Residents to city staff: It’s time for Reggae Sunday to change

Dozens of Davis Shores residents and Historic City News readers met after work last night at the Black Fly restaurant to communicate, face-to-face, their safety concerns and expectation for the peaceful enjoyment of their homes with the people who can do something about it; the city manager, the fire chief, and chief of police.

Residents began to gather about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday evening and the unofficial neighborhood meeting was called to order promptly at 6:15 p.m. Although executive staff from City Hall did attend and participate, the elected members of the St Augustine City Commission, who will ultimately decide how to maneuver the thorny briar patch posed by the Conch House Marina and Resort’s weekly Reggae Sunday party, did not.

Mayor Nancy Shaver told Historic City News that she received an invitation to attend and participate a week ago; and, under other circumstances, she says that she would have gone. Shaver added that it would be a mistake to give the false impression that she favors one side or the other in this growing conflict between residents and patrons of the local business. Since the issue will likely come before the full commission at some point for a vote, and being mindful of restrictions imposed by Florida’s “Government in the Sunshine” laws, she says it is important that she remain in “information gathering mode” until that time.

However, that does not mean that Shaver and the other commissioners are not paying attention to the outcry from the neighborhood — some of whom have been complaining for decades.

Portions of the meeting and interviews were broadcast live on local television stations.

A 30-year Conch House neighbor, Vicki Sellner, described the situation as worsening each year since the Reggae Sunday parties began. Sellner and others who spoke felt that there are already laws and municipal ordinances in place to stop this uncontrolled commercial intrusion into the otherwise peaceful neighborhood.

“I have people making out on my cement bench in the yard. I have people taking their clothes off, vomiting and committing all kinds of parking violations,” Sellner told reporters.

Clearly upset by the most recent brawl between Reggae Sunday patrons and thug-like men hired to provide security for the event two weeks ago, resident Ambra Wayne pointed out that the taxes paid for the privileges of living in that neighborhood are higher than other parts of town. She believes that existing regulations are simply not being adequately enforced — occupancy limits, parking violations, and trespassing were some of the examples where enforcement could be stepped up.

“I am constantly picking up trash. The impact that the Conch House every Sunday is far greater than the impact that we have on a daily basis,” Wayne told one television reporter at the scene. “There’s all kinds of ways it can be — to get solutions, but I’m glad that they’re finally listening, that there is a problem.”

Regan, Fire Chief Costeira, and Police Chief Lueders will continue to communicate with the neighbors and respond to calls for service at the location — Regan intends to meet with the chairman of the North Davis Shores neighborhood association and return to the community for a follow-up meeting.