St Augustine commission finds sufficiency for two appeals

During the Monday night meeting of the St Augustine City Commission, Historic City News watched as the commissioners found that objectors to two controversial permits that have been issued by the city each have legal standing to advance their appeals at a future meeting.

Acting on his own, activist Ed Slavin is advancing an appeal of a permit allowing the St Paul AME Church to demolish a portion of one of its buildings located at 100 Martin Luther King Avenue. The three structures on the property, built in 1926 and presently in an advanced state of decay, were a gift to the City of St Augustine; who sold them to the church. The commission unanimously approved setting Slavin’s appeal to halt demolition of Buckingham Smith nursing home, now known as Echo House, until after a formal hearing December 8th.

Through their attorney, Jane West, a group that consists of the Nelmar Terrace Neighborhood Association, the Neighborhood Council of St. Augustine, Inc., and seven individuals, will be heard on January 15th at 9:00 a.m. when they object to a building permit issued to 7-Eleven Stores for a convenience store and 12-pump gas station at the corner of San Marco Avenue and May Street. Among numerous issues and complaints, at issue in the appeal is the fact that San Marco Avenue is a designated “entry corridor” which precludes gas stations.

Mayor Joe Boles and interim commissioner Don Crichlow favored sending the matter back to the city Historical Architectural Review Board and Planning and Zoning Board for review, but they were on the short end of the 3-2 vote.