September 17 – County Commission Meeting

The regular meeting of the St Johns County Board of Commissioners was held Tuesday September 17, 2013, in the County Auditorium in the St Johns County Administration Palace located at 500 San Sebastian View in St Augustine.

The following items of business came before the Board for action:

Recognition:
-The Board recognized the Florida Chamber Music Project, Inc., for their gift of music. Their mission is to further the appreciation and education of classical music in St. Johns County.
Proclamations:
-The Board proclaimed September 15-21, 2013, as Child Passenger Safety Week
-The Board proclaimed September 15-21, 2013, as Emil Maestre Music Association Week
-The Board proclaimed September 28, 2013, as National Estuaries Day
-The Board proclaimed the Datil Pepper as the official plant of St. Johns County
-The Board Proclaimed the first Saturday in October as Datil Pepper Day in St. Johns County, followed by a presentation regarding the historical and cultural significance of the Datil Pepper in St. Johns County.

Regular Agenda Item One – Public Hearing: PUD 2013-02 Greenbriar Preserve in District 1

St. Johns County Staff presented a request to rezone 30 acres from Open Rural (OR) to Planned Unit Development (PUD) in order to develop 34 single-family lots. The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Agency motion included approval of the revised waiver. The Board unanimously approved the motion to enact Ordinance 2013-27, known as PUD 2013-02, adopting findings of fact 1-8 to support the motion based on consistency with the Future Land Use Designation of Residential-B, consistency with development trends in the area, and compatibility with surrounding properties.

Regular Agenda Item One A– Greenbriar Preserve School Concurrency (CONSCA 2013-04)

St. Johns County Staff presented the proposed School Concurrency Proportionate Share Mitigation Agreement, made by and between St. Johns County, the School District of St. Johns County, and Alsop, Inc., pursuant to Section 10(d) of the School Concurrency Interlocal Agreement to mitigate for the project’s proportionate share of impacts to public schools for the Greenbriar Preserve PUD. The proposed Agreement requires proportionate share payment prior to Construction Plan approval for the number of lots on each construction plan, and authorizes school impact fee credit in the amount of the proportionate fair share payments. This item was moved from the Consent Agenda to follow the Board’s action on PUD 2013-02 Greenbriar Preserve. The Board unanimously approved the motion.

Regular Agenda Item Two – Public Hearing: REZ 2013-02 RPM Automotive in District 1

St. Johns County Staff presented a rezoning request of 4.13 acres from Open Rural (OR) to Commercial Intensive (CI). The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Agency motion included a request to have the property owner meet with the developer of the Sandy Creek PUD in order to discuss reservation of right-of-way along CE Wilson Road. The Board unanimously approved the motion to enact Ordinance 2013-28, known as REZ 2013-02, adopting findings of fact 1-4 to support the motion based on consistency with the Future Land Use Designation of Mixed Use District, consistency with development trends in the area, and compatibility with surrounding properties.

Regular Agenda Item Three – Public Hearing: MAJMOD 2013-01 Gran Lake PUD in District 2

St. Johns County Staff presented a request for a major modification to the Gran Lake PUD, formerly known as the Liberty Park PUD, in order to provide a revised site layout, phasing schedule, access, and waivers, etc. The number of single family lots, 296, has not changed. The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Agency motion included approval of the waivers. The Board unanimously approved the motion to enact Ordinance 2013-29, known as MAJMOD 2013-01, adopting findings of fact 1-6 to support the motion based on consistency with the Future Land Use Designation of Residential-B, consistency with development trends in the area, and compatibility with surrounding properties and approved the waivers.

Regular Agenda Item Four – Fee Waiver and Advertising Cost for Lennar Homes

Staff presented a request to approve a waiver of application fees and the cost of advertising for a Minor Modification to the Mission Trace PUD and a replat at Lennar Homes regarding Lot 81 and Tract H of the Mission Trace PUD for the purpose of relocating park area and one single family lot. The purpose of the request is to avoid impact and removal of a specimen oak tree. The Minor Modification to the PUD will require a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Agency, and re-platting will require approval of the Board of County Commissioners. The protection of a specimen tree would, in the opinion of staff, constitute a public benefit. The Board unanimously approved the motion, with a finding of public purpose, for the waiver of fees and cost of advertising.

Regular Agenda Item Five – St. Johns County Health and Human Services Facility Project

Staff presented a request to authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to pre-qualify the top five ranked firms that responded to RFQ 13-63 as invited bidders to complete construction of the new Health & Human Services Facility; authorize the County Administrator, or designee, to issue a bid for construction of the project upon availability of 100% construction documents; and to enter into a Standard Fixed Price Agreement with the pre-qualified firm offering the lowest, most responsive bid to complete the project. The Board unanimously approved the motion with the addition of authorizing the County Administrator, or designee, to extend the list to keep five qualified bidders should any drop out of the top five ranking.

Regular Agenda Item Six – Fees for Services Provided by St. Johns County for FY 2014

Staff presented a request to adopt a Resolution implementing new and/or revised fees, for services provided by St. Johns County Departments for Fiscal Year 2014. The Board unanimously adopted Resolution 2013-212 implementing the revised fees, as revised at this meeting, to reinstate two non-DRC site plan reviews.

Regular Agenda Item Seven – 2014 Legislative Action Plan (LAP) and Top Three Legislative Priorities

Staff presented the proposed LAP for the Board’s consideration to adopt as the County’s 2014 LAP, as well as for the Board to select the top three priorities for 2014. The LAP is a focused list of priorities developed by constitutional officers, local cities, and County staff for which the County requests financial assistance and other support from State and Federal delegation members for consideration prior to the next legislative session. The top three items are identified for the Northeast Florida Regional Council for FY 2014 to incorporate in a regional legislative priority guide. The Board unanimously approved the motion to adopt the proposed 2014 St. Johns County LAP and the selected top three legislative priorities of Transportation, Amending the Florida Statutes, and Water Quality.

Regular Agenda Item Eight – TDC FY 2014 Arts, Culture, and Heritage (ACH) Funding Program

Staff presented recommendations for the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council FY 2014 ACH Funding Program. The Board unanimously accepted the TDC recommendation to fund all qualified applicants on a 90%, one-time basis. For the second part of this item, the Board previously requested the TDC consider a transfer of funds from ACH category of the TDC fund to the St. Johns County Cultural Events Division and that it be considered a loan to be paid back if possible in 2014. The Board unanimously approved a motion to slightly revise the TDC recommendation to transfer funds from Category II to the Amphitheater in that it will not be considered a loan for this year.

Regular Agenda Item Nine – St. Johns County Administrator’s Compensation

The Board approved a motion that County Administrator Michael D. Wanchick receives an outstanding evaluation of Exceeds Expectations from a majority of the Board. The Board approved, by a vote of 4-1, a motion that the County Administrator’s new salary will be $193,000 as of Oct. 1, 2013, with the funding source coming from the general fund reserves.