April 1 – County Commission Meeting

April 1 – County Commission Meeting

The regular meeting of the St Johns County Board of Commissioners was held Tuesday April 1, 2014, 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:

Proclamations

• The Board proclaimed April 2014 as Child Abuse Prevention Month
• The Board proclaimed April 2014 as the 25th Anniversary of St. Augustine Youth Services
• The Board proclaimed April 2014 as Water Conservation Month

Regular Agenda Item A One – Ideal Aluminum Products Relocation to St. Johns County
Co-owners Michael Siegel and Doug Brady announced to the Board that Ideal Aluminum Products will relocate to St. Johns County by the end of 2014. Ideal expects to employ approximately 100 full-time workers by the time operations are initiated at its new manufacturing and headquarters facility in St. Augustine.

Regular Agenda Item One – Solid Waste Transfer Operations and Removal Contract
The Board considered a resolution that would renew the current contract for solid waste transfer operations and disposal services between St. Johns County and Waste Management Inc. of Florida (WMIF) for a period of 7 years. The proposed contract would amend and restate the current terms and provide the following additional benefits to the County:

• A reduced waste disposal rate, resulting in upfront savings of approximately $1.07 million
• The ability to re-negotiate waste disposal prices if other disposal options become available
• Improved co-ordination between the County and WMIF
• Shared savings toward any future use of alternative fuels (by WMIF or its contracted haulers) that may reduce transportation costs
• Future CPI increases capped at a maximum of 4%

The Board unanimously adopted the resolution by a vote of 4-0, absent a vote by Commissioner McClure.

Regular Agenda Item Two – Public Hearing CPA (SS) 2013-02, Ponte Vedra Croquet Court
This item was continued to the April 15, 2014 regular Board meeting.

Regular Agenda Item Three – Public Hearing NZVAR 2013-08, Ponte Vedra Croquet Club
This item was continued to the April 15, 2014 regular Board meeting.

Regular Agenda Item Four – COMPAMD 2013-05, Bartram Park
The Board was presented the adoption hearing for Comprehensive Plan Amendment 2013-05 (Amendment) which amends the Future land Use Map from Residential-A to Residential-B with a Textual Policy limiting the number of residential units to 616. The subject property is approximately 583 acres and is located along the north side of Race Track Road, west of St. Johns Parkway, within the Bartram Park Development of Regional Impact. The Board transmitted the Amendment on December 3, 2013. The Planning and Zoning Agency unanimously recommended approval of the Amendment at the March 6, 2014 meeting. The Board unanimously approved the Amendment by a vote of 4-0, absent a vote by Commissioner McClure.

Regular Agenda Item Five – Public Hearing NOPC 2013-01, Bartram Park
The Board considered a Notice of Proposed Change (Notice) for the Bartram Park Development of Regional Impact (DRI) that would increase the number of residential units from 367 to 616 in St. Johns County, modify phasing to add legislative extensions, contribute funding for Race Track Road four-lane improvements, and remove a five-acre park site from Race Track Road. The DRI consists of approximately 3,928 acres and is located in both St. Johns and Duval Counties. The Planning and Zoning Agency unanimously recommended approval of the Notice at the March 6, 2014 meeting. The Board unanimously approved the Notice by a vote of 4-0, absent a vote by Commissioner McClure.

Regular Agenda Item Six – Public Hearing MAJMOD 2013-04, Bartram Park
The Board considered a request for a Major Modification to the Bartram Park Planned Unit Development that would increase the number of residential units from 366 to 616 in St. Johns County and remove a proposed five-acre park site located along Race Track Road. The subject property contains approximately 582 acres within St. Johns County and is part of the Bartram Park Development of Regional Impact. The Planning and Zoning Agency unanimously recommended approval of the request at the March 6, 2014 meeting. The Board unanimously approved the request by a vote of 4-0, absent a vote by Commissioner McClure.

Regular Agenda Item Seven – Public Hearing DRI 2012-01, Twin Creeks
The Board considered a request for a Substantial Deviation to the Twin Creeks Development of Regional impact that would reduce the number of residential units, increase the number of non-residential uses, and revise the development schedule and proposed mitigation provisions, especially in the categories of transportation and schools. The Planning and Zoning Agency recommended approval of the request by a vote of 6 to 1 at the February 20, 2014 meeting. After receiving revised documentation from the applicant, staff requested additional time to review the application to determine if any follow-up material was needed. This item was continued to the June 3, 2014 regular Board meeting.

Regular Agenda Item Eight – BOEM Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
The Board was presented a brief of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) that assesses the environmental impacts of authorizing geological and geophysical survey activities (G&G activities) in the Mid and South Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf area and adjacent State waters between 2012 and 2020. The Final EIS was noticed on March 7, 2014 with the comment period set to close on April 7, 2014. The Board directed staff to write a letter of opposition to BOEM regarding G&G activities and any future plans for offshore drilling in the designated Area of Interested identified in the Final EIS. Staff was instructed to send copies of the letter to BOEM and all St. Johns County State and Federal officials. In addition, the Board directed staff to write a letter to BOEM requesting that the Final EIS comment period be extended for a period of 60-90 days to allow for a comprehensive review of the report and gain public feedback.

Regular Agenda Item Nine – Public Hearing, Investment Policy Revisions
The Board heard the first of two public hearings to consider an ordinance that would allow improved investment flexibility, minimized risk, and greater overall earning potential for surplus funds that are invested by the St. Johns County Clerk of Court’s finance department. The second public hearing for this item is scheduled for the April 15, 2014 regular Board meeting.

Regular Agenda Item Ten – Public Hearing, First Reading of Third Repealer Ordinance
The Board heard the first of two public hearings to consider an ordinance that would identify ordinances that have either been repealed or superseded by state law and direct their removal from the County Code. The second public hearing for this item is scheduled for the April 15, 2014 regular Board meeting.

Regular Agenda Item Eleven – TDC 2015 Arts, Culture, and Heritage Funding Program Addendum
The Board considered a request for language changes to the 2015 Arts, Culture, and Heritage (ACH) Funding Program Guidelines that would clarify and define specific tourism demand peak periods by zip code. These improvements are aimed at supporting ACH efforts to attract visitors to the County during non-peak periods of tourism. The Board unanimously approved the request with minor language changes by a vote of 4-0, absent a vote by Commissioner McClure.

Commissioners’ and Staff Reports Action Items

• County Administrator Michael Wanchick requested Board concurrence to have The Players Community Senior Center sign redesigned to reflect COA’s recommendation that a new partnership with Republic Services be identified. The Board voiced unanimous approval for the request.