Theater and bar among items before PZB

A movie theater, distillery, bar, and expanded law offices go before the city’s Planning and Zoning Board next Tuesday; according to a recap published by former St Augustine Mayor George Gardner in his newsletter, The St Augustine Report.

Gardner, who follows the monthly meetings, reports that variances, exceptions and PUD’s will keep citizen-planning board busy next week.

Highlights of the Tuesday meeting:

• Paul and Rebecca Morris hope to revive the movie theater that once operated on Washington Street
• A Planned Unit Development will be sought for the former Ice House property on Riberia Street to subdivide for two ownerships
• Richard Josh Parks wants approval for a bar at the Local Heros Café at the north end of St. George Street
• Attorney Patrick Canan wants changes to build professional offices at US 1 and Cincinnati Avenue

MOVIE THEATER

Back in the day, a bustling Washington Street included a movie theater. The street’s rough and tumble nature was calmed when the St. Francis House homeless shelter moved in, but then neighbors complained about loitering shelter clients.

Since former police officer Renee Morris became the shelter’s director, things have turned around again – this time well enough for Paul and Rebecca Morris to plan a resurrection of the movie theater, which has been boarded up for years.

Their application was tabled in July to try to work out a parking plan. They would also like permission to sell alcohol as a supporting feature of the project.

ICE HOUSE

Philip McDaniel’s plan to convert a portion of the former Ice House on Riberia Street into a micro-distillery would be more economically feasible with a separate business sharing the property. The often-maligned Planned Unit Development (PUD), which relaxes city codes and was recently used by Flagler College in their attempt to demolish, then super-size, classrooms on Cordova and Cuna Streets, is apparently the only way McDaniel sees to make that subdivision into two properties.

LOCAL HEROS CAFÉ

Local Heros Café, extending from Spanish to St. George Street at the north end of the historic district, was in the news more than a year ago with late night noise complaints.

Owner Richard Josh Parks will seek approval to allow a bar as a permissible use by exception at the property, dominated by a large courtyard and entertainment platform.

LAW OFFICES

Attorney Patrick Canan is among those professionals who rescued older in-town homes by adapting them into offices. Now his law practice needs more room, and he is planning to expand his cottage offices at 43 Cincinnati Avenue up to the corner of US 1.

He has gotten approval from the city’s Historic Architectural Review Board to demolish a 1948 building on the site, and seeks PZB approval to adjust parking requirements, reduce minimum landscaping requirements and to remove preserved trees.

If you are planning to attend — the monthly St Augustine Planning and Zoning Board meeting will begin at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 7, 2012, and will be held in the Alcazar Room; on the first floor of the west wing of City Hall, located at 75 King Street in St. Augustine. The full meeting agenda is available online at this link.