3.A. Special presentation to City staff, Angels in the Architecture, and Heath Electric for their efforts to ensure the successful kick-off to the 2022 Nights of Lights season following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)

[3.A. Special presentation to City staff, Angels in the Architecture, and Heath Electric for their efforts to ensure the successful kick-off to the 2022 Nights of Lights season following Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]

SO WE HAVE A SPECIAL PRESENTATION TO CITY STAFF.

ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND HEATH ELECTRIC FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO ENSURE THE SUCCESSFUL KICKOFF OF THE 2022 NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, AND I'M GOING TO READ A COUPLE REMARKS ABOUT THAT.

SO FOR OUR SPECIAL PRESENTATION, TODAY, WE ARE RECOGNIZING THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO MADE THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS HAPPEN THIS YEAR, ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND HEATH ELECTRIC.

WE HAD A LAST MINUTE SCHEDULING ISSUE WITH THE CITY STAFF, SO WE WILL BE RECOGNIZING THEM AT OUR NEXT MEETING, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THIS PRESENTATION.

IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE IAN, THE CITY WORKED DILIGENTLY TO NOT ONLY RECOVER FROM THE STORM, BUT AT THE SAME TIME TO PREPARE FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

THE LIGHTS WERE HUNG, THE GARLAND WAS STRUNG AROUND THE CITY AND THE CITY WAS READY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS FLIP THE SWITCH ON NOVEMBER 19TH.

THEN HURRICANE NICOLE HIT AND SHE CAUSED EVEN MORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE PLAZA WAS COMPLETELY FRIED.

THE LIGHTS AND THE TREES WERE DISHEVELED AND A TANGLED MESS.

WITHOUT LOSING HEART OR MISSING A BEAT, ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND HEATH ELECTRIC WENT SWIFTLY BACK TO WORK.

THEY ONLY HAD EIGHT DAYS TO REPAIR ALL OF THE LIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY WOULD LIGHT UP ONLY EIGHT DAYS TO ACCOMPLISH A TASK THAT TYPICALLY TAKES MONTHS.

THE DETERMINATION AND NONSTOP WORK OF ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND HEATH ELECTRIC ALLOWED LIGHT AT NIGHT TO HAPPEN THIS YEAR, AND I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS TO JOIN ME AND WE WILL CALL YOUR NAMES AND COME FORWARD.

SO FIRST I WILL CALL YOUR NAMES IF YOU WILL COME FORWARD AND JOIN THE COMMISSION AND WE WILL THANK YOU AND TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH, IF YOU DON'T MIND, AND JUST ONE SECOND, THOMAS HEATH.

JAMES [INAUDIBLE].

[00:05:05]

PETER [INAUDIBLE].

CHRIS [INAUDIBLE], AND MICHAEL [INAUDIBLE].

COMMISSIONERS, IF YOU'LL JOIN US ALL.

THANK YOU. AM I ON? OKAY, ARE YOU GET THE MEDAL.

YES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MICHAEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS.

THAT'S FOR YOU, SIR.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

PETER. YOU GUYS, I FINALLY GOT TO MEET YOU.

JAMES AND THOMAS.

WELL, WE CERTAINLY THANK YOU VERY MUCH DEEPLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS ON BEHALF OF ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL TAKE A NICE PHOTOGRAPH, AND CHRIS, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY SOMETHING AFTERWARDS.

[INAUDIBLE] WELL, THEY WANT ME TO SAY SOMETHING.

WELL, EXCUSE ME, I'VE A FROG IN MY THROAT.

TIMES LIKE THIS, ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE WAS A VERY SMALL COMPANY.

WE'VE BECOME A VERY LARGE COMPANY.

THOMAS AND ME, WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER 30 YEARS.

I THINK SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 YEARS TOGETHER, AND WE ALWAYS SAY THIS TIME OF THE YEAR WE BECOME NOT TWO COMPANIES, BUT ONE COMPANY, AND THEN WORKING WITH THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, WE JUST BECOME A MUCH LARGER COMPANY, AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER HURRICANE MATTHEW, IT'S LIKE I REMEMBER GETTING ON THE PHONE WITH TOM PROBABLY 5:00 IN THE MORNING AND GOING, WOW, SO WHERE DO WE START? AND WE REALLY JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN, AND SO I THINK ONE THING THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED, AS ODD AS IT IS, IS WE'VE JUST BECOME REALLY GOOD AT THESE HURRICANE THINGS, AND SO WE HAVE AND SO, OF COURSE, THEN WE HAVE IRMA AND THEN WE HAVE DORIAN SEVERAL REALLY, REALLY HARD NOR'EASTERS AND THEN IAN.

I'M STARTING TO LOSE TRACK OF MY STORMS HERE.

NICOLE, COULDN'T FORGET THAT ONE.

THAT'S MY SISTER IN LAW, NICOLE--JUST A WHOLE 'NOTHER HURRICANE IN HERSELF, [CHUCKLING] BUT WHEN THIS LAST STORM WAS GOING ON, INSTEAD OF JUST, YOU KNOW, HUNKERING DOWN AND DOING WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO DURING HURRICANES, WE WERE ON THE PHONE WITH EACH OTHER AND ON THE PHONE WITH JOHN AND COREY AND CITY OFFICIALS, AND IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW WHERE TO START.

YOU KNOW WHERE TO START. NEVERTHELESS, IT'S LIKE, WOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF WORK.

SO I THINK LITERALLY ABOUT THE MOMENT THE TIDE RECEDED OUT AND THERE WAS NO MORE WATER ON THE GROUND, WE ALL MET IN THE PLAZA AND TO BE EXACT, I THINK WE HAD, WHAT, FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, SOMETHING I DON'T EVEN KNOW.

IT'S LIKE FOUR OR FIVE, SIX DAYS, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, LET'S TAKE THIS PROGRAM THAT TOOK TWO AND A HALF MONTHS TO BUILD AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER IN FOUR DAYS.

OKAY? BREAK, AND THEN IT WAS LIKE THE QUICKEST HUDDLE AND SO WE ALL THREW A HAIL MARY, AND HERE WE ALL STAND VERY GRATEFUL, VERY GRATEFUL TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, HEATH ELECTRIC AND OUR COMPANY.

HOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, WE ALL PULL TOGETHER AND BECOME ONE BIG COMPANY, ONE BIG BUSINESS, ONE BIG FAMILY, ONE BIG CITY, AND THEN WE THROW A SWITCH AND IT'S ALL IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR AT THAT POINT.

UNTIL THE NEXT ONE. [APPLAUSE] ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.

IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY EVENT, AND THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT IT REALLY DOES BRING US ALL TOGETHER.

[00:10:05]

SO THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, SO NEXT WE HAVE A PROCLAMATION SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER

[3.B. Proclamation 2023-01 - Declaring January 2023 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. (B. Blonder, Commissioner)]

BLONDER, AND IF EVERYONE WE HAVE TWO PROCLAMATIONS, SO WE'LL DO BOTH OF THEM, BUT WE'LL DO HUMAN TRAFFICKING FIRST, AND IF YOU'LL ALL JOIN US AT THE FRONT, WE'LL ALL JOIN TOGETHER AT THE FRONT WHILE YOU READ, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE A PICTURE.

OKAY. WE HAVE SOMEONE TO ACCEPT, I'M SURE.

YES. I'M WONDERING IF KATHY AND RICHARD MARQUIS ARE HERE.

THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE HERE.

DO WE WANT THEM TO COME FORWARD NOW? NO, WE'LL CALL THEM FORWARD AFTER WE READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN THEY CAN ACCEPT THE PROCLAMATION.

GREAT, AND SAME WITH LINDA AND DEREK IF SHE IS HERE.

OKAY, I'M READY WHEN YOU ARE.

OKAY . I ACTUALLY HEARD A PIECE ON THIS EXACT PROCLAMATION AND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS ON WJCT EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

SO IT'S GETTING THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.

OKAY, THE PROCLAMATION.

WHEREAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING IS THE RECRUITMENT, HARBORING TRANSPORTATION PROVISION OR OBTAINING OF A PERSON FOR LABOR OR SERVICES THROUGH THE USE OF FORCE, FRAUD OR COERCION FOR THE PURPOSE OF FORCED LABOR OR SEXUAL SERVITUDE, AND WHEREAS, VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARE LURED BY FALSE PROMISES OF EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, FALSE JOB PROMISES, OR EVEN LOVING ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS, THE VICTIMS CAN BE OF ANY RACE, GENDER, AGE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, ETHNICITY, SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND, US CITIZENS, PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND FOREIGN NATIONALS, AND WHEREAS, IN 2019, FLORIDA HAD THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES IN THE UNITED STATES, AND IN NOVEMBER 2020, NEARLY 200 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED IN A FLORIDA HUMAN TRAFFICKING INVESTIGATION ON CRIMINAL CHARGES, WHICH RANGED FROM SOLICITATION OF PROSTITUTION TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR, AND WHEREAS, AGGRESSIVELY IDENTIFYING AND PROSECUTING THE BUYERS AND SELLERS OF TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO END THE COMMISSION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING, AND WHEREAS, ASSISTING VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING REQUIRES A COORDINATED COMMUNITY RESPONSE AMONG COMMUNITY GROUPS, SOCIAL SERVICES, SCHOOLS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MORE AWARENESS AND EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL TO ERADICATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR COMMUNITIES, STATE AND NATION.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE DOES HEREBY DECLARE JANUARY 2023 AS HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH AND URGES ALL CITIZENS TO RECOGNIZE OUR VITAL ROLES IN ENDING ALL FORMS OF MODERN SLAVERY, AND TO OBSERVE THIS MONTH WITH APPROPRIATE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES AIMED AT ENDING AND PREVENTING ALL FORMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

LINDA AND DEREK, ARE YOU HERE NO.

OKAY.

I'M GOING TO SET THIS DOWN.

NO, NOT AT ALL.

[INAUDIBLE] BUT THE ONLY THING I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO MENTION IS IT'S NOT JUST IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S NOT JUST IN FLORIDA, BUT MY BROTHER AND SISTER IN

[00:15:07]

LAW ARE IN KENYA, AND WE RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THEM YESTERDAY WHERE THEY HAD BEEN VISITING AN ORPHANAGE WHERE THE MOTHERS THEMSELVES HAD HUMAN TRAFFICKED THEIR OWN CHILDREN, AND SOME OF THEM WERE ONLY TEN YEARS OLD AND EXPECTING BABIES. SO, YES, THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER THINGS GOING ON THIS WEEKEND, THE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL, AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE HAVING SOMETHING TO DO WITH MENTAL HEALTH, BUT ALSO THIS WEEKEND, THERE'S MORE GOING ON WITH AAUW. THEY'RE HAVING SOMETHING ON SATURDAY MORNING FROM TEN TILL 12.

THANK YOU, BARBARA. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

[INAUDIBLE] ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ONE MORE PROCLAMATION, AND I SPONSORED IT.

[3.C. Proclamation 2023-03 - Supporting Active People, Healthy Nation. (N. Sikes-Kline, Mayor)]

SO I WILL READ.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING A THRIVING, VIBRANT AND HEALTHIER COMMUNITY FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES.

WHEREAS THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING SAFE ACCESS TO CONVENIENT PLACES TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE FOR PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF AGE, RACE, INCOME, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS, DISABILITY STATUS AND GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION AND WHEREAS, PHYSICALLY ACTIVE PEOPLE GENERALLY LIVE LONGER AND ARE AT LESS RISK FOR SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS AND PHYSICALLY ACTIVE IS ACTIVITY IS VITAL FOR HEALTHY AGING AND CAN REDUCE THE BURDEN OF CHRONIC DISEASES AND PREVENT EARLY DEATH.

WHEREAS WALKABLE COMMUNITIES CAN IMPROVE TRAFFIC SAFETY FOR PEOPLE WHO WALK, RIDE BICYCLES AND DRIVE.

WHEREAS INDIVIDUAL EFFORT ALONE IS INSUFFICIENT TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE AND SIGNIFICANT POLICIES, SYSTEMS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES.

WHEREAS BUILDING ACTIVE AND WALKABLE COMMUNITIES CAN HELP INCREASE LEVELS OF RETAIL, ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND EMPLOYMENT, INCREASE PROPERTY VALUES, SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND REDUCE HEALTH CARE COSTS.

WHEREAS, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE RECOGNIZES ITS ABILITY TO EXPAND, ACHIEVABLE, MEASURABLE AND SUSTAINABLE EFFORTS TO INCREASE PHYSICAL, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE HEREBY COMMITS TO SUPPORTING ACTIVE PEOPLE HEALTHY NATION STRATEGIES BY IMPLEMENTING ACTIVE FRIENDLY ROUTES TO EVERY DAY DESTINATIONS TO HELP IT MAKE IT SAFE AND EASY TO WALK, BICYCLE OR WHEELCHAIR ROLL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES.

THANK YOU, AND IS HEATHER NEVILLE HERE? I BELIEVE, HEATHER, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME UP AND ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION AND I'M SURE YOU HAVE A FEW WORDS TO SHARE.

HEATHER IS A LONG TIME ADVOCATE OF THESE ISSUES.

THERE YOU GO. ALL RIGHT, GOOD TO SEE YOU.

GOOD TO SEE YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR.

YEAH, WHEN I GOT A CALL THE OTHER DAY, IT REMINDED ME, I DON'T KNOW IF REMEMBER THE PICTURE OF US FROM WHEN [INAUDIBLE] WAS STILL IN MY BELLY AT AN ART WALK, PASSING OUT PEDESTRIAN SAFETY INFORMATION RIGHT HERE ON KING STREET, AND SO I JUST WAS REALLY GRATEFUL.

I'M ON MY WAY TO DC TOMORROW.

I'M ACTUALLY ON A PEDESTRIAN TASK FORCE FOR ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL, AND I'M ON MY WAY UP TO A BIG CONFERENCE REPRESENTING, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT WITH ACCESSIBILITY, AND I TRULY BELIEVE AND HAVE COMMITTED MY EXTRACURRICULAR TIME TO NOT ONLY TRYING TO STRIVE FOR BETTER POLICIES AND PROGRAMS, BUT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT RUBEN AND THE MAYOR HAD CALLED ME BECAUSE THEY SAW ME DRAGGING MY CHRISTMAS TREE DOWN THE STREET IN AN EFFORT TO ACTIVELY TAKE IT TO THE GARBAGE, BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH, AND I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M DEFINITELY COMMITTED AND I'M THANKFUL TO RECEIVE THIS ON BEHALF OF ALL THE RESIDENTS.

ADAM SHOWED UP. HE IS DEFINITELY A BIKE COMMUTER, AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO STRIVE TOWARDS A MORE LIVABLE COMMUNITY AND MAINTAIN OUR ACCESSIBILITY AND MAKE SURE VITALITY INTO THE FUTURE THAT WE KEEP WORKING TOWARDS THESE TYPES OF PROJECTS.

SO THIS IS TEN, 12 YEARS IN NOW, SO I'VE GOT ANOTHER 15 TO GO OR SO.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GET A PICTURE.

[00:20:46]

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, SO THAT CONCLUDES OUR PRESENTATIONS, RECOGNITIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS, AND WE WILL MOVE TO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR

[4. PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING]

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS OR FOR AGENDA ITEMS NOT REQUIRING A SEPARATE PUBLIC HEARING, AND IF YOU'LL JUST GIVE ME A MOMENT, I'LL SEPARATE THESE CARDS.

ALL RIGHT, OKAY, OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS ED SWIFT, FOLLOWED BY MARTHA [INAUDIBLE].

WELCOME. THANK YOU.

ED SWIFT 2591 HYDRANGEA STREET, SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AND I ACTUALLY CAME TO THANK HEATH ELECTRIC AND ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE AND I'M GOING TO WRITE THEM THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LETTER.

I MEAN WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR WHAT THE CITY PUBLIC WORKS DID AND ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE DID AND HEATH ELECTRIC DID FOR THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS TO GET IT READY AND SAW THIS WAS ON THE AGENDA AND JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM OLD TOWN TROLLEY, POTTERS WAX MUSEUM, THE OLD JAIL, ALL THE OTHER ATTRACTIONS IN TOWN, THE RETAILERS.

I MEAN, WE EMPLOY 170 PEOPLE AND THOSE FOLKS LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY, AND WITHOUT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, YOU KNOW THAT DEAD TIME THAT USED TO EXIST 20 YEARS AGO, YOU KNOW, YOU'D SEE THE COMMISSIONS AND THE TIPS IN THE HAT FOR THE TROLLEY DRIVERS GO WAY DOWN, AND I JUST REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT THEY DID, AND I'M SORRY THEY COULDN'T HEAR THIS, BUT OBVIOUSLY I'M GOING TO SEND THEM A BEAUTIFUL LETTER AND MAYBE A GIFT BASKET FOR THEM.

SO BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT ON THE RECORD THAT WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY DID AND REALLY, REALLY STEPPED UP.

I JUST WAS SHOCKED WHAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.

I KNOW I GOT CALLS FROM FRIENDS IN ORLANDO, TAMPA, JACKSONVILLE, SAYING, OH, YOU'RE CANCELING THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT THIS YEAR, THE HURRICANE, AND LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO SAY YES, AND IT WAS A VERY BUSY ONE, ACTUALLY.

SO IT WAS PRETTY PRETTY, VERY, VERY BUSY, AS WE ALL KNOW, BUT THANK YOU FOR THE CITY FOR SUPPORTING US AND PUBLIC WORKS.

I KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFERENT MEETING NOW AND MAYBE WE'LL COME BACK AND SAY THOSE THINGS AS WELL.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, THOUGH.

APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT, MARTHA [INAUDIBLE] IS OUR NEXT SPEAKER, FOLLOWED BY DAVE CHATTERTON.

PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS.

YES, MY NAME IS MARTHA [INAUDIBLE].

MY ADDRESS IS 45 FLORIDA AVENUE.

I'M ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO BRING ATTENTION TO WHAT WE JUST SIGNED TODAY WITH THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS.

THIS PIECE OF PROPERTY IS WOODS ON THE SAN SEBASTIAN RIVER BETWEEN FLORIDA AVENUE, JULIA AND EVERGREEN.

THIS IS A STREET OVER NORTH.

IT'S ONLY FOUR BLOCKS LONG, AND THIS IS HELEN STREET WITH A RIVER AT THE BACK.

THIS WAS TAKEN ON 11/10/2022.

THIS IS JULIA AND FLORIDA AVENUE, AND THIS DITCH IS WHAT DRAINS ALL THE STORMWATER INTO THE RIVER.

THAT'S HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DESIGNED FOR THE STREETS TO BE USED AS STORMWATER DRAINS.

THIS IS EVERGREEN AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE BIG POLES.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU RECOGNIZE THEM.

THIS IS ALSO TAKEN ON NOVEMBER 10TH AND KING TIDE AND STORMWATER MET IN THIS PROPERTY WHERE A BIG DEVELOPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO GO.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR NEIGHBORS FRONT YARD ON EVERGREEN AND FLORIDA AVENUE.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THE WATER.

THIS IS ALSO EVERGREEN.

[00:25:03]

LOOKING AT FLORIDA AVENUE, YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WATER THIS AREA IS OVERLAYS ON ONE, TWO AND THREE.

THIS IS EVERGREEN AND FLORIDA.

THIS IS TAKEN ACTUALLY ON OCTOBER 17TH OF 2022.

WE HAD A QUICK ONE HOUR RAIN, AND WHEN I CAME BACK TO GO TO MY HOME ON FLORIDA AVENUE, ALL THIS WATER ACCUMULATED ALREADY AND WAS JUST AN HOUR, AND THESE ARE THIS BEAUTIFUL WOODS THAT ARE PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU SEE THE REFLECTION HERE? I DIDN'T STAND WITH BOOTS IN THERE BECAUSE I'M AFRAID OF SNAKES, SO I DIDN'T WANT TO STAND THERE, BUT IT'S ALL FLOODED.

AT LEAST ONE OR TWO FEET OF FLOOD WATER ACCUMULATES IN THIS WONDERFUL WOODS, AND THIS IS ALSO ANOTHER VIEW.

SO JUST TO BRING THE ATTENTION THAT THE FLOODING ISSUES ARE EVERYWHERE AND THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO REMOVE 250 TREES OR SO RIGHT THERE BY THE SAN SEBASTIAN RIVER.

SO THANK YOU, EVERYONE, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

DAVE CHATTERTON WILL BE FOLLOWED BY ANNE SOLOMON.

HELLO, DAVE CHATTERTON, 33 AMISTAD DRIVE.

I'M ALSO THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS, AND I WAS ALSO HERE TONIGHT TO TO THANK THE FOLKS THAT MADE THIS YEAR'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS POSSIBLE, BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A UNIQUE POSITION.

MANY OF YOU KNOW, I'M DOWN THERE EVERY NIGHT AT NIGHTS OF LIGHTS.

THAT'S WHERE YOU CAN FIND ME EVERY NIGHT, AND I'M AT THE FRONT OF THE LINE HELPING TO ORGANIZE THE CROWDS, WHICH IS ALSO THE BACK OR THE DISEMBARKING AREA WHERE THE GUESTS ARE GETTING OFF, AND I REALLY WISH THAT ALL OF YOU AND CITY STAFF AND ANGELS IN THE ARCHITECTURE COULD HEAR BOTH FROM VISITORS AND LOCALS ALIKE JUST HOW MUCH THEY ENJOYED THE, YOU KNOW, THE LIGHTS AND THEY COME AND FIND US.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOWN THERE, THEY'RE SO EXCITED WHEN THEY GET OFF THE TROLLEYS.

THEY HAVE TO TELL SOMEBODY JUST HOW AMAZING THE LIGHTS ARE, AND OFTENTIMES I'M THE ONLY PERSON TO TO HEAR THAT.

SO I THOUGHT I WOULD CARRY THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF GUESTS THAT I TALKED TO AFTER THEY SEE THE NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AND EXPRESS JUST HOW MUCH THEY ENJOY IT. I FIGURED I'D COME HERE TONIGHT TO BRING THAT MESSAGE TO ALL OF YOU.

AND I ALSO WANTED TO TO THANK OUR ST.

AUGUSTINE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO ARE ALSO OUT THERE AT NIGHT HELPING WITH TRAFFIC CONTROL, WHICH IS NOT VERY EASY.

ALSO, THE VISITOR INFORMATION EMPLOYEES AND PARKING GARAGE EMPLOYEES AND ALSO YOUR STAFF.

THAT HELPS TO KEEP THE TOWN SO CLEAN.

IT'S JUST AMAZING TO ME AFTER THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, THE CROWDS GO HOME AT NIGHT AND HOW QUICKLY THE TOWN IS RESET AND SHOW READY FOR VISITORS THE NEXT MORNING.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS DO IT, AND SOMETHING I MEANT TO ALSO SAY IS WE HAVE A LOT LESS PROPERTIES HISTORIC TOURS OF AMERICA THAN OF COURSE THE CITY DOES AND WHAT YOUR STAFF DID WITH THE HELP OF THE TWO COMPANIES AND GETTING THE LIGHTS READY FOR NIGHTS OF LIGHTS AFTER THAT TERRIBLE STORM.

I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS DID IT.

NOTHING SHORT OF A MIRACLE, AND ANYWAY, FROM ALL OF OUR STAFF AND THE AGAIN, THE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT GOT TO ENJOY THIS YEAR'S NIGHTS OF LIGHTS, JUST THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ANNE SOLOMON FOLLOWED BY LAUREN [INAUDIBLE].

MY NAME IS ANNE SOLOMON AND I AM THE PERSON THAT OWNS THIS HOUSE AT TWO FLORIDA AVENUE, AND WE'RE JUST HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE EXCITED THAT YOU THAT THE CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF INSTITUTING A STUDY ABOUT FLOODING.

IT REALLY HAS BECOME A GREAT CONCERN OF THE FOLKS THAT LIVE ON FLORIDA AVENUE, AND I AM THE OWNER OF THIS HOUSE, AND IN THE TIME THAT I'VE OWNED IT, I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE FLOODING IS CONSIDERABLY MORE OF A PROBLEM NOW THAN IT'S EVER BEEN.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET THIS PICTURE UP THERE.

IS IT UP THERE? OH, SORRY.

SO THIS IS NOT EVEN THE WORST PART OF IT IN THE LAST STORM; IT DID PROCEED TO GET MUCH, MUCH WORSE, AND SO I'M HOPING THAT THIS PROJECT OF INVESTIGATING THE IMPACT OF FLOODING, WHICH ARE YOU CONSIDERING THE COASTAL AREAS, NOT JUST

[00:30:04]

I'M THINKING THE BAY FRONT, BUT THE RIVERS.

SO THIS IS A SAN SEBASTIAN AND THERE'S A PROPOSAL FOR DEVELOPMENT RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL CONSIDER DELAYING.

THE MOVING FORWARD OF THAT UNTIL THIS INVESTIGATION CAN BE FURTHER LOOKED AT OR IF WE'RE GOING TO SPEND THE MONEY, THE TIME, AND THE ENERGY, LET'S JUST HOLD OFF UNTIL WE CAN, IN FACT, LOOK AT SOME OF THE IMPACT, BECAUSE THIS IS CLEARLY A SERIOUS IMPACT TO RESIDENTS OF ST AUGUSTINE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

LAUREN [INAUDIBLE], FOLLOWED BY BJ KALAIDI.

LAUREN [INAUDIBLE] 257 RIBERIA STREET.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS BEEN TAKEN OVER AND NOT IN A GOOD WAY.

THE PHOTOS I'M ABOUT TO SHOW YOU WILL SHOW YOU THE INDIFFERENCE BY PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE OR VISIT OUR TOWN.

EXCUSE ME. THESE PHOTOS WILL SHOW THE INDIFFERENCE BY PEOPLE WHO VISIT AND EVEN LIVE IN OUR TOWN OR OUR COUNTY.

GRAFFITI. MORE GRAFFITI.

THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

THIS IS NEW.

MY QUESTION TO ALL OF YOU, COMMISSIONERS, IS WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE TO A MORE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE? ANOTHER EXAMPLE THAT CAUSES ANXIETY.

I MEAN, JUST LEAVING THEIR STUFF, THEIR GARBAGE.

THAT'S ST CYPRIAN'S CHURCH.

PEOPLE RIDING ON GOLF CARTS IN THE MIDDLE OF EDDIE VICKERS PARK OVER TO THE BATHROOMS AND AROUND ON THE WALKING PATH.

DOGS PLAYING AND RUNNING WHEN THE FIELD CLEARLY SAYS NO PETS ALLOWED.

ALSO SAYS DOGS MUST BE ON A LEASH, $150 FINE, BUT NOT AT THE GARDEN ENTRANCE.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE, BUT NOT AT THE GARDEN ENTRANCE.

DOGS OFF LEASH AGAIN.

THAT'S A $300 FINE.

150 PER DOG.

THEN WE HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAME INTO TOWN AND PARKED AT A YELLOW LINE, AND I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I'LL DO.

I DON'T HAVE PATIENTS.

I DON'T CARE WHERE THEY LIVE, WHERE THEY'RE FROM, BUT IT WAS A FLORIDA TAG.

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE PARKED AT A SHORT TERM RENTAL.

THERE'S TWO PARKING SPACES.

THERE WAS NO NEED TO PARK LIKE THAT, BUT THEY DID.

AGAIN, NO RESPECT FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

HERE WAS ONE NO HANDICAP TAG, BUT PARKED AT THE HANDICAP SIGN.

DEBRIS LEFT DUMPED ON THE CITY STREET AT A VACANT PROPERTY.

THE NEIGHBORS CLEAN UP AFTER WHOEVER DOES THIS.

MORE DEBRIS.

THIS ONE I CALLED CODE ENFORCEMENT.

THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL.

THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE].

BJ KALAIDI.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

BJ KALAIDI WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

ITEM 12B.

SINCE THIS LLC IS FOR PROFIT, THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE SHOULD RECEIVE A PORTION OF THE LLC PROFITS IF THIS COMMISSION ALLOWS THE LLC TO USE THE CITY SEAL TO MAKE MONEY.

GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE IN THE WRITTEN MINUTES.

I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY, AND THIS IS WHY ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 7TH, 2023, A YOUNG STUDENT WHO LIVES CLOSE TO

[00:35:01]

OYSTER CREEK PARK WAS FISHING.

HE SAW SOMEONE PILING DEBRIS CLOSE TO SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY FOR PICKUP BY MISS OLIVIA'S WONDERFUL, SOLID WASTE CITY CREW.

THE YOUNG MAN STOPPED FISHING AND JOINED IN, PICKING UP DEBRIS.

HIS FIRST NAME IS STETSON.

HE IS THE TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL WHO SHOWS BY HIS ACTIONS HIS CONCERN FOR THE LIVABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE STATED IN THE CITY'S VISION PLAN. SO LET ME TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUBLICLY THANK STETSON.

THERE IS GOOD, AND THERE IS NOT SO GOOD, AND THIS IS ONE REASON I THINK PEOPLE DO COME IN HERE TO SPEAK, BECAUSE WE ALL ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LIVABILITY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE.

I DON'T KNOW. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO LISTEN TO WHAT IS NOT SO PLEASANT, BUT IT'S THINGS THAT WE NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT AND TRY TO IMPROVE.

SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MS. KALAIDI. ALL RIGHT, I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK THAT HAS NOT SUBMITTED A SPEAKER CARD? ALL RIGHT, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

[5. CONSENT AGENDA]

MR. CITY MANAGER.

ON TONIGHT'S CONSENT AGENDA.

THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR SECOND READING ON JANUARY 23RD, 2023.

ORDINANCE 2023-01.

A REMINDER OF UPCOMING MEETINGS JANUARY 23RD, 2023 4:00 PM COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING JANUARY 23RD, 20 23:05 P.M.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 13, 2023 5:00 PM.

REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING FEBRUARY 27, 2023 5:00 PM REGULAR CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

WE HAVE APPROVAL MINUTES FROM PRIOR COMMISSION MEETINGS.

THE DECEMBER 5TH, 2022 SPECIAL CITY COMMISSION MEETING RELEASES A LIEN FOR UNIT CONNECTION FEE MORTGAGES JOHN [INAUDIBLE], 46 AVENIDA MENENDEZ, INC., 70 HIPPOLYTA STREET, MARY AND WILLIAM T BAKER 119 SAINT GEORGE STREET.

WE HAVE A NOTIFICATION OF PROCLAMATIONS PROCLAIMING JANUARY 20TH, 2023, AS ARBOR DAY IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AND THAT CONCLUDES THE CONSENT AGENDA. THANK YOU.

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE? YEAH, I MOVE TO APPROVE.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

PASSED UNANIMOUSLY. THANK YOU.

ONTO ITEM SIX, WHICH IS APPEALS.

[6.A. Appeal of City Manager decision to deny application for three animal drawn carriage permits to include the rental of two stalls and two carriage parking spots at the City's transfer station located on Riberia Street. (J. Regan, City Manager)]

MR. CITY MANAGER, WILL YOU PRESENT THIS ITEM FOR US? YES. MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, WE RECEIVED AN APPLICATION REQUESTING THE ISSUANCE OF THREE PERMITS FOR OPERATION OF ANIMAL DRAWN TOURING VEHICLES, CARRIAGES AND THE RENTAL OF TWO STALLS AND TWO CARRIAGE PARKING SPOTS.

OUR STAFF REVIEWED AND I REVIEWED THE APPLICATION AND IN CONSIDERATION OF THE GOALS OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND MOBILITY ELEMENT, WE LOOKED AT THE TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY ELEMENT, GOALS, GOALS ONE, TWO AND THREE, WHICH ARE OUTLINED IN MY MEMO AND THE KEY MATTER.

IS THE CONCEPT OF THE MOBILITY PLAN OF REDUCING CONGESTION, AND SO IF WE WERE TO ADD THREE ADDITIONAL CARRIAGES TO OUR CITY STREETS, IT WOULD BE CONTRARY TO THE MOBILITY PLAN OF AIDING OF MITIGATING CONGESTION , AND SO BASED ON THE PLAN, FRANKLY, THIS COMES DOWN TO REALLY A DISCRETIONARY PLANNING DECISION OF MYSELF AND NOW A DISCRETIONARY PLANNING DECISION OF THE CITY COMMISSION WITH REGARD TO WHETHER OR NOT INCREASING HORSES CARRIAGES ON THE STREETS WOULD BE A GOOD DECISION.

SO I TURNED DOWN THE APPLICATIONS.

I WANT TO ALSO MENTION THAT WE HAVE HAD A PROLIFERATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEHICLES ON THE STREET, AND PART OF OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARDS A BETTER REGULATORY SCHEME TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THESE MATTERS IN TOTALITY , AND SO ADDING ADDING MORE CARRIAGES IS JUST CONTRARY TO THE DIRECTION THAT I THINK WOULD BE APPROPRIATE IF WE INTEND TO FOLLOW OUR TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY ELEMENT OF OUR

[00:40:03]

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE APPLICANT HAS APPEALED TO YOU.

THAT WAS THE BASIS OF MY DECISION, AND I'M NOT SURE IF THE APPLICANT HAS ANY REPRESENTATION THAT MAY WANT TO MAKE REMARKS.

WE ARE STRUGGLING TO FIND IF MR. BROOKS, WHO IS THEIR ATTORNEY, IS PRESENT, OR LACY SANCHEZ OR ANYONE FROM COASTAL CARRIAGES BEHIND ME SOMEWHERE. IF ANYONE IS HERE WANTING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME AND YOU ALL CAN SEE BEHIND ME, BUT NO ONE'S THERE, AND I HAVE CALLED MR. BROOKS, AS HAS OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.

SO I'M NOT SURE IF THEY DECIDED NOT TO ATTEND AFTER ALL, THE ITEM IS ON YOUR AGENDA AS AN ACTION ITEM, SO YOU MAY GO FORWARD WITH YOUR DECISION.

SO ONE LAST TIME IS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR LACY SANCHEZ AND COASTAL CARRIAGES, THE APPELLANT PRESENT IN WHICH TO MAKE A PRESENTATION, NOT JUST GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM.

YOU CAN OPEN IT UP FOR THAT.

DO WE HAVE ANYONE HERE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM NOW DURING PUBLIC COMMENT FOR IT.

WE HAVE ONE, MS. [INAUDIBLE].

GOOD EVENING. THERE WAS A LETTER THAT WAS SENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND I'LL TRY TO FIND IT, BUT IT WAS SENT BY MY FRIEND MADDIE HARMS, AND SHE WAS VERY THANKFUL THAT IT WAS DECIDED AGAINST HAVING THE ADDITIONAL HORSE AND CARRIAGES. ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES AND THEN I POSTED IT ON NEXT DOOR AND WE GOT A LOT OF COMMENTS AND A LOT OF FEEDBACK AND THEN WE CLOSED THE POST, BUT IT SEEMED AS THOUGH PEOPLE WERE OBJECTING IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS OF TOWARDS IT, BECAUSE ONE ANIMAL RIGHTS AND THE HEAT AND THE ASPHALT AS OPPOSED TO THE DIRT ROAD, THERE'S NO SHADE.

ALL OF THESE THINGS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE INTENSE SUMMER MONTHS, BUT IT'S ON NEXT DOOR IF YOU CARE TO READ ALL THE RHETORIC, BUT THE OTHER THING THAT COMES TO MIND, ASIDE FROM THE HORSE AND CARRIAGES AND NOT HAVING THEM.

THE OTHER DAY, I DROVE AT TEN MILES AN HOUR BECAUSE THERE WAS SOMEONE, A YOUNG PERSON IN FRONT OF ME ON A MOTORIZED SCOOTER GOING DOWN US ONE AND THEN TURNED ONTO KING STREET AND THEN TURNED ONTO RIBERIA STREET.

SO I WAS VERY CONSCIENTIOUS OF NOT GETTING THAT CLOSE TO THEM.

WE HAVE MORE MOTORIZED SCOOTERS AND ELECTRIC BICYCLES IN THIS TOWN BECAUSE THAT'S BECOME A VERY POPULAR GAS SAVING WAY TO GET AROUND, AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT IT'S HIP AND IT ATTRACTS A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE AND OLDER PEOPLE, TOO, BUT WITH ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS GOING ON, THOSE ITEMS AS WELL NEED TO BE PUT INTO THE MIX AND WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THEM BECAUSE THE BICYCLISTS ARE NOT NECESSARILY FOLLOWING THE RULES OF THE ROAD, AND THEY JUST GO, AND THAT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT , AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS JUST WITH PEDESTRIANS CROSSING STREETS AND THAT'S A PROBLEM, AND THE OTHER PART OF MINE, WHICH I DIDN'T GET TO, WAS THE PEDESTRIAN ASPECT OF RIBERIA STREET AND BLANCO STREET, WHERE VERITAS IS.

BUT I DON'T WANT TO GET AWAY FROM THE SUBJECT OF THE HORSES.

I THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO NIX IT, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. [INAUDIBLE]. ALL RIGHT, SO DOES ANYONE ELSE HERE WISH TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? IF NOT PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.

COMMISSIONERS, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. REGAN? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY DEBATE? OKAY. I WOULD JUST SAY THAT I AGREE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S DECISION.

WHILE I APPLAUD THE APPLICANT'S GET UP AND GO AND TRY TO START A NEW BUSINESS AND BE ENTREPRENEURIAL.

[00:45:08]

I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THERE'S ANY OTHER READING OF OUR COMP PLAN WITH REGARD TO THE MOBILITY ELEMENTS, AND I'M SURE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM HAS BEEN ON AVENIDA MENENDEZ DRIVING AND HAS SLOWED DOWN AND SEEN TRAFFIC WEAVING IN AND OUT, TRYING TO GET AROUND THE CARRIAGES. I AM PLEASANTLY SURPRISED, BUT WILL NOT BE SURPRISED WHEN A TRAGEDY DOES HAPPEN, WHEN A DRIVER IS IN A VEHICLE IS TO AGGRESSIVE ABOUT GETTING AROUND ONE OF THOSE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES , AND THERE'S NO SAFETY FOR THE PASSENGERS AND FOR THE HORSE FOR THAT MATTER.

THERE'S JUST A HUGE SPEED DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THOSE TYPES OF CONVEYANCES.

ONE IS THE AUTOMOBILE IS USED TO GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, WHEREAS THE HORSE CARRIAGES ARE A LOVELY WAY TO SEE, YOU KNOW, AS A TOURIST, THE TOWN.

BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE COMPATIBLE ON OUR ROADWAYS.

SO TO THAT END, WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE AS WE COME TO RENEW THESE, THAT STAFF GOES AHEAD AND LOOKS AT RENEWING THESE AGREEMENTS WITH THE HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE BUSINESSES.

I'D LIKE TO SEE ATTRITION AS WE'VE SEEN.

WE'VE HAD ONE, I GUESS, THAT HAS STOPPED OPERATING THAT KIND OF TRIGGERED THIS, BUT ALSO WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE IS THE STAFF DO A STUDY, IF MY FELLOW COMMISSIONERS WOULD AGREE TO THIS DIRECTION TO REROUTE THE CARRIAGES SO THAT THEY ARE NOT ON OUR MAJOR ROADWAYS, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER AS A PLACE TO STAGE THE CARRIAGES.

QUIETER BACK ROADS PERHAPS.

YOU KNOW, I SEE THEM ON CORDOVA STREET ALL THE TIME AND THEY CAUSE THE DRIVERS TO GET FRUSTRATED, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, THERE'S NOT AS MUCH OF A DANGER WITH THE SPEEDING THERE.

SO MAYBE RIGHT TURN ROUTING, BUT SOME SORT OF STUDY OR RECOMMENDATION FROM STAFF THAT LOOKS AT THIS ISSUE AND CONSIDERS THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS, PASSENGERS, PEDESTRIANS, ANYBODY WHO ARE TRYING TO SHARE THESE THESE ROADS AND ENHANCE OUR MOBILITY.

THANK YOU. OKAY, WE'RE SPEAKING TO AN APPEAL TODAY, SO LET'S DO THAT FIRST.

SO THEN I WOULD SAY BASED ON THOSE COMMENTS, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO DENY THE APPEAL.

OKAY, ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS WHO WISH TO SPEAK? I WOULD LIKE TO SECOND THAT.

I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BLONDER TOTALLY.

I HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH HORSES IN A SUMMER CAMP SITUATION, AND WE'RE LIMITING OUR LIABILITY BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF HORSES, AND ALSO I'VE WATCHED OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS THE NUMBER OF CARRIAGES BE REDUCED WHILE THE TRAFFIC WENT UP AND THE TRAFFIC SITUATION ON A1A IS DANGEROUS.

IT'S DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS, IT'S DANGEROUS FOR HORSES, AND IT'S DANGEROUS FOR CARS, AND SO I'M TOTALLY IN FAVOR OF ACCEPTING HIS RECOMMENDATION TO DENY.

ANY OTHER FURTHER COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER GARRIS, YOU WISH TO MAKE A COMMENT.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD ADD MORE HORSES AND CARRIAGES, BUT JUST LIKE EVERYONE, THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE THEM, IT'S A BUSINESS, AND SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, ARE UTILIZING THOSE HORSES TO HAVE ROMANTIC HORSE RIDES AROUND OUR CITY.

SO WHILE I UNDERSTAND IT'S INCONVENIENT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING TO BE BEHIND ONE OF THOSE HORSE AND CARRIAGES, IT'S GOING TO TAKE YOU ANOTHER MINUTE OR SO TO GET AROUND IT, I WOULDN'T STOP THEM FROM BEING THERE, BUT I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO INCREASE THEM AT THIS TIME.

SO I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THE DENIAL.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WILL YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS.

THAT APPEAL IS DENIED UNANIMOUSLY.

SO LET'S MOVE ON TO ITEM.

WE HAVE NO PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS.

WE'LL GO TO ITEM EIGHT A PUBLIC HEARING ON SECOND READING FOR ORDINANCE 2021-19.

[8.A.1. Ordinance 2021-19: Amends the zoning of 159 King Street from Planned Unit Development PUD) to Residential General Office (RGO). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

I'D LIKE TO ON JUST TO GIVE US A LITTLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THIS ITEM, I'D LIKE TO INVITE CITY ATTORNEY ISABELLE LOPEZ TO GIVE US A LITTLE INTRODUCTION, SO TO SPEAK.

[00:50:07]

CERTAINLY, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, THIS ITEM IS BEFORE YOU BASED ON A COURT RULING, AND WHAT OCCURRED, AS YOU'LL RECALL, WAS BACK IN THE FALL OF 2021, THE CITY COMMISSION HAD TWO REZONINGS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION HEARD ONE FOR THE WINERY AND THE OTHER FOR THE REMAINING VACANT PROPERTY OWNED BY SA MARINA.

AT THAT TIME, THE COMMISSION VOTED AGAINST REZONING OUT OF THE PUD INTO A STANDARD TRADITIONAL RGO ZONING FOR THE MARINA SA MARINA'S PROPERTY, AND THAT RESULTED IN LITIGATION.

THE TYPE OF LITIGATION IS A TYPE OF APPEAL.

IT'S A PETITION FOR WRIT OF CERTIORARI.

WE DID GET THE ORDER FINALLY IN DECEMBER.

SO JUST LAST MONTH WE RECEIVED THE ORDER FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE, AND ESSENTIALLY THE ORDER ORDERS US TO COMPLY WITH HIS FINDINGS, HIS LEGAL DETERMINATIONS, ONE OF WHICH IS THAT PROPERTY OWNERS CANNOT BE FORCED TO BE IN A PUD, AND THAT WOULD MEAN IN THIS SCENARIO THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER CAN APPLY FOR A TRADITIONAL OR STRAIGHT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, REZONING STANDARD ZONING FROM PUD IN THIS CASE TO RGO, AND THAT WE CANNOT ESSENTIALLY COME UP WITH SITE SPECIFIC CRITERIA WHEN SOMEONE MOVES INTO A TRADITIONAL ZONING CATEGORY.

WE HAVE TO RELY ON WHAT OUR CODE SAYS AND COMPLIANCE WITH OUR CODE.

SO THAT IS WHY THE ITEM IS BEFORE YOU.

THAT'S AN ABRIDGED VERSION OF A FAIRLY COMPLEX ISSUE, BUT I HOPE THAT HELPS FOLKS IN THE AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE HERE ON A SECOND READING OF AN ITEM THAT WAS HEARD IN 2021.

THANK YOU, MR. BIRCHIM. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TO SAY.

THIS ORDINANCE DOES AMEND THE ZONING OF 159 KING STREET, WHICH IS A VACANT NINE ACRE PARCEL FROM PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT TO RGO RESIDENTIAL GENERAL OFFICE. THE UNDERLYING FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE PROPERTY AS RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE, WHICH IS COMPATIBLE WITH RGO ZONING.

AGAIN, THE REZONING WAS ORIGINALLY DENIED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 13TH OF 2021, AND THE PROPERTY OWNER APPEALED THIS DECISION TO CIRCUIT COURT.

THE CIRCUIT COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE PROPERTY OWNER ON DECEMBER 1ST, 2021, AND ON DECEMBER 12TH, YOU ENTERED INTO A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, WHICH INCLUDES THE REZONING OF THIS PROPERTY TO RGO.

TONIGHT IS THE SECOND READING OF THAT ORDINANCE IN A PUBLIC HEARING.

THE OWNER'S HERE AND THE REPRESENTATIVE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THEY'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

ELLEN AVERY SMITH, ROGERS TOWERS 100 WHETSTONE PL HERE IN LOVELY SAINT AUGUSTINE.

BEFORE I GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, I WANT TO INCORPORATE BY REFERENCE THE RGO REZONING APPLICATION THAT IS IN THE RECORDS.

ALSO YOUR STAFF REPORT FROM THIS EVENING AND THE COURT ORDER THAT MS. LOPEZ JUST REFERENCED.

WITH RESPECT TO THE PRESENTATION THAT I AM ABOUT TO SHOW YOU, IT IS VERBATIM WHAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU OR TO THE COMMISSION THEN ON SEPTEMBER 13TH OF 2021, I REALIZE THAT THREE OF YOU WILL RECOGNIZE IT.

TWO OF YOU, THIS MAY BE NEW UNLESS YOU WERE OBSERVING FROM THE AUDIENCE, BUT I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH BASICALLY THE SAME PRESENTATION BECAUSE THIS IS A SECOND READING, AND SO BY LAW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO GIVE A PRESENTATION BECAUSE IT IS A PUBLIC HEARING.

IT IS THERE IS NOTHING NEW BEING PRESENTED INTO THE RECORD THAT WAS NOT PRESENTED BACK ON SEPTEMBER 13TH OF 2021.

SO JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, MY CLIENTS, OF COURSE, ARE SA MARINA HOLDINGS, [INAUDIBLE] AND ABBAS ABDUL HUSSEIN.

THEY HAVE OWNED THIS PROPERTY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WITH THEIR OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS.

THE SITE IS AT 159 KING STREET, SO YOU CAN SEE THE LOCATION OUTLINED IN RED ON THIS MAP.

IT IS SOUTH OF KING STREET AND JUST BEHIND THE WINERY, WHICH WAS PART OF THE SAN SEBASTIAN OR THE SEBASTIAN INLAND HARBOR PUD, WHICH WAS APPROVED IN 2004 ORIGINALLY.

SO BOTH PROPERTIES WERE INCLUDED IN THAT PUD.

THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP DESIGNATION, AS MR. BIRCHIM NOTED, IS RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE.

IT'S SHOWN IN THIS PINK COLOR ON THE CITY'S FUTURE LAND USE MAP, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT WHEN I GO THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE PRESENTATION, BECAUSE AS WE ALL KNOW, THE

[00:55:05]

ZONING OF A PROPERTY HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION, WITH THE LAND USE DESIGNATION BEING THE GOVERNING LAYER, IF YOU WILL.

SO THE RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE.

IT'S THE TEXT FROM YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

I WON'T READ IT TO YOU, BUT JUST KNOW THAT THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ABOUT THE USES AND INTENSITY AND DENSITY OF DEVELOPMENT ALLOWED IN RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE LAND USE CATEGORY.

FOR ZONING, AGAIN, THIS PROPERTY IS ZONED PUD RIGHT NOW.

THIS PROPERTY HAS SINCE BEEN REZONED TO RGO.

SO THIS REZONING IS TO REQUEST RGO, WHICH IS RESIDENTIAL AND GENERAL OFFICE IN YOUR ZONING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS, AND AGAIN, THIS IS AN EXCERPT FROM YOUR CITY LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS ABOUT THE PERMITTED USES LOT COVERAGE, YARD REQUIREMENTS, STRUCTURE HEIGHTS AND ALL FOR RGO ZONED CATEGORIES WHICH ARE A STRAIGHT OR YOU WOULD CALL IT EUCLIDEAN ZONING CATEGORY.

SO AGAIN, THE OWNER IS HERE, AS WE WERE ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2021, TO ASK FOR THE HISTORIC RGO ZONING DISTRICT, BECAUSE I'LL WALK YOU THROUGH THIS PROPERTY WAS ZONED RGO BEFORE IT WAS REZONE TO PUD IN 2004, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ALL THE PROPERTIES.

I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU THE MAPS IN A MINUTE.

ALL PROPERTIES WITHIN THE CITY THAT HAVE THE RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY, MIXED USE, FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION ARE EITHER ZONED RGO OR PUD , EXCEPT FOR THE EXISTING BOATYARD, WHICH HAS NOW THE NEW MARITIME USE CATEGORY, AND I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

SO IF YOU TALK ABOUT THE KING STREET CORRIDOR THE MAP ON THE LEFT IS THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP.

THE LIGHT PINK COLOR IS THE RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE.

THEN THE MAP ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ARE THE ZONING CATEGORIES FROM YOUR ZONING CODE, AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN IF YOU MATCH UP THE PINK ON THE LEFT WITH EITHER GRAY, WHICH IS PUD OR THAT ORANGE COLOR, WHICH IS RGO, YOU SEE THAT THOSE AGAIN ARE LAND USE AND THEN ZONING.

THE ONLY TWO CATEGORIES OF ZONING ARE PUD OR RGO FOR THESE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES.

GOING INTO THE 312 FISH ISLAND AREA, THE SAME THING.

YOU SEE THE PINK COLORS ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE THAT SHOW YOU WHERE THE RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY AND MIXED USE PROPERTIES ARE, AND ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, YOU CLEARLY SEE EITHER THE PUD IN GRAY OR THE RGO IN THAT BURNT ORANGE COLOR, AND THEN FINALLY, FOR NORTH CITY, THE SAME THING.

YOU GO INTO THE LIGHT PINK ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE.

THERE'S A LITTLE PIECE THAT'S KIND OF DOWN BY LOUIS SPEEDWAY ON THE FAR RIGHT OR I'M SORRY, LEFT HAND LOWER CORNER AND THEN ALSO UP BY FORT MOSE ON THE EAST SIDE OF US ONE YOU CAN SEE THAT PINK CATEGORY AND AGAIN, THOSE PROPERTIES ARE EITHER ZONED ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, EITHER GRAY OF PUD OR THE ORANGE COLOR OF RGO , AND SO AGAIN, I NOTED EARLIER THAT THE SITE WAS ZONED RGO UNTIL 2020 WHEN IT WAS REZONED TO PUD BY A PRIOR PROPERTY OWNER.

THAT PUD WAS MODIFIED A NUMBER OF TIMES.

THE EXISTING SAN SEBASTIAN--I KEEP CALLING IT SAN SEBASTIAN.

SEBASTIAN INLAND HARBOR PUD ALLOWS ALL THE USES THAT ARE PERMITTED IN RGO, AND SO YOU'RE NOT CHANGING THE USES PER SE IN A DRASTIC MANNER BY REZONING FROM PUD TO RGO, AND AGAIN, THE RGO ZONING DISTRICT IS EXACTLY CONSISTENT WITH THE RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY, MIXED USE FUTURE LAND USE CATEGORY. THE CASE LAW, INCLUDING THE JUDGE'S RECENT ORDER, SUPPORTS THE OWNER'S RIGHT TO REZONE TO RGO.

IT IS CONSISTENT. AGAIN, THE PZB UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED APPROVAL A YEAR AND A HALF AGO OF RGO, AND SO WE WOULD RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE COMMISSION TONIGHT REZONE THIS PROPERTY TO RGO, AND SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION THIS EVENING.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE APPLICANT? ALL RIGHT, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC HEARING NOW, AND ONCE YOU'RE DONE WITH THE PUBLIC HEARING, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE TRICKY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A WHILE, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO DISCLOSE EX PARTE, SO DO THE BEST YOU CAN.

OKAY [INAUDIBLE] EX PARTE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF ALL OF THIS? IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GIVE IT YOUR BEST TRY, BUT CERTAINLY ANYTHING SINCE THE LAST HEARING IN SEPTEMBER 2021, THAT SHOULD BE EASIER , BUT IF YOU RECALL THESE GROUPINGS AND I KNOW THAT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD SO MUCH EX PARTE ON THIS ITEM.

[01:00:02]

ALL RIGHT, WELL, LET'S GO THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.

I DO HAVE ONE SPEAKER CARD ON RIGHT ON THIS.

WE HAVE LAUREN [INAUDIBLE], AND MS. [INAUDIBLE] WE'LL HAVE TO SWEAR YOU IN AS THIS IS A QUASI-JUDICIAL HEARING.

SO ELISE WILL SWEAR YOU IN.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? I DO. LAUREN [INAUDIBLE] 257 RIBERIA ST AUGUSTINE.

I'M A BIT CONFUSED BECAUSE THE ENTIRE TIME WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

THE ENTRANCE TO THE PROPERTY WAS GOING TO BE ON SAN SEBASTIAN HARBOR ROAD.

NOW I'M HEARING 159 KING STREET AS THE MAIN ADDRESS.

SO IS THE RESTAURANT/FANCY GROCERY STORE OF THE WINERY NO LONGER PART OF THIS PROJECT? IF IT IS, THEN THAT'S NEWS THAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.

SO MAYBE MS. AVERY SMITH CAN TELL US, BUT ALSO HOW IF THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO BUILD 50% OF THE PROPERTY, WE'RE LITERALLY BACK TO WHERE WE WANTED TO BE WHEN THEY WERE A PUD EXCEPT THAT WE DON'T GET THE ARCHITECTURAL NUANCES THAT WOULD FIT IN WITH OUR CITY, AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS, SINCE THEY ARE ON AN ENTRY WAY CORRIDOR.

THEY WOULD ALSO NEED TO THEN ALSO BECOME PART OF THE NUANCES OF THE OLDEST CITY IN AMERICA BECAUSE THEY'RE ON AN ENTRY WAY CORRIDOR.

SO I WOULD LIKE THE COMMISSIONERS TO KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN FURTHER DISCUSSING THIS PROJECT WITH AVERY SMITH AND HER CLIENTS.

THANK YOU. MS. KALAIDI. MS. DUNN. POR FAVOR.

GRACIOUS. MS. BJ, I NEED TO SWEAR YOU IN.

YES, I'M READY.

DO YOU SOLEMNLY SWEAR OR AFFIRM THE TESTIMONY YOU'RE ABOUT TO GIVE IS THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? I DO. BJ KALAIDI, WEST CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AND THANK YOU, MAYOR.

ALL RIGHTY, SO HERE WE GO.

THE CITY LOST IN COURT, AND NO ONE SAID WHO THE JUDGE IS.

I'LL FIND OUT. THE CITY LOST IN COURT SO THE DEVELOPER CAN NOW HAVE 50 FOOT HIGH BUILDING PLUS 15 FEET ON ONE BUILDING, 90 FOOT TOWER, 636 PARKING SPACES.

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS IN THE PUBLIC GOOD, BUT THE JUDGE DID IT.

ALL RIGHT, HERE'S 159, AND THIS IS THEIR PROPERTY THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

SO WHERE IS THE POLICE? HERE'S THE POLICE.

HERE IS WHAT WAS WITH THIS.

I GUESS THEY'RE BACK TOGETHER.

I WALKED OVER THERE TODAY, AND THEN THEY'VE GOT THE DIRT ROAD NEXT TO THIS BUSINESS AND FOR THE PARKING AND THEN I NOTICED THERE IS A FENCE UP.

SO I GUESS ALL OF THIS INCLUDES THAT LITTLE STRIP OR ELSE THEY'RE GOING TO GET THAT LITTLE STRIP BECAUSE OF THE DEAL THAT THEY HAD WITH THIS LITTLE GUY THAT GOT HIS THINGS BACK IN THE WHENEVER IT WAS.

SO IS THE INTEREST GOING TO ONLY BE AT 159 OR ARE WE GOING TO USE THE SAN SEBASTIAN HARBOR DRIVE RIGHT HERE BEHIND EVERYBODY, AND HERE WE GOT RIBERIA STREET.

SO IF I'M LOOKING AT THEIR PRESENTATION AND ALL THE BACKUP STUFF, THIS IS WHERE THE CONDOS ARE GOING TO BE.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE BY THE WATER AND THEN GOT WATER HERE, AND THEN, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY, THIS OVER HERE IS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE THEIR GARAGE. SO IS IT GOING TO BE ENTRANCE ON RIBERIA BECAUSE THERE'S NOBODY USING RIBERIA NOW? WHAT ABOUT THIS SEBASTIAN HARBOR DRIVE? ARE THEY GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE ENTRANCES OVER HERE, TOO, TO GET TO ALL WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE DEVELOPING DOWN HERE? AND THIS IS MY CONCERN.

[01:05:06]

THIS IS HOW I FEEL WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS, AND I KNOW YOU PROBABLY DO TOO, BUT YOUR HANDS ARE KIND OF TIED ON SOME OF THIS.

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS IN THE PUBLIC GOOD.

OUR BOARDS AND CITY MANAGEMENT CONTINUE TO BE MANIPULATED BY OUTSIDE LAWYERS AND DEVELOPERS.

IT'S FOR THE BOTTOM LINE, IT'S NOT FOR THE CHARACTER OF THIS CITY, SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS IT BECAUSE THE JUDGE SAID IT, BUT I DISAGREE WITH THE JUDGE, AND THAT DOESN'T COUNT FOR ANYTHING, BUT I DO WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S GOING TO BE MORE TRAFFIC AROUND HERE, AND I THINK RIBERIA.

SO WHENEVER WE FINALLY SEE THIS, I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS 90 FOOT TOWER.

THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE THAT, AND THAT'S LIKE THE CRAYOLA HOTEL THAT WENT UP THERE A WHILE BACK.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, I HAVE NO MORE SPEAKER CARDS.

ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? ALL RIGHT, PUBLIC HEARING IS CLOSED.

OH, I'M SORRY, MS. AVERY SMITH.

MADAM, I'D LIKE TO REBUT, I GUESS, TO CLARIFY FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHAT WE'RE DOING IS GETTING RID OF THE PUD AND COMPLYING WITH THE APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS REGARDING THE LAND USE AND ZONING THAT WOULD INCLUDE ACCESS POINTS, THAT WOULD INCLUDE BUILDING HEIGHT, THAT WOULD INCLUDE KING STREET DESIGN GUIDELINES, EVERYTHING THAT'S APPLICABLE TO THIS PROPERTY, AS IS HOPEFULLY BEING REZONED TO RGO WOULD APPLY.

THERE WON'T BE 90 FOOT TOWERS, FOR EXAMPLE.

THAT WAS A DETAIL THAT WOULD GO AWAY, JUST FOR CLARIFICATION.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OF MISS AVERY SMITH? NO. ALL RIGHT, WELL, WE'LL BRING IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR DISCUSSION.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN, COMMISSIONER SPRINGFIELD.

WELL, MY EX PARTE IS THAT I SPOKE TO STAFF, AND THAT'S ALL AND I UNDERSTAND THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE COURT CASE AND THE FACT THAT THE COMMISSION ATTEMPTED TO DO SOMETHING IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, BUT THE COURTS DENIED IT.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

COMMISSIONER BLONDER. WITH REGARD TO MY EX PARTE BEFORE THE AUGUST 21ST MEETING IN 2021, I'M GOING TO REFER TO THE RECORD, THE PUBLIC RECORD ON THAT, AND SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD NO EX PARTE COMMUNICATION.

I ECHO MR. SPRINGFIELD'S COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. MY EX PARTE IS THE SAME AS YOUR EX PARTE, AS WELL AS MY COMMENTS ARE THE SAME AS YOURS.

THANK YOU. DITTO.

YEAH. ALL RIGHT, DO I HEAR A MOTION? I MAKE THE MOTION TO APPROVE THE ORDINANCE 2021-19 READ BY TITLE ONLY.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, I'LL SECOND THAT.

ORDINANCE NUMBER 2021-19, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE ZONING FOR APPROXIMATELY 9.88 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SEBASTIAN HARBOR DRIVE AND WEST OF RIBERIA STREET.

AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATION OF PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, PUD TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF RESIDENTIAL GENERAL OFFICE RGO, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL RIGHT, MS. CITY CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ALL RIGHT, THEN. OKAY ON TO FIRST READINGS, UP FIRST IS AN ITEM BY

[8.B. Ordinances - First Reading (only if required by law)]

CITY ATTORNEY LOPEZ ORDINANCE 2023-01.

YES, MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

THIS IS A BIT OF A CLEANUP ORDINANCE.

OUR CODE, SINCE I THINK AT LEAST THE SIXTIES, HAS PROHIBITED FISHING FROM THE SEAWALL, AND IT'S DESCRIBED THAT THROUGH A LEGAL DESCRIPTION ROUGHLY STARTING AT THE EDGE OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PROPERTY AND ON DOWN TO OUR MARINA.

THE AMBIGUITY WAS AT THE TIME OF THE REBUILDING OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BUILT WHAT THEY CALLED IN THEIR PLANS AN EVENT PLATFORM OR EVENT VIEWING PLATFORM, AND I GUESS THERE'S BEEN SOME CONFUSION OVER THE YEARS THAT WAS A FISHING PIER.

IT WAS NEVER DESIGNED AS A FISHING PIER.

[01:10:02]

WE'VE HAD INTERNAL CONVERSATIONS AMONG STAFF AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THAT WOULD BE AN APPROPRIATE PLACE FOR A FISHING PIER IF WE COULD RETROFIT IT INTO THAT, AND THE CONSENSUS, I THINK, HAS BEEN THAT IT'S JUST TOO MUCH OF AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT TO PLACE A FISHING PIER.

IT'LL ATTRACT BIRDS AND OTHER RODENTS AND OTHER ANIMALS THAT WILL BE ATTRACTED TO THE VISCERA AND SO ON, AND SO THE RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION WAS IN ORDER TO HAVE CLARITY IN OUR ORDINANCES FOR ENFORCEMENT, BY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TO CLARIFY THAT VIEWING PLATFORM WAS INTENDED TO BE A VIEWING PLATFORM AND NOT A FISHING PIER AND NO, YOU CANNOT FISH OFF OF THAT PIER, AND THE LOCATION IS WHAT'S KNOWN AS THE NORTH PARK, AND I DID NOT REALIZE THAT WAS THE OFFICIAL NAME OF THAT PARTICULAR PIECE OF LAND, BUT IT IS OWNED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND WE DID OBTAIN MAINTENANCE AND REGULATORY AUTHORITY IN TERMS OF MANAGING THAT NORTH PARK, SO CALLED NORTH PARK IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF THE BRIDGE OF LIONS, ON OUR SIDE, ON THE WEST SIDE.

SO THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU.

IT IS A FIRST READING.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ONE QUESTION. WE DON'T ALLOW ANY FISHING OFF OF THE MARINA DOCKS AS WELL, RIGHT? CORRECT, AND THAT'S BEEN FAIRLY STRAIGHTFORWARD, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS WAS THE ONE AMBIGUITY WAS THIS PARTICULAR.

YES. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD CLEAN UP ORDINANCE AND I WOULD MOVE THAT WE APPROVE IT.

ORDINANCE 2023-01.

ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION TO MOVE IT TO SECOND READING AND PUBLIC HEARING.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ORDINANCE.

OH, I'M SORRY.

SORRY. ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-01, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING CHAPTER SEVEN, ARTICLE ONE, SECTION 7-2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE, PROHIBITING FISHING FROM ANY APPURTENANCES TO THE SEAWALL, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING FOR INCLUSION IN THE CODE OF THE CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL RIGHT, CITY CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ALL RIGHT, NEXT ITEM, WE HAVE A BATCH OF ITEMS THAT ALL RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER.

DO WE HAVE TO GO ITEM BY ITEM? CITY ATTORNEY. I THINK WE'LL HAVE ONE PRESENTATION, I THINK BY MR. BIRCHAM AND THEN THE MOTIONS DO HAVE TO BE SEPARATE.

OKAY, ALL RIGHT, THAT'S HOW WE'LL PROCEED THEN.

MR. BIRCHIM.

MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS.

[9.A.2. Ordinance 2023-02: Amends the future land use designation of 1700 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard and 25 Missouri Avenue from Commercial Medium Intensity to Residential Medium Density Mixed Use. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building) & 9.A.3. Ordinance 2023-03: Amends the zoning of 1700 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard and 25 Missouri Avenue from Commercial Medium-Two (CM-2) to Residential General Office-A (RGO-A). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

ORDINANCE 2022-02 AND 03 CONCERN THE PROPERTY AT 1700 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD.

THIS IS THE OLD BUZZARD FORD AUTO DEALERSHIP PROPERTY ON NORTH PONCE.

THESE ARE COMPANION ORDINANCES AND AMENDING THE UNDERLYING FUTURE LAND USE, DESIGNATION AND ZONING OF THE PROPERTY.

I'LL GIVE YOU ONE PRESENTATION FOR BOTH ORDINANCES, BUT AS THE CITY ATTORNEY JUST SAID, YOU'LL HAVE TO CONSIDER THEM INDIVIDUALLY.

THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD LIKE TO AMEND THE LAND USE FROM COMMERCIAL MEDIUM INTENSITY.

TO RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE.

THAT'S ORDINANCE ZERO TWO AND AMEND THE ZONING FROM COMMERCIAL MEDIUM TWO--WHICH IS CM-2--TO RESIDENTIAL GENERAL OFFICE A (RGO-A).

THAT'S ORDINANCE -03.

THE OWNER INTENDS TO BUILD A HOTEL ON THE PROPERTY, AND HAS RUN INTO A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERIOR CEILING HEIGHTS OF THE ROOMS IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS OF THE HOTEL FRANCHISE.

THE BUILDING HEIGHT NEEDS TO BE APPROXIMATELY 39 FEET.

THE CURRENT ZONING WHICH IS CM-2.

ALLOWS A BUILDING WITH A ROOF HEIGHT OF 35 FEET AND A TOTAL HEIGHT OF 55 FEET.

THE ADDITIONAL 20 FEET ABOVE THE ROOF HEIGHT IS FOR SCREENING OF ROOFTOP MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT OR ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

THAT'S CALLED NON HABITABLE SPACE.

THE PROPOSED ZONING OF RGO-A ALLOWS A TOTAL ROOFTOP HEIGHT OF 40 FEET, AGAIN, ALLOWING A TOTAL HEIGHT OF 55 FEET.

SO ABOVE THE 40 FOOT ROOF YOU COULD SCREEN THE ROOFTOP, AC CONDENSERS OR ELEVATOR SHAFTS.

THE RGO-A ZONING WILL REDUCE THE MAXIMUM LOCK COVERAGE FROM 75% TO 50%.

[01:15:03]

SO THERE WILL BE AN OVERALL REDUCTION IN MASSING OF THE BUILDINGS, AND IT WILL ELIMINATE THE INTENSIVE COMMERCIAL USES THAT ARE ALLOWED IN CM-2, AND FURTHER, IT WILL EXPAND THE REQUIRED BUILDING SETBACKS ON THE SIDES AND REAR.

RIGHT NOW IN CM-2, THERE'S A FIVE FOOT MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACK ON THE SIDES AND REAR; WITH RGO-A IT'S A TEN FOOT MINIMUM BUILDING SETBACK.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MADE A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION, A UNANIMOUS POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION TO AMEND THE LAND USE AND ZONING OF THE PROPERTY FROM COMMERCIAL MEDIUM INTENSITY AND CM-2 TO RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY MIXED USE AND RGO-A ZONING.

TONIGHT IS THE FIRST READING.

THERE'S NO PUBLIC HEARING.

THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES ARE HERE IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THEM, AND I'M AVAILABLE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, COMMISSIONERS, QUESTIONS FOR STAFF.

IF I MAY, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, REALLY.

SO THIS CHANGE TO BOTH THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION AS WELL AS THE ZONING, THESE CHANGES FOR ALL FOUR OF THESE ORDINANCES WOULD RESULT IN ESSENTIALLY A LOWER INTENSITY USE OF THESE THESE PARCELS, A LOWER INTENSITY ZONING.

VERY MUCH SO. YES, MA'AM.

YES. SO AND LOOKING OUT INTO THE FUTURE, ANY REDEVELOPMENT WOULD BE ENCUMBERED BY THIS CHANGE.

SHOULD WE ACCEPT IT? THAT IS CORRECT. YES, MA'AM.

OKAY, THANK YOU. GOOD POINT.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF STAFF? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

SO DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM THE APPLICANT? MR. WHITEHOUSE.

GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE RECORD, JAMES WHITEHOUSE, ST JOHN'S LAW GROUP 104 SEAGROVE MAIN STREET HERE IN ST AUGUSTINE.

YOU KNOW, DAVID LAID IT OUT PRETTY WELL FOR YOU.

I WON'T GO INTO THE DETAILS TODAY.

I CAN DO MORE ON THE PUBLIC HEARING AT THE SECOND SECOND READING, IF PEOPLE COME AND WANT TO KNOW SOME ANSWERS, SOME QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER BLONDER IS EXACTLY RIGHT.

THIS IS AND WE HAD A LONG DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AT THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, WHICH IS THIS IS A REDUCTION IN THE INTENSITY OF THE USE.

I THINK IT SATISFIES BOTH THE CITY PLANS AND OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL AS THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.

MR. PATEL, THE PROPERTY OWNER.

SO APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

I CAN ASK ANY QUESTIONS AND AGAIN, I HAVE A FULL PRESENTATION THAT I COULD GO INTO, BUT I THOUGHT FOR TONIGHT IF THERE ISN'T ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN DO THAT AT THE SUBSEQUENT SECOND HEARING. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF THE PROPERTY ON THE NORTHWEST CORNER? WAS THERE A DEMOLITION PERMIT ISSUED FOR THAT STRUCTURE OR HAVE YOU DONE ANY OF THAT? YOU'RE WAITING. SO IT'S A MIDCENTURY MODERN STRUCTURE, ONE STORY.

[INAUDIBLE] NO, IMMEDIATELY SOUTH.

IT'S A LITTLE STOREFRONT.

I THINK THERE'S MOTORCYCLE SALES.

[INAUDIBLE] PROPERTY OBVIOUSLY IS THE--IT FRONTS US ONE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ORDINANCE TWO AND THREE, WHICH IS THE FORD DEALERSHIP PROPERTY HERE, WHICH IS NOW A GRANITE COUNTERTOP BUSINESS.

I THINK WHAT YOU ARE ASKING ABOUT IS THE NEXT SET OF ORDINANCES, AND THAT'S NOT INCLUDED.

IT'S COMING RIGHT AFTER THIS ONE.

SO THAT'S THIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS AN NO, I'M SORRY.

IT'S THIS BUILDING YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, WHICH IS JUST ADJACENT TO THE OLD RADIO SHACK.

YES. FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO GET ORIENTED THIS IS THE LIBRARY RIGHT HERE.

HERE'S THE RADIO SHACK.

THIS IS THE SMALL BUILDING THAT'S AN OFFICE.

IT USED TO BE LIKE A DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEADQUARTERS, AND IT WAS THE OFFICE FOR [INAUDIBLE].

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WHAT'S GOING ON, BUT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SEE.

IF YOU'RE POINTING, WE DO NOT SEE YOU POINTING.

I'M SORRY. HERE'S THE BUILDING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT'S GOING TO COME UP IN THE NEXT SET OF ORDINANCES.

IT'S 1800 NORTH PONCE.

OKAY, IT'S STILL THERE.

NOTHING HAS BEEN REMOVED OR DEMOLISHED ON THE PROPERTY AS FAR AS I KNOW.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE OLD [INAUDIBLE] ON THIS.

YES, MA'AM. AT THIS POINT, YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THE OLD DEALERSHIP BUILDING, THE LARGE ONE STORY BUILDING.

OKAY, SO TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT WHEN HE COMES BACK UP.

[01:20:03]

SURE. YES, ABSOLUTELY.

THAT WAY WE CAN KEEP IT STRAIGHT. GET YOUR THOUGHTS TOGETHER.

YES, MA'AM. ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? DO I HEAR A MOTION? WE'LL HAVE TO GO ONE BY ONE.

OKAY, I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION FOR TO APPROVE ON FIRST READING ORDINANCE 2023-02 READ BY TITLE ONLY I GUESS.

YES, I SECOND THAT.

ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-2, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP [INAUDIBLE] DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 0.71 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1700 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD AND 25 MISSOURI AVENUE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT DESIGNATION OF COMMERCIAL MEDIUM INTENSITY TO A DESIGNATION OF RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY, MIXED USE, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ANY FINAL COMMENTS OR DEBATE? SO, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

ALL RIGHT, ANYONE INTERESTED IN MAKING A MOTION? WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND MAKE A MOTION FOR ORDINANCE 2023-02, 03 IN TANDEM TO THIS? I WILL DO THAT.

ALL RIGHT, A SECOND.

SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-03, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, REZONING APPROXIMATELY 0.71 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1700 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD AND 25 MISSOURI AVENUE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HERE, AND AFTER FROM ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL MEDIUM TO TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, CLASSIFICATION OF RESIDENTIAL GENERAL OFFICE, A PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

[9.A.4. Ordinance 2023-04: Amends the future land use designation of 1800 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard, 1860 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard and 7 San Carlos Avenue from Commercial Medium Intensity to Residential Medium Density Mixed Use. (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

NOW WE'RE ON TO 1800 NORTH.

YES, MA'AM, AND I'LL ORIENT YOU ON THE OVERHEAD.

THIS IS THE PROPERTY THAT'S RELATED TO ORDINANCE ZERO FOUR AND ZERO FIVE.

IT'S DIRECTLY NORTH OF THE [INAUDIBLE] FORD DEALERSHIP PROPERTY YOU JUST CONSIDERED.

THIS IS THE BUILDING YOU WERE REFERENCING, I BELIEVE, THE MID-CENTURY MODERN OFFICE BUILDING.

THIS IS THE OLD RADIO SHACK BUILDING, WHICH I THINK THE POWER SPORTS, SOME KIND OF SALES BUILDING FOR ATVS AND.

THIS IS A WAS A MOTORCYCLE REPAIR SHOP.

I'M NOT SURE WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE, BUT IT'S THESE THREE PROPERTIES.

THEY'RE ALL OWNED BY THE SAME PROPERTY OWNER, AND THE CONDITIONS ARE IDENTICAL.

THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD LIKE TO REZONE THE PROPERTY TO RGO-A TO REDEVELOP IT AS A HOTEL.

YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE IN HEIGHT, GIVEN THAT THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE PARAPETS IS 55 FEET, BUT YOU ARE ENJOYING A REDUCTION IN THE INTENSITY OF THE ZONING, ENLARGING OF THE BUILDING SETBACKS AND A 25% REDUCTION IN LOT COVERAGE.

WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION.

AGAIN, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE APPLICANT? MR. WHITEHOUSE.

THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAM MAYOR.

COMMISSIONERS, FOR THE RECORD, JAMES WHITEHOUSE, 104 SEAGROVE MAIN STREET HERE IN ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA.

THIS, I THINK IS A LITTLE BETTER ON THE OVERHEAD.

HOPEFULLY THIS WILL ORIENT YOU.

THIS IS US ONE RUNNING THIS DIRECTION.

THIS IS THE CURRENT HILTON GARDEN INN THAT'S ALREADY BUILT THERE AND EXISTING.

THIS IS THE PROPERTY IN THE MIDDLE THAT YOU JUST MOVE FORWARD TO SECOND HEARING AND THIS IS THE ONE THAT MR. BIRCHIM JUST TALKED TO YOU ABOUT.

AS FAR AS THE BUILDINGS GO, THE LITTLE BUILDING THAT THE MAYOR REFERRED TO, I THINK THIS IS KIND OF A USED CAR LOT THAT'S USING THIS AREA HERE.

THIS IS THE POWERSPORTS BUILDING, AND THE BUILDING BEHIND IT IS SORT OF THE MAINTENANCE OR SERVICE BUILDING FOR THE POWERSPORTS BUSINESS THAT'S CURRENTLY ATTENDED ON THIS PROPERTY. SO WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE THIS INTO THE MIXED USE AS WELL AS AND THE RGO-A, WHICH FOR THE SAME

[01:25:03]

REASONS THAT YOU HEARD ON THE LAST ONE, AND AGAIN, IT'S A REDUCTION IN INTENSITY OF THIS SECTION OF US ONE AND I THINK IT'S AN APPROPRIATE USE.

THEY COULD ALREADY HAVE A HOTEL USE THERE, AS YOU ALL KNOW.

SO WE'RE NOT ADDING A NEW USE, IT'S JUST REDUCING THE INTENSITY, WHICH IS I THINK, SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR YEARS ALONG THAT US ONE CORRIDOR.

SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD FOR BOTH THE CITY AND FOR THE APPLICANT.

SO I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION.

I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, MA'AM.

COMMISSIONERS, ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS, DO I HEAR A MOTION? I JUST WANTED TO SAY IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE NO OFFENSE INTENDED AT ALL.

LIKE THERE'S HOTELS SPROUTING UP LIKE MUSHROOMS AFTER A RAIN, BUT I'M NOT SAYING WHAT A WHAT I REALLY WANT TO SAY, THOUGH, IS THAT I'VE LIVED IN THIS CITY FOR MY FAMILY AND I FOR 21 YEARS, AND WE LIVE IN NORTH CITY, SO WE GO BY THAT SECTION OF US ONE ANY TIME WE GET IN OUR CAR TO GO HOME OR TO GO OUT FROM HOME AND THAT SECTION OF US ONE HAS BEEN BLIGHTED.

IT HAS JUST GONE STEADILY DOWNHILL.

IT'S AN EYESORE.

IT'S JUST A MERRY GO ROUND OF DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT ARE COMING IN AND OUT, AND I THINK THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY HOTELS WE HAVE IN THE CITY, THIS MIGHT ACTUALLY BE AN IMPROVEMENT FOR OUR MOBILITY PLAN, WHERE PEOPLE CAN PARK ONCE AND WALK MORE OFTEN OR USE OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.

SO I WOULD MOVE THAT WE DO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE ORDINANCE, WE'RE ON 2023-04 FOR FIRST READING BY TITLE ON.

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS TO ADD? NO, I WOULD SECOND THAT.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS, MAYOR.

I KNOW THAT WE'VE REDUCED THE COVERAGE FROM 25 TO 50, AND I'D LIKE TO APPEAL TO THE DEVELOPER THAT THEY CONSIDER A LOT OF TREE CANOPY AND A LOT OF GREEN SPACE AND NOT JUST PARKING LOT.

I KNOW PARKING IS A PREMIUM, BUT WE ARE LOSING GREEN SPACE AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THERE CURRENTLY, BUT IT'S A WAY TO ADD BACK SOME VALUE TO THE PROPERTY, AND I AGREE WITH COMMISSIONER BLONDER THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE AN IMPROVEMENT TO THAT SECTION.

I'D ALSO LIKE TO COMMENT THAT HOTELS ADD A BURDEN TO OUR SERVICES, TO OUR FIRE AND POLICE, AND I HOPE THAT WE CREATE A WAY TO CONTINUE TO ADD THOSE SERVICES FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT WE HAVE TO SERVE AND FIND SOME WAY TO FUND THAT.

THAT'S NOT THE BURDEN ON THE RESIDENTS.

OKAY, I JUST I'M SORRY.

I HEARD YOU SAY FROM 25 TO 50, BUT I THINK.

OKAY, I JUST WANTED THAT TO GO ON THE RECORD CORRECTLY.

25% WAS LEFT.

YES. RIGHT. HE ONLY HE ONLY HAD A CHANCE TO USE 25% FOR PARKING, BUT NOW HE HAS 50% FOR PARKING.

HE HAS 50% FOR ALL COVERAGE, RIGHT? YEAH. SO MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE UNLESS YOU HAVE A COMMENT, I'LL WAIT.

NO. OKAY, MY ONLY COMMENT IS I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT IS THE FATE OF THAT MIDCENTURY MODERN STRUCTURE.

I DO NOT KNOW IF IT'S 50 YEARS OR OLDER OR IF THERE IS A DEMOLITION PERMIT REQUEST EXPECTED ON THAT, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IN ANY WAY IF THE APPLICANT COULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT STRUCTURE BECAUSE IT IS QUITE UNIQUE.

WE MIGHT CONSIDER THE AREA BLIGHTED, BUT I DO THINK THAT IS A STANDOUT, UNIQUE STRUCTURE , AND WHILE WE DO NOT GENERALLY CONSIDER MANY DO NOT CONSIDER MID-CENTURY MODERN ARCHITECTURE TO BE SIGNIFICANT, THERE ARE MANY OF US THAT DO.

SO ANY CONSIDERATION, BUT I AM ALSO IN FAVOR OF THIS.

SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.

WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-04, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF ST AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP [INAUDIBLE] DESIGNATION OF APPROXIMATELY 1.48 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1800 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD, 1860 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD, AND 7 SAN CARLOS AVENUE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HERE AND AFTER FROM ITS CURRENT DESIGNATION OF COMMERCIAL MEDIUM INTENSITY TO A DESIGNATION OF RESIDENTIAL MEDIUM DENSITY, MIXED USE PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

[01:30:01]

ALL RIGHT, ON TO PUBLIC HEARING FOR BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS. ALL FOUR OF THOSE ITEMS. SO ITEM NINE, WE'RE ON ITEM 9B.

NO, WAIT. ONE MORE.

OH, I'M SORRY. I APOLOGIZE.

I'M GETTING AHEAD OF MYSELF. ORDINANCE 2023-05.

[9.A.5. Ordinance 2023-05: Amends the zoning of 1800 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard, 1860 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard and 7 San Carlos Avenue from Commercial Medium - Two (CM-2) to Residential General Office A (RGO-A). (A. Skinner, Director Planning and Building)]

DO I HEAR A MOTION TO APPROVE? SO MOVE TO APPROVE ORDINANCE 2023-05 OKAY, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO READ BY TITLE ONLY AND PASS ON TO PUBLIC HEARING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2023-05 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA REZONING APPROXIMATELY 1.48 ACRES OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1800 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD, 1860 NORTH PONCE DE LEON BOULEVARD AND SEVEN SAN CARLOS AVENUE IN THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED HEREINAFTER FROM ITS CURRENT CLASSIFICATION OF COMMERCIAL MEDIUM TO CM-2 TO THE CITY OF SAINT AUGUSTINE.

CLASSIFICATION OF RESIDENTIAL GENERAL OFFICE, A RGO-A PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES, PROVIDING FOR SEVERANCE OF INVALID PROVISIONS, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

ALL RIGHT, MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

CAN YOU CONFIRM WHO SECONDED THAT MOTION? I DID. VICE MAYOR.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, UNANIMOUSLY CARRIES.

THANK YOU, MR. WHITEHOUSE.

I DO APOLOGIZE, AND I KNOW THIS IS COMPLETELY OUT OF ORDER, BUT I HAVE HEARD BACK FROM MR. BROOKS ON THE HORSE CARRIAGE MATTER, AND I GUESS THERE WAS SOME MISUNDERSTANDING ON THEIR PART AND THEY DID INTEND TO BE PRESENT.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ALL ON THE WINNING SIDE OF THAT MOTION AS I RECALL, IT WAS UNANIMOUS, THEY ARE REQUESTING IF THEY CAN HAVE A CONTINUANCE OR AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT AT THE NEXT MEETING, IF POSSIBLE, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A RECONSIDERATION OF YOUR VOTE TODAY TO CONTINUE IT TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE CITY COMMISSION MEETING.

IT'S UP TO YOU, BUT I FELT I SHOULD SHARE THAT MR. BROOKS HAS CONTACTED ME AND THERE WAS SOME.

THANK YOU, BUT I'M NOT SO INCLINED.

COMMISSIONERS, HOW DO YOU FEEL? ARE YOU INCLINED TO REHEAR THIS? I THINK SINCE WE WERE UNANIMOUS ON THIS ISSUE, THAT WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR THAT, AND I AGREE, AND THE JUSTIFICATION PROVIDED BY THE CITY MANAGER IS, I THINK, AN APPROPRIATE JUSTIFICATION, AND THEIR PRESENCE WOULD NOT HAVE CHANGED MY OPINION BASED ON THAT JUSTIFICATION.

I READ THEIR MATERIAL CAREFULLY AND DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE SWAYED.

YES, MA'AM. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER.

ALL RIGHT, WELL, I APPRECIATE HEARING FROM EACH ONE OF YOU BECAUSE EACH ONE OF US WOULD HAVE HAD PROCEDURALLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO REOPEN THIS AGAIN, BUT WILL YOU PLEASE PASS IT ALONG THAT WE RESPECTFULLY DECLINE? THE DECISION WAS MADE AND WE ALL FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THAT.

THANK YOU, MA'AM. THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, SO LET'S GO TO ITEM 9B, SO MR.

[9.B.1. Resolution 2023-01: Supports the lease of state-owned land for a new City of St. Augustine Fire Station on Anastasia Island. (D. Birchim, Assistant City Manager)]

BIRCHIM. MAYOR, VICE MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS, THIS RESOLUTION IS IN SUPPORT OF THE CREATION OF A NEW ISLAND FIRE STATION. THE CITY HAS BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY TO CORRECT THE INTERSECTION AT A1A SOUTH AND RED COX ROAD.

IN DOING SO, THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS A DESIGN FOR A ROUNDABOUT THERE, BUT IN CONSTRUCTING A ROUNDABOUT, THEY NEED OUR FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO PROPERTY, WHICH IS AN OUTDATED, OBSOLETE FIRE STATION BUILT IN 1955.

IT'S PRONE TO FLOODING.

WE ARE WILLING TO DONATE OUR PROPERTY TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR A ROUNDABOUT TO CORRECT THAT DANGEROUS INTERSECTION.

IF WE CAN OBTAIN FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA, LAND NEARBY TO BUILD A NEW FIRE STATION.

WHAT YOU'RE SEEING ON THE OVERHEAD IS THE VACANT PARCEL OF LAND ON THE WEST SIDE OF A1A DIRECTLY ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE AMP, THE AMPHITHEATER.

IT'S STATE OWNED PROPERTY.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF ATTEMPTING TO LEASE THAT PROPERTY FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR A NEW FIRE STATION.

PART OF THE APPLICATION FOR THIS LEASE REQUIRES A LETTER OF AFFIRMATION BY OUR PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD THAT THE FIRE STATION USE IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD DID SO AT THE LAST PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING, AND THE STATE ALSO REQUIRES A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNING BODY, WHICH IS THE CITY COMMISSION, AND THAT'S WHAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

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WE'D ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.