how our northeast Florida "First Coast" counties got their names.
 BAKER. February 8, 1861. Named for James McNair Baker (1822-1892), judge in the fourth judicial district of Florida, and Confederate States senator, 1862-65.
CLAY. December 31, 1858. Named for Henry Clay.
DUVAL. August 12, 1822. Named for William Pope Duval (1784-1854), territorial governor of Florida, 1822-34.
NASSAU. December 29, 1824. Probably named from Nassau, the principal town of the Bahama Islands, as many emigrants came from the Bahamas to this section during the English occupation of Florida. A unique instance of an English name given an American territory after the War of 1812.
PUTNAM. January 13, 1849. Named for Benjamin A. Putnam, a resident of St. Augustine, prominent lawyer and officer in the second Seminole Indian War.
ST. JOHNS. July 21, 1821. Named from the St. Johns River, called by the Spanish discoverers San Juan Bautista, from the saint's day upon which it was discovered.
VOLUSIA. December 29, 1854. Named from a settlement within its limits supposed to have been named from one Volus, an English settler.
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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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