Public hearings to dominate city agenda

Historic City News has learned through the Public Affairs communique “The St. Augustine Report” that Monday night’s city commission meeting – its first regular session in a month – will be dominated by six public hearings.

Additionally, a proposed fee of $30 a year for resident parking permits will be considered by the St. Augustine City Commission.

The heavy agenda was anticipated as the Easter holiday period cancelled one regular meeting.

Monday night’s session begins at 5 p.m. in the Alcazar Room at City Hall.

Those hearings and final action include plans to build a reprise of the Bishop’s Building at St. George Street and Cathedral Place, modular units for the Boys and Girls Club at Chase Field, a modified plan for Whispering Creek Town Center, a 5-year capital improvement schedule, authorization for a St. Augustine Foot Soldiers Civil Rights monument in the Plaza, and landscape irrigation restrictions.

Also on the agenda: first readings of ordinances to establish setbacks along US 1, criteria for tree removal, an appointment to our Historic Architectural Review Board, authorization for a Lincolnville Community Garden, and commissioner reports on recent lobbying in Washington and a joint city/county workshop on West Augustine improvements.

Resident permit program
A proposed fee structure for permits to park in resident-only areas includes $30 a year for residents and for service vendors, such as landscape services. The service permits would be purchased by residents to use transferrably among service vendors they might use. Weekly permits at $10 would be available for visitors to a residence.

US 1 setbacks
New construction along US 1 in our city will follow the traditional practice of setting buildings back with parking along the highway, under a proposed ordinance. Our city had encouraged commercial properties to abut sidewalks, with parking behind, but a minimum setback was never enacted. The ordinance provides a minimum setback of ten feet and maximum of 30 feet.

Tree removal criteria
Proposed revisions to our landscape code provide a closer look at types of trees in determining allowable tree removal. Our current ordinance is based on the trunk diameter. The revision was recommended by our Street Tree Advisory Committee (STAC).

HARB appointment
Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) Chairman Dana Ste. Claire’s appointment as interim director of our 450th anniversary creates a vacancy for which five residents are applying: Robert Hall, Jay Moore, Walter O’Kon, Miriam Pujals, and Paul Weaver III.