[Call meeting to order] [00:00:25] WANTS TO DO THAT. LESLEE KEYS, CHAIR, I AM HERE. SUSAN SCHJELDERUP, HEAD OF FAMILY COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE LAST YEAR BEFORE WE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY SO SHE IS N >> HERE. >> JANET JORDAN IS -- THIS IS THE APRIL 14TH MEETING. SHE HAS RESIGNED AND IS FOCUSED ON WORKING ON HER ARCHAEOLOGY FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. BLAIR KNIGHTING. >> PRESENT. >> CHRISTINE NEWMAN. >> HERE. >> ALSO WOULD LIKE TO THANK JANET AND BOB OLSON WHO WAS TAPPED FOR PLANNING AND ZONING SO THAT'S WHY THEY ARE % NOT THANK YOU ALL. I'LL READ THE CIVILITY CLAUSE. I THINK. [General public comment for items not on the agenda] WE WILL HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT AND YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD COME TO ONE OF THE THREE PODIUM, STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND EACH WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK AND SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONEMENT SPEAKERS WILL COMPLY WITH THE BOARD'S RULES OF CIVILITY AND DECORUM AND MAY NOT DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE FROM THE BOARD. NO PERSON WILL ADDRESS WITH PERTINENT OR SLAPPEROUS REMARKS OR BOISTEROUS BEHAVIOR AND MEMBERS WILL REFRAIN FROM DEMONSTRATIVE BEHAVIOR ANY PERSON THAT FAILS TO COMPLY MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE AUDITORIUM. FINALLY ANY SPEAKER THAT WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT MATERIALS PLEASE UTILIZE THE CENTER PODIUM. PAPER MATERIALS CAN BE PLACED ON THE EX FOR OUR OVERHEAD CAMERA TO DISPLAY AND A LAPTOP WILL BE SET UP. PLEASE PROVIDE MATERIALS TO THE STAFF OF THE CLERK OF THE COURT. I THINK IN IN CASE THAT'S PROBABLY CRRB STAFF. TO BE ENTERED INTO PUBLIC RECORD. THANK YOU. OKAY. I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO REMIND THE BOARD MEMBERS TO SPEAK CLEARLY AND INTO THE MIC AND WOULD SAY THE SAME THING FOR THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS. WE WILL HAVE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, NOT RELATED TO AN AGENDA ITEM AND THIS IS THREE MINUTES PER SPEAKER AND YOU WILL BE TIMED. SALLIE O'HARA IS FIRST. >> SALLY OWE HAR RAY P.O. BOX, ST. AUGUSTINE, 53- YEAR RESIDENT AND PRESERVATION ADVOCATE. I'M HERE TO SHARE SEVERAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR COUNTY'S COMMITMENT TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CULTURAL HERITAGE. FIRST REGARDING THE NOMINATION OF ALANA BEACH CENTER AS A VILANO HISTORIC DISTRICT. IN ABSENCE OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE SUPPORTERS OF THE PRESERVATION RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE BOARD TAKE THE INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE THIS AS NOMINATED IN THE A1. A HISTORIC SURVEY REPORT. SECTION 09. 04 B AS REVISED IN JUNE 23, AUTHORIZES THE DESIGNAION AS A NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT DOES NOT REQUIRE UNANIMOUS PROPERTY OWNER CONSENT OR A MAJORITY VOTE. THIS APPROACH WOULD FINALLY ALIGN PRESERVATION POLICY WITH BOTH CRA GOALS AND EGULATORY FRAMEWORK. PLEASE SCHEDULE THIS FOR FUTURE BOARD DISCUSSIONS. THERE SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING ARGUMENT THAT CONTRIBUTING PROPERTIS IN THEVILLE BEACH MAIN STREET DISTRICT ARE NOT WORTH SAVING AND URGE THE BOARD TO SAVE OUR HISTORIC STRUCTURES FROM DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT. TOO MUCH OWNERS ALLOW BUILDINGS TO DETERIORATE UNTIL DEMOLITION BECOMES INEVITABLE AND RECOMMEND THE BOARD BEGIN DRAFTING CLEAR POLICY IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE JACKSONVILLE HISTORIC COMMISSION'S MARCH 25 REPORT AS A MODEL ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS IS PRUDENT. JOBS CREATED AS A RESULT WILL BENEFIT THE AREA. THIRD, WE ENCOURAGE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRONGER PENALTIES FOR UNAUTHORIZED DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES. AS JUST PASSED IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE EFFECTIVE JULY 25, FINES EQUAL TO 20% OF PROPERTY'S VALUE WHETHER A DESIGNATED HISTORIC RESOURCE IS DEMOLISHED IS ASSIGNED. THIS FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCE SENDS A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT HISTORIC ASSETS ARE NOTE DISPOSABLE. FINALLY, WE WANT TO ADDRESS GRANT FUNDING FOR [00:05:04] CRITICAL PRESERVATION WORK. THE TWO SMALL MATCHING GRANT PROPOSALS SUBMITTED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR FUNDING LAST YEAR WERE NOT FUNDED THIS YEAR. TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK ON THE A1A SCENIC BYWAY AS WELL AS THE HASTINGS RECORD DIGITIZATION PROJECT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE BOARD DIRECT COUNTY STAFF TO REVISE AND RESUBMIT THESE APPLICATIONS IN THE NEXT CYCLE SO THE WORK CAN MOVE FORWARD. THANK YOU BOTH. >> THANK YOU. SORRY. TREY ASNER. SHOULD I ASK EVERYBODY TO GIVE AN ADDRESS? >> YES, THAT WAS IN THE INSTRUCTION, NAME AND ADDRESS, PLEASE. >> TREY ASNER, 3425 AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE REVIEW BOARD. I COME BEFORE YOU TODAY TO RECOMMEND AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COUNTRY'S CIVIL RIGHTS HISTORY FOR LANDMARK STATUS. THE HISTORIC ST. JOHNS COUNTY JAIL SERVED AS A WITNESS TO HUNDREDS OF BOTH WHITE AND BLACK FOOT SOLDIERS THAT WERE IMPRISONED FOR FIGHTING SEGREGATION. THE JAIL IS A TANGIBLE REMINDER OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY'S CIVIL RIGHTS PAST. HAS DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE PASSAGE OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, AND IS AN IMPORTANT SITE IN THE CONTEXT OF BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICAN HISTORY. FROM HIS CELL MARTIN LUTHER KING CALLED OUT FOR SUPPORT AND RABBI SY DRESDNER ANSWERED HIS CALL AND CAME TO ST. AUGUSTINE WHERE THEY WERE ARRESTED DURING THE PROTESTS. THEY WERE LOCKED IN THE CRAMPED JAIL CELL FROM WHICH THEY WROTE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, OUTLINING WHY THEY CAME TO PROTEST HATE IN THE LONG SHADOW OF THE HOLOCAUST. IT WAS THE LARGEST MASS ARREST OF RABBIS IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY. THE JAIL IS A TESTAMENT TO THE BRAVERY OF ACTIVISTS, FEDERAL JUDGE BRIAN SIMPSON LAMBASTED THE COUNTY'S USE OF CONCRETE SWEATBOX, MINIATURE CELLS AND CHICKEN COOPS THAT WERE DESIGNED TO TORTURE ACTIVISTS AT THE JAIL. HE SAID, HERE IS EXPOSED IN ITS RAW UGLINESS STUDIED AND CYNICAL BRUTALITY DELIBERATELY CONTRIVED TO BREAK MEN PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY. THEY DID NOT BREAK. IN DEFIANCE AGAINST THEIR INCARCERATION ACTIVIST SANG FREEDOM SONG, CLAPPED HANDS AND RATTLED THE JAIL'S DISHES AGAINST WIRE SCREENED CAGES. THE JAIL IS AN INTEGRAL ELEMENT IN THE STORY OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND DESERVES TO BE LANDMARKED TO PROTECT THE POWERFUL STORY THAT IT CONVEYS. A STORY OF RESILIENCE, DETERMINATION, AND COURAGE. OF PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT FAITHS, RACES AND CLASSES COMING TOGETHER TO FIGHT AGAINST RACISM AND SEGREGATION. IT EXCEEDS BOTH THE LOCAL AND NATIONAL DESIGNATION CRITERIA. WE ALMOST LOST IT AND NOW IT IS TIME TO PROTECT IT. WITH THE PROPOSED BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM AND THE SAVING OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING HOUSE, WE CAN FURTHER SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE PRESERVATION OF OUR LOCAL HISTORY THROUGH THIS LANDMARK DESIGNATION. I'VE SUBMITTED THE RECOMMENDATION APPLICATION TO THE COUNTY. AS THE VOICES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT PASS AWAY, WE MUST PROTECT THESE TANGIBLE WITNESSES TO HISTORY. PLEASE NOMINATE THE JAIL FOR LANDMARK STATUS. >> THANK YOU. AND THE LAST OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT IS ED SLAVIN. >> THANK YOU. I AGREE WITH MR. AS TER, ED SLAVIN, I STRONGLY AGRED WITH MR. ASNER, THE TIME HAS COME FOR THIS. A THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE INCARCERATED IN THIS STRUCTURE ILLEGALLY. UNCONSTITUTIONALLY. AND WILLIAM KUNSTLER, THE LAWYER AND FELLOW LAWYERS REMOVED A THOUSAND FEDERAL -- A THOUSAND CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS TO FEDERAL COURT IN JACKSONVILLE WHERE BRIAN J. SIMPSON DISMISSED EVERY SINGLE ONE INCLUDING THE CASES OF THE RABBIS AND THE CASES OF SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS WHO STILL LIVE IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THE DESIGNATION AS A LANDMARK IS LONG OVERDUE AND THERE WAS A VERY ELOQUENT READING OF A LETTER BY THE RABBIS, BY MAYOR NANCY KLEIN LAST WEEK AT THE SITE OF THE OLD JAIL. AND SHE'S READ IT EVERY SINGLE YEAR, EVERY SINGLE YEAR WHERE THE ST. AUGUSTINE JEWISH HISTORICAL CYCLE HAS AN EVENT. SHE WAS ELOQUENT. AND I'M HOPING SHE'LL BE HERE TODAY. [00:10:03] AT ANY RATE, WHY ARE WE HERE? BECAUSE ON DECEMBER 3, 2024 PATRICK LAW FACILITIES DIVISION MANAGER FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY SENT AN EMAIL, I'LL PUT IT ON THE SCREEN HERE, HE SAID THE COUNTY WANTED TO DEMOLISH THIS BUILDING. COUNTY COMMISSION NEVER VOTED TO DO THAT. IT WAS UNAUTHORIZED. IT WAS A CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION. IT'S A VIOLATION OF THE 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, SECTION 6. I HAVEN'T CALLED IT TO THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S ATTENTION YET BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS MEMO WHO IS PATRICK LAW? IS HE HERE, AND IS THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HERE? CAN SOMEONE FROM THE COUNTY EXPLAIN FROM THE CRRB WHY THIS HAPPENED? I HAD A COLLOQUY WITH THE SHERIFF LAST YEAR. THERE WAS BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE COUNTY MEETING ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHERE THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT THE DEMOLITION AND I SPOKE TO THE SHERIFF PRIVATELY AND I SAID, Y'ALL NEED TO TAKE THAT TO THE CRB. HE AGREED BUT THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY. NOW, WHOSE IDEA WAS IT TO SEND THIS EMAIL TO PAUL WEAVER ASKING HIM TO HELP DEMOLISH THE BUILDING? MR. WEAVER IS AN AWARD- WINNING HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST. MR. LAW IS WHAT? AND WHAT GAVE HIM THE RIGHT TO DESTROY OUR HISTORY? THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. ALSO, IT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN THAT WE RUN OFF A BRILLIANT YOUNG MAN LIKE TREY ALEXANDER ASNER WHO IS OUR CULTURAL RESOURCES COORDINATOR ILLEGALLY FIRED BECAUSE HE WAS DOING TOO GOOD OF A JOB IN PRESERVING AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL HISTORY AND THE COUNTY DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT HE WAS MEETING WITH BLACK PEOPLE. THE COUNTY DID NOT LIKE THE FACT THAT HE WAS WANTING TO PRESERVE THE HOUSE AND HE USED THE FIREBOMB. WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO SAY INSTEAD OF FIREBOMB? THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. PLEASE DESIGNATE THIS AS A LANDMARK AND LET'S PUT IT ON A FUTURE AGENDA. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> OUR NEXT ITEM IS TO -- >> I PUT IN A CARD. >> OKAY. YOU'RE ALIVE. >> THANK YOU, I'M DAVID NOLAN, 30 PARK TERRACE DRIVE, ST. AUGUSTINE. I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR YOU BUT I WANT TO ENDORSE THE IDEA OF MAKING -- GIVING LANDMARK STATUS TO THE HISTORIC CIVIL RIGHTS JAIL SO THE QUESTION OF ITS DEMOLITION DOESN'T COME UP IN THE FUTURE. AND SINCE THE PROPOSAL FOR THE BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM HAS BEEN GOING AROUND, I HAVE DRIVEN AROUND TOWN THINKING TO MYSELF, YOU DON'T ONLY WANT PEOPLE TO GO AND VISIT A MUSEUM THAT IS SEVERAL MILES OUT OF TOWN, YOU WANT TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO SEE ALL OF BLACK HISTORY IN THIS AREA, SO SOME OF THE BLACK HISTORY SITES ARE OWNED PUBLICLY NOW. RICHARD J. MURRAY SCHOOL, WHICH IS NOT FAR IN THE PROPOSED SITE, WAS THE LAUNCHING PLACE FOR THE FIRST MASS SIT- IN OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT AND REPORTED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IN 1964. WE HAVE THE MARTIN LUTHER KING BEACH HOUSE NOW LOCATED FAR BOUGHT THE SITE OF THE KU KLUX KLAN RALLY HERE FROM SEPTEMBER 19, '63, WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED AN AWARD- WINNING HISTORY BOOKS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WE ALSO HAVE THE SITE OF THE WAIT- INS AT ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH AND WE HAVE IN BUTLER BEACH ONE OF THE HISTORIC BLACK BEACHES OF FLORIDA FROM THE AGE OF SEGREGATION. WE HAVE AT 791 WEST KING STREET THE HOUSE WHERE ZORA NEAL HORSESON COMPLETED "DUST TRACKS ÷÷ON A ROAD" AND RAY CHARLES HALL AT THE FLORIDA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND AND OUR FIRST BLACK GENERAL, JORGE BEYONSU HAD TWO PLANTATIONS ONE AT MILOTTO BAYOU AND ST. AUGUSTINE SHORES AND THESE PLACES ARE ALL UNMARKED AND THEY OUGHT TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND PRESERVED FOR THE FUTURE. SO THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. I CAN REMEMBER WHEN THIS GROUP WAS FORMED AND I THINK THE IDEA WAS, THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING AND WE DON'T WANT TO HEAR ANYTHING FROM THEM. SO EVERYTHING THEY HEAR FROM YOU, GOD BLESS YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. DID WE MISS ANYBODY ELSE [00:15:04] THAT HAD A GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT THAT I PUT IN THE WRONG PILE? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >> BEFORE YOU START AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 1 IF I CAN GET THINGS ON THE RECORD QUICKLY. I WANT TO WELCOME COMMISSIONER ARNOLD IN THE BACK. I WANTED TO CLARIFY COMMISSIONER ARNOLD IS THE LY SAYSEN TO THE CRRB AND THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, A NONVOTING MEMBER. THERE HAS BEEN CORRESPONDENCE ON HER VOTE AND SHE IS A NONVOTING MINOR. I WANT TO CLARIFY TOO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU TODAY. I FIRST RECEIVED CORRESPONDENCE WITH SOME QUESTIONS. AS YOU'VE SEEN IN YOUR STAFF REPORT CONSIDERATION TODAY IS LIMITED TO THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN WHICH IS PART OF THE DEMOLITION PERMIT BUT YOU ARE NOT ACTUALLY MOTIONING OR MAKING ANY TYPE OF JUDGMENT ON THE PERMIT AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT. ONE, IT'S NOT WITHIN YOUR PURVIEW UNDER THE CODE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IN 2024 THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A LAW THAT PREEMPTS LOCAL GOVERNMENTS REGARDING ITS VIEW OF DEMOLITION PERMITS FOR CERTAIN STRUCTURES TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY IN THE COASTAL CONSTRUCTION LINE. THE REVIEW IS LIMITED IN THOSE TO AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE, THE FLORIDA FIRE PREVENTION CODE AND THE LIFE SAFETY CODE AND SO THAT'S WHY THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ITSELF IS AN ADMIN REVIEW AND THE PLAN IS BEFORE THE CRRB. I ALSO WANT TO LASTLY REMIND YOU TO THE EXTENT ANY DISCLOSURE OF EX PARTE COMMUNICATION, PLEASE PROVIDE THE NAME OF THE PERSON, GROUP, OR ENTITY, WHAT WAS DISCUSSED BRIEFLY AND THE SITE FOR -- ANY SITE VISITS WHO WAS PRESENT AT THE SITE VISIT, THANK YOU. [Approval of meeting minutes from April 14th, 2025] >> OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS CONSIDERATION OF THE MEETING MINUTES FROM APRIL 14TH, 2025. AS I HAVE DONE SINCE AT LEAST LAST SUMMER, WE -- I SENT MINUTES WITH MINOR CHANGES, THIS MORNING EARLY, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED BY EVERYONE ON THE BOARD, SO I'M GOING TO SUGGEST THAT WE HOLD THOSE TO APPROVE IN AUGUST. AND WOULD APPRECIATE A MOTION TO THAT EFFECT. >> YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION ON THAT MATTER. >> OKAY. >> ALL RIGHT. THEN WE'LL HOLD THE MINUTES TO THE AUGUST MEETING. ALL RIGHT. ALL BOARD MEMBERS STATE THEIR NAME PRIOR TO SPEAKING INCLUDING BEFORE SAYING A VOTE. REMEMBER TO SPEAK LOUD AND [1. Magic Beach Motel - 50 Vilano Road: Demolition Permit Application and Cultural Resource Management Plan] CLEAR FOR THE PUBLIC RECORD AND KNOW WE ARE IN CONSIDERATION OF THE CURRENT AGENDA. STAFF WILL PRESENT A TIME LINE SLIDE. >> HI, EVERYONE. FOR THE RECORD I AM MEGAN WRIGHT WITH GROWTH MANAGEMENT UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL DIVISION. WE JUST FELT IT PRUDENT TO GO AHEAD AND REVIEW EVERYTHING THAT HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST FIVE MONTHS SO THAT EVERYONE IN THE ROOM IS UP TO SPEED INCLUDING THE WONDERFUL CITIZENS WHO HAVE SHOWN UP. SO ON JANUARY 15TH, THERE WAS A DEMO PERMIT FILED BY THE APPLICANT WHO WAS PRESENTING TODAY. MARCH 13 WE REQUESTED A HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDING SURVEY ALSO KNOWN AS A HABS REPORT AS WELL AS A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. HEREIN REFERRED TO COMMONLY PROBABLY AS A CRMP OR THE PLAN. WE RECEIVED THAT ON MARCH 13TH AFTER A LOT OF REVIEW REGARDING THE CRRB'S DESIGNATION FOR A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE RESOLUTION FOR THIS STRUCTURE. WE DID HAVE OUR REGULAR MEETING ON APRIL 14TH WHEREIN THIS BOARD MADE A MOTION TO DEFER THE DECISION REGARDING THAT PLAN. HOPEFULLY SEEKING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE APPLICANT TO INCLUDE AN ADDRESS PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING. ON MAY 12TH AND MAY 13TH WE RECEIVED THAT HABS AND CRMP PLAN. WE RECEIVED THOSE PRIOR. MAY 12TH AND 13TH WE DID RECEIVE FIVE REPORTS THAT ADDRESSED STRUCTURAL FLOODPLAIN, ARCHITECTURAL AND ECONOMIC STANDARDS AND REVIEWS OF THE STRUCTURE FROM VARIOUS CONSULTANTS. ON JUNE 26TH WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER OR MORE SO AN EMAIL RESPONSE OF REVIEW FROM THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER WHO DID REVIEW THAT PLAN AND WE HAVE THAT AND TODAY TO APPROVE THE CRMP, APPROVE IT WITH MODIFICATIONS OR REMEDY MY OF THE CRMP WITH THE REASONING IN SUPPORT OF WHAT MISS WEST HAS PRESENTED AND AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. >> DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OF THE STAFF AT [00:20:02] THIS POINT? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. DISCUSSION. AND UNLESS THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE, I'M GOING TO START BECAUSE I REVIEWED ALL OF THOSE -- >> SO GENERALLY WE ALLOW THE APPLICANT TO GIVE A PRESENTATION. >> OKAY. IS THERE A LENGTH OF TIME ON THAT? >> NO. >> OOH. OH, SORRY, WE SHOULD THANK YOU. WE SHOULD ALSO GO THROUGH EX PARTE COMMUNICATION FIRST. AND I'LL START WITH MS, KNIGHTING. >> I RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM ROBERT OLSON IN OPPOSITION OF THE DEMOLITION. I RECEIVED TWO EMAILS FROM MERCEDES HARROLD REGARDING THE INFORMATION ON WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE MAGIC BEACH AND THEN I RECEIVED TWO EMAILS FROM THE APPLICANT ASKING TO MEET AND I DID NOT MEET WITH HIM. >> THANK YOU. MISS NEWMAN. >> I ALSO RECEIVED EXACTLY WHAT THEY RECEIVED IN TERMS OF EMAILS FROM INDIVIDUALS. >> OKAY. I HAVE DATED MAY 12TH, 2025, I WAS COPIED ON AN EMAIL RESPONSE FROM MEMBER SUSAN SCHJELDERUP TO RICK JOHNSTON AS ALL OF THE CRRB MEMBERS WERE THAT SHE WAS DECLINING AN EX PARTE MEETING. NICK COPIED ME ON THE SAME DAYEN 0 THE SAME TYPE OF INFORMATION THAT HE HAD ALSO DECLINED A MEETING. KEITH WILLARD ON JUNE 11TH, 2025, I WAS COPIED ON AN EMAIL BLAST THAT WENT TO THE BCC AND A VARIETY OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS INCLUDING THE COUNTY ATTORNEY AND SAID PLEASE CONSIDER THIS AS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RECEIPT OF YOUR CORRESPONDENCE AND DECLARE THIS FOR THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL ITEM ON THE AGENDA AT THE JUNE 30TH MEETING. SALLY OWE HAR RAY, JUNE 16TH, WE DISCUSSED THE RELEASED FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE BUDGET THAT HAD A LATE CHANGE PROVIDING ZERO FUNDING FOR ALL OF THE SPECIAL CATEGORY HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANTS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 43 YEARS AND EVEN THOUGH THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CURRENT ITEM HERE, I THOUGHT I SHOULD BRING THAT UP, THE NUMBER OF ST. JOHNS AND ST. AUGUSTINE PROJECTS AFFECTED AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND THEM SEPARATELY. WE MET IN PERSON FOR PART OF THAT ALSO TO DISCUSS THE PRESERVATION ON MAIN STREET CONFERENCE HELD IN JULY SPONSORED BY THE STATE MAIN STREET CENTER AND THE FLORIDA TRUST PRESERVATION WHERE WE WILL BOTH BE PARTICIPATING AND I WILL BE PRESENTING. MERCEDES HARROLD, THE BOARD SECRETARY AND REGION 3 COUNSEL AMBASSADOR JUNE 16TH, 2025 SHE PREPARES A MONTHLY EMAIL UPDATE FOR ALL MEMBERS. OUR TOPIC WAS THE GRANTS AND PROPOSED DATE CHANGE TO JUNE 30 OF THIS MEETING RELATED TO CRRB AND THAT IS IT FOR ME. JOHN. >> I DID RECEIVE THE SAME EMAIL FROM MR. RICK JOHNSTON AND I DECLINED COMMUNICATING WITH HIM DIRECTLY. BOB OLSON DID SEND SOMETHING VERY RECENTLY ABOUT SOME OF THE REASONING BEHIND HIS DECISION OF SUPPORT FOR THE NONDEMOLITION OF THE PROJECT. TWO EMAILS FROM MERCEDES HARROLD WITH UPDATES AND ITEMS THAT WERE UPLOADED AND I HAVE PERSONALLY MADE TWO VISITS TO THE SITE, THE LATEST BEING YESTERDAY, 6/29/25. >> ALSO FORGOT THAT PART AND MADE A SITE DRIFT AS I DO MOST EVERY SATURDAY WHEN I TAKE A BEACH WALK TO SEE A FULL MOTEL AND PARKING LOT, SO -- >> I SHOULD ADD ALSO I HAVE VISITED SEVERAL TIMES DOWN AT THE VILANO MOTEL. >> ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE APPLICANT. WOULD YOU PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND GIVE YOUR BUSINESS ADDRESS. >> YEAH, GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOEL VAN HALEN. MY ADDRESS 9471 B MEADOWS ROAD, SWEET 101 JACKSONVILLE. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LAST MEETING WE WERE CHARGED WITH PROVIDING ADDITIONAL STUDIES REGARDING THE PHYSICAL CONDITION AND OPERATION OF THE MOTEL. TO THAT END WE ENGAGED TWO ARCHITECTS, A STRUCTURAL ENGINEER, AN ENGINEER SPECIALIZING IN COASTAL CONSTRUCTION LINE MATTERS AND AN ECONOMIST. ALL THE REPORTS WERE FILED AND SUBMITTED TO THE COUNTY. THE REPORTS OF ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS CONCLUDE THE 50% RULE DOES APPLY TO THE BUILDING AND DESCRIBES VARIOUS CONSTRUCTION AND MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES. THE REPAIR OF WHICH [00:25:01] WOULD QUICKLY INVOKE THE 50% RULE. I THINK IT'S SPECIFICALLY WORTH NOTING THAT THE FUN AND ENDEARING ART DECO STYLE FACADE OF THE MOTEL IS A YROFOAM BASED SYNTHETIC STUCCO THAT IS DETERIORATING, CRACKING AND LIKELY LEAKING. THE ECONOMIST REPORT AFTER REVIEWING THE FINANCIALS OF THE MOTEL CONCLUDES THE PRESENT VALUE OF CASH FLOW FROM OPERATION OF THE MOTEL IS A NEGATIVE $1.7 MILLION. OPERATIONS LOSE MONEY EVERY YEAR. AS A WHOLE THE REPORTS DISCLOSE IN EVIDENCE A BUILDING THAT DUE TO THE LOCATION EAST OF THE COASTAL CONSTRUCTION LINE ELEVATION OF THE PROJECT ABOUT 8 FEET LOWER THAN CURRENT CODE REQUIREMENTS, THE CONSTRUCTION, THE POOR CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND QUALITY INITIALLY AND ITS PRESENT CONDITION RENOVATION IS NOT A REASONABLE OPTION AND TO CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE MOTEL IS NOT ECONOMICALLY FEASIBLE. THIS LEADS US TO THE MITIGATION PLAN ALTERNATIVE 2 AS PREPARED BY PAUL WEAVER THAT INCLUDES A REPLACEMENT BUILDING INCORPORATING ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS OF THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL INCLUDING THE PLASTERWORK FLAMINGO, A TRIBUTE AREA USED RELOCATION OF THE SIGN AND ALL IS FURTHER IN HIS REPORT AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND THE MITIGATION PLAN. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE ON THE BOARD HAVE QUESTIONS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU HAVE OTHER PRESENTERS THAT WANT TO COME UP? I'M NOT SURE -- >> JUST FOR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. >> OKAY. WELL , I DID HAVE -- I DID -- ALL OF THIS, BY THE WAY, IS ON -- AS FAR AS I KNOW, IT'S ON THE PORTAL. IT'S PROBABLY UNDER PUBLIC TESTIMONY BEGINNING, I THINK, AT PAGE 185. LET ME SEE. AND THIS ACTUALLY WAS DIRECTED MORE AT MR. KOPPENHAFER BUT DIRECTED TO YOU, AND THAT IN HIS FINAL STATEMENT IN HIS REPORT, HE SAYS, QUOTE, IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY THEY REFER TO ANY BUILDING OVER 50 YEARS OLD AS HISTORIC WHICH CONFUSES THE LAYMAN TO ASSUME THIS IS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE. IT IS NOT A REGISTERED HISTORIC STRUCTURE BY ANY FEDERAL OR STATE DEFINITION, END QUOTE. I THOUGHT FIRST OF ALL IT WAS VERY HELPFUL THAT YOU REFERRED TO THOSE OF US WHO LIVE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AS THEY, WHICH RECOGNIZES THAT YOU DON'T LIVE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND I APPRECIATE THAT. IN REGARD TO THE 50- YEAR RULE, THAT IS A STANDARD ESTABLISHED BY THE NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION ACT OF 1966 SO THAT PROPERTIES UNDER CONSIDERATION ARE RECOGNIZED AS HISTORIC, HAVE VERIFIABLE AND ESTABLISHED HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND PROVIDED THE LINK FOR THAT. QUOTE, 50 YEARS IS A GENERAL ESTIMATE OF THE TIME NEEDED TO DEVELOP HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND EVALUATE SIGNIFICANCE. THIS GUARDS BEGIN THE LISTING OF PROPERTIES OF PASSING CONTEMPORARY INTEREST AND ENSURES THE NATIONAL REGISTER IS A LIST OF HISTORIC PLACES AND HAVE THE INFORMATION THERE. AS STATED IN NUMEROUS PUBLIC AND SUPPORT DOCUMENTS SINCE MAY '21 MAGIC BEACH MOTEL IS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND DESIGNATED AS A HISTORIC CULTURAL RESOURCE. BASED ON MR. KOPPENHAFER'S FIRM'S WEBSITE, HIS INTEREST IN THE PRESERVATION WAS WITH THE 1927 BUILDING DOWNTOWN KNOWN AS THE EXCHANGE BANK BUILDINGS. PRESERVATION ARC SECRETARY LES THOMAS WEIGHED IN ON THIS PROPERTY AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR DOING ITS MOST RECENT RENOVATION HAS BEEN BROUGHT IN TO CREATE A DESIGN THAT WOULD MEET A CITY'S DESIGN STANDARDS IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT HISTORIC ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW BOARD MEETING IN JULY AS FAR AS I KNOW. ALSO, IT IS A MOTEL, NOT A HOTEL, BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTED TO DRIVE THEIR CARS AND PARK RIGHT OUTSIDE THEIR LODGING RIGHT AFTER WORLD WAR II. ALSO NOTE THAT THE BUILDING IS BEING MAINTAINED AND UP TO CODE ACCORDING TO MR. PATEL, WHICH WE APPRECIATE. YET, THE STRUCTURAL INFORMATION THAT PROVIDED TALKS ABOUT A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION SO WE PROBABLY DO NEED TO HAVE SOME DISCUSSION AT SOME POINT OF MAINTENANCE OR DEMOLITION BY NEGLECT. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS EX PARTE OR NOT. I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH CODE ENDORSEMENT RODERICK [00:30:06] POTTER TO JUST ASK IF PROPERTES HAD TO BE MAINTAINED WHEN THEY WERE IN A SITUATION OF A HOLDING PATTERN THROUGH A DEMOLITION AND CRMP AND HE DID SAY YES TO THAT. >> SO THAT WOULD BE THROUGH THE CHAIR, SO THAT WOO BE A CODE ENFORCEMENT MATTER BUT IT WOULD NOT BE, SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HISTORIC, SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE, THAT'S AN INVENTORY NOMENCLATURE FOR THE COUNTY. IS IT DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS THAN A REGULAR STRUCTURE. >> OKAY. BUT STILL REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN THE BUILDING. >> ALL BUILDINGS ARE REQUIRED TO BE MAINTAINED IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. >> ALL RIGHT. JUST AS A NOTE, POST WORLD WAR II STRUCTURES, THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE, IF YOU GO THROUGH ANY OF THE MATERIALS, YOU DOWNTOWN ST. AUGUSTINE ON SAN MARCO AVENUE AND SEE A RECENTLY REBUILT STRUCTURE FROM ALMOST THE SAME TIME AND THAT IS FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ENJOY SOME AFTER 5:00 TIME IT'S KNOWN AS BOAT DRINKS. IT IS BUILT RIGHT AT THE GROUND LEVEL AND EVEN HAS TURQUOISE CURB CUTS AND PARKING, SO SAME TIME FRAME. I WOULD ALSO NOTE ALONG THE KOCIAN HAS BEEN SAVED TWICE IN THE LAST 20 YEARS UP IN JACKSONVILLE AND THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE LIFESAVING STATION. THE LIFEGUARD STATION WHICH IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT STANDING ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. BUT THAT HAS GONE THROUGH REHABILITATION, SAME KIND OF TIME FRAME, POST WORLD WAR II CONSTRUCTION SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISM ABOUT THE STYLE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING. A NUMBER OF ITEMS IN THE STRUCTURAL REPORT LIKE CURB BUMPERS AND ALL THAT COULD BE CORRECTED REAL QUICK. THE SHALLOW RAMP, ADA STANDRD DOOR BUILDINGS THAT ARE HISTORIC STRUCTURES, THEY HAVE ALTERNATE MINIMUM STANDARDS AND DO NOT HAVE TO BE FULLLY COMPLIANT. OTHERWISE, WE'D HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF BUILDINGS WITH BEING LIFTED AND RAMPED EVERYWHERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY. VERNACULAR USE OF LOCAL MATERIALS WAS A CONCERN WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCRETE AND THE BRICK INFILL AND PURELY COINCIDENTALLY IF I HAPPEN TO HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE DOING THE CENTENNIAL BUILDING IN TOPEKA, KANSAS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY BUILT OUT OF LOCAL MATERIALS ON THE PRAIRIE INCLUDING RURAL FARM IMPLEMENTS BEING INSERTED INTO THE BUILDING FOR CONSTRUCTION, SO USING LOCAL MATERIALS AT THE TIME, EVEN STYROFOAM IS NOT -- THAT WAS CUTTING EDGE AS A PART OF THIS. AND THE MAGIC BEACH SIGN, AGAIN, YOU'RE BRINGING INFORMATION IN THAT FROM ANOTHER TIME PERIOD AND TRYING TO MAKE IT REFLECTIVE IN CURRENT BUILDING STANDARDS. DON'T NEED TO BE DOING ANY OF THAT. SO, YOU WANT ME TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE REST OF THE COMMENTS? YOU GUYS WANT TO RESPOND TO ANY OF THIS? >> I WOULD JUST ADD THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU GIVE EXAMPLES OF OTHER OLD BUILDINGS THAT ARE IN GOOD SHAPE. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF AN OLD BUILDING THAT ISN'T IN AS GOOD A SHAPE AND I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S APPLICABLE. >> OKAY, YOU ASKED FOR IT. >> IF I MAY, SOME CREDIBILITY WAS RAISED HERE. SO I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY FOR 34 YEARS. YOU CAN LOOK UP ON THE PROPERTY APPRAISER'S WEBSITE IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME. WE HAVE HISTORIC PRESERVATION EXPERIENCE. WE DID THE OUT BANK GROVES FOR ST. JOHNS COUNTY, THE MAIN HOUSE ABOUT FIVE TO TEN YEARS AGO, WE DID THE DIAL UPCHURCH BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE WHICH IS ALSO AN HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND SAVAGE BUILDINGS AND WENT TO COLLEGE IN KANSAS AND KNOW TOPEKA VERY WELL AND WHILE THE IMPLEMENTS OF CONSTRUCTION WERE DIFFERENT FOR A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, THE BUILDING THAT WAS -- SO WHY I WAS ASKED TO LOOK AT STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS IN THAT BUILDING AND SO I PRODUCED A REPORT. THERE ARE OTHER REPORTS, EVERYONE CAN HAVE THEIR OPINION ABOUT IT. BUT THERE ARE SOME PRETTY SOLID PHOTOGRAPHS THERE THAT SHOW WHAT'S -- WHAT THE QUALITY OF THAT BUILDING IS RIGHT NOW. AND I'LL LET THAT STAND FOR ITSELF. >> THIS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT ORNERY BUT YOU ASK ABOUT BUILDINGS THAT WEREN'T IN GOOD SHAPE. SO I'M GIVING YOU ONE. AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW. [00:35:02] AND DON KRISHLER SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT. SISTERS OF ST. OVERSEAS. NEVER TELL THE NUNS THEY CAN'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. THEY RAISED $5 MILLION IN TWO YEARS AND PUT THIS BUILDING BACK TOGETHER AND IT'S WINNING ALMOST EVERY AWARD STATEWIDE THAT IT CAN, SO OBVIOUSLY IF THAT CAN BE PUT BACK TOGETHER AND IT IS IN A FLOOD ZONE IN LINCOLNVILLE, BY THE WAY. THE MOTIVATION HAS TO BE THERE TO WANT TO PUT THE BUILDING BACK TOGETHER. SOME OTHER ITEMS, AGAIN, THIS IS IN THE REPORTS, I DID TRY TO LOOK AT WHERE YOU CHOSE YOUR CONSULTANTS, BECAUSE I AM KIND OF A HOMEGROWN KIND OF A PERSON TOO AND NOTICE THAT YOU HAD THE ECONOMICS PERSON IS OUT OF AREA SOUTH OF ORLANDO, YES, HE TAUGHT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR AWHILE AND WENT INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE SO THERE IS AN EXHIBIT THERE BECAUSE HE TALKS ABOUT VILANO BEACH AND DID CONSULT AND IN WRITING WITH THE VISITOR AND CONVENTION BUREAU PRESIDENT AND CEO AND SHE SAID IT'S TRUE FOR THE JACKSONVILLE BEACH, IT IS NOT TRUE AND THAT THERE IS MARKET -- NICHE MARKET FOR HOUSING AND TRANSIENT HOUSING, LODGING FOR ALL TYPES IN ST. AUGUSTINE. THAT'S WHY WE ALL WORK TOGETHER SO THOROUGHLY. ALSO NOTE THAT THE FORT MYERS OBVIOUSLY GOT HIT BY A MASSIVE HURRICANE SO THAT'S YOUR FLOOD LEVEL CONSULTANTS -- IT WAS JUST SURPRISING TO ME BECAUSE I'VE DONE PRESERVATION FOR A VERY LONG TIME IN THIS REGION INCLUDING JACKSONVILLE THAT YOU DIDN'T FIND ANYBODY THAT HAS HISTORIC PRESERVATION BACKGROUND, ESPECIALLY THAT'S NOT REALLY LOCAL TO LOOK AT THE ENGINEERING AND THOSE OTHER EXEMPTIONS THAT ARE ALWAYS THERE BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED AS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE. NO RESPONSE? >> WAS THERE A QUESTION? >> WAS THERE A QUESTION? IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'RE TESTIFYING. WE SUBMITTED EBLTHS PERT REPORTS AND WE STAND BY THOSE REPORTS AND WE CHOSE THE BEST, MOST QUALIFIED PERSON THAT WE COULD FIND TO ADDRESS THESE MATTERS. WITH PAUL WEAVER AS A HISTORIC CONSULTANT AND HE SUBMITTED THE REPORT. I BELIEVE HE'S LOCAL. OUR STRUCTURAL ENGINEER IS LOCAL. DON, THE ARCHITECT IS LOCAL. OUR ECONOMIST IS A UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ECONOMIST WHO'S WELL KNOWN. THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ECONOMISTS -- THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ECONOMISTS IN THE PHONE BOOK. HE'S WELL KNOWN. I DON'T -- I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE COMPLAINT. >> I JUST WAS SURPRISED YOU DIDN'T TRY TO GET MORE LOCAL REGIONAL NORTHEAST FLORIDA BUSINESSES THAT WOULD HAVE HAD EXPERIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION WHEN I PULLED UP THE WEBSITES FOR THE CONSULT APARTMENTS YOU USED THROUGHOUT THE STATE I DID NOT SEE ANY. THE ECONOMISTS CLIENTS ARE DISNEY AND BP OIL. I DIDN'T SEE ANY FRAMEWORK THAT WOULD GIVE THEM THE EXPERTISE TO MAKE THE DECISIONS THAT NEEDED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE REPORTS. >> I DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLAINT. >> OKAY. JUST WHY NOBODY LOCAL USED? >> I JUST -- THREE OF OUR FIVE WERE LOCAL. I JUST WENT THROUGH THAT. THREE OF OUR FIVE WERE LOCAL. THERE'S -- I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR -- >> DON AND PAUL ARE LOCAL. >> OUR ENGINEER LOCAL, JACKSONVILLE BASED ENGINEERING COMPANY. >> HE'S LOCAL. HE'S RIGHT HERE. HE LIVES IN THE COUNTY. >> I DON'T GET IT. IT'S A RED HERRING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND. >> WE JUST -- WE DO SO MUCH HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THIS COMMUNITY, IT JUST SEEMED LIKE AN EFFORT WAS BEING MADE TO AVOID THAT. SORRY. >> I CAN'T FATHOM HOW YOU COME TO THAT CONCLUSION. >> OKAY, WELL, WE'LL LEAVE IT THAT WAY THEN. AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD NOTE IS THE FLORIDA EXISTING BUILDING CODE, AS LONG AS YOU GET THE WATER AWAY FROM THE BUILDING YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BEING REQUIRED TO DO TO MAINTAIN THAT BULDING. SO, I MEAN, YOU CAN GO IN, IN OTHER WORDS, YOU CAN GO IN AND MAKE REPAIRS. YOU CAN MAKE REPAIRS TO THE STRUCTURE, YOU CAN MAKE REPAIRS TO THE SITE. IT'S -- AND UNLESS YOU CHOOSE TO DO ALL OF THAT COLLECTIVELY YOU HIT A 50% RULE, WHICH, AGAIN, CAN BE WAIVED FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES, SO -- >> THAT'S CONTRARY TO OUR EXPERT REPORTS. >> I'M SURE IT IS. SO -- OKAY. QUESTIONS FROM OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD? [00:40:06] >> ACTUALLY I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION. THERE'S BEEN SOME DISCUSSION IN SOME OF THE EMAILS THAT WE'VE RECEIVED ABOUT WHY THE SHORT FORM WAS USED FOR THE -- IN THE MITIGATION FOR THE HABS OR ACTUALLY THE MITIGATION PLAN. PERHAPS MY COLLEAGUES KNOW MORE ABOUT THAT, WHY THE SHORT VERSION RATHER THAN THE LONG VERSION WAS USED. >> I'M AFRAID THAT'S PROBABLY PAUL'S PREROGATIVE AND I DON'T KNOW WHY HE CHOSE THAT FORM. >> OKAY. >> HE FOUND THAT APPROPRIATE, I PRESUME. >> OKAY. >> PART OF THE QUESTION THAT CAME UP THE LAST TIME THAT RELATES TO THAT WAS INTRODUCED AT THE APRIL 14TH MEETING IS THAT THE LARGE- SCALE FORMAT DRAWINGS AND THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT ARE PART OF THE HABS REQUIREMENT WERE NOT PROVIDED. SO UNLESS THERE'S AN EXHIBIT THAT WE DIDN'T GET, I DIDN'T SEE THOSE BEING PROVIDED THIS TIME AROUND EITHER. THAT AND THE FORMAT, YEAH, SAME QUESTION. THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE SUFFICIENT DOCUMENTATION TO DATE. OKAY. >> THERE IS PICTURES OF THE STRUCTURE ITSELF. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO? OF THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL? >> THERE ARE, YES, BUT THEY HAVE TO MEET THE HABS REQUIREMENTS. THIS IS NOT -- >> OKAY. >> -- GOING OUT WITH YOUR CELL PHONE AND TAKING A PICTURE SO, SORRY. >> I SEE, ALL RIGHT. >> ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHS. OKAY, AND YOU GUYS -- ALL RIGHT. I THINK UNLESS YOU HAVE MORE FROM YOUR SIDE, WE ARE READY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >> I'M AVAILABLE WITH ANY QUESTIONS AFTER PUBLIC COMMENT, THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> AND THESE ARE IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER. >> CAROLYN -- >> SORRY. CAROLYN COVERT? >> GOOD AFTERNOON. >> OKAY. >> I LIVE ON BEACH COMER WAY. >> GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS AND SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE. >> THANKS. >> 51 B, BEACHCOMER WAY. >> TIMER. >> IT REALLY BREAKS MY HEART -- >> BOARD MEMBER NEWMAN, CAN YOU START THE CLOCK? >> OH. THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL WAS ONE OF THE DECIDING FACTORS WHEN WE BROUGHT OUR PROPERTY ON VILANO. AND VILANO IS SLOWLY TURNING INTO A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. HIGH- RISE PIECES, BUILDINGS AND JUST THE WHOLE FLAVOR OF VILANO IS CHANGING AND YET THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL IS STILL HANGING IN THERE AND WE'RE JUST HOPING THAT IT WILL STAY. THERE'S ALWAYS MONEY FOR WHOEVER SPEAKS THE LOUDEST, AND HAS THE BIGGEST CLOUT, WE ALL KNOW THAT'S TRUE. WITH THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL I DON'T KNOW IF PEOPLE JUST ARE NOT THAT INVOLVED THAT THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE, BUT OF THOSE SWEET NUNS THAT YOU MENTIONED GARNERED 5 MILLION OR WHATEVER IT WAS, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE. SO, I PUT IT TO YOU THAT IF WE BAND TOGETHER, I WOULD BE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE MY TINY SUM, BUT I JUST THINK IT'S SO WORTH IT. ONCE WE TAKE THESE HISTORICAL BUILDINGS AWAY, THEY NEVER CAN BE BROUGHT BACK. AND IT'S JUST SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PART OF THE HISTORY HERE. AND SO MY DESIRE IS FOR IT TO STAY. I KNOW IT'S A BIG MONEY- MAKING PROPERTY AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE WANTING IT. BUT HISTORY IS SO VALUABLE, AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT WE COULD KEEP THIS WONDERFUL MOTEL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> JOANN CONRAD, 211 THIRD STREET. I'LL READ YOUR ADDRESS OUT LOUD. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, JOE AN CONRAD, 211 THIRD STREET, RIGHT NEXT TO VILANO BEACH. PLEASE SAVE MAGIC BEACH. I'M AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF MAGIC BEACH AT THIS TIME. MAGIC BEACH IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF VILANO BEACH SINCE 1971 WHEN IT WAS BUILT. IT'S CURRENTLY STANDING. [00:45:03] IT'S BEING ADVERTISED ON TRIPADVISOR AND SHOWING IT AS BOOKED AND REVIEWED WELL. NOT A MOTEL IN DISREPAIR. IT HAS NEVER FLOODED FROM STORM SURGE. RESIDENTS LIVED IN THE MAGIC BEACH FOR TWO STORM EVENTS THAT FLOODED THE ENTIRE NORTH BEACH AREA DOWN BY THE INTRACOASTAL. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO MENTION OF MAGIC BEACH FLOODING AND NO MENTION OF STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES. IT WAS A HAVEN FOR RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING STORM SURGE, FLOODING, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT CONTINUES. A FEW YEARS AGO WE CHAMPIONED TO SAVE MAGIC BEACH. AND IT WAS AT THAT TIME DESIGNATED A CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BUILDING. THE TRAFFIC SITUATION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. GRIDLOCK OCCURS QUITE OFTEN WITH LOCALS AND VISITORS EXPERIENCING AT TIMES HOURS GETTING OUT OF THE TOWN CENTER. THIS ADDITIONALLY CREATES CONDITIONS THAT WILL DELAY EMERGENCY VEHICLES, PARKING IN THE TOWN CENTER IS INADEQUATE AND A PROJECT THAT MUST ADD ONLY A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF PARKING FOR CUSTOMERS OF THE NEW ENDEAVOR WILL FURTHER EXACERBATE THE GRIDLOCK. TO LEGALLY DEMOLISH A HISTORIC PROPERTY SUBSTANTIAL DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PRESENTED AND REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE CRRB. ALL WE ASK IS AT THIS TIME AND UNTIL FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND CONSIDERATION IS PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW DEMOLITION OF MAGIC BEACH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> DO YOU WANT TO READ THIS? >> LINDA LASERVA, 301 GGENOA. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. SORRY. SORRY I SAT TOO FAR AWAY. LINDA LASERVA. I LIVE IN VILANO, A FEW BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE VILANO BEACH AND OWN A RETEAR BUSINESS. I AM CURRENTLY ON THE VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I AM ON THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND I HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE NORTH COASTAL DESIGN REVIEW BOARD SINCE 2015 AND FOUR YEARS OF THAT AS THE CHAIR. SO, I HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN VILANO AND WANT TO START WITH VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET BECAUSE I READ SOME OF THE NEGATIVE COMMENTS ABOUT IT. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT, YES, WE ARE A MAIN STREET IN FLORIDA, HOWEVER, WE ARE THE ONLY MAIN STREET IN ALL OF FLORIDA THAT IS NOT A CITY OR A TOWN AND IS A CRA, WHICH, YOU KNOW, STANDS FOR COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT FOR A REASON. OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS NOT -- THESE ARE PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS WHO LIVE IN VILANO. WE HAVE GMS OF HOTELS AND CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE, WE HAVE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT PEOPLE. WE HAVE THE GM OF MAJOR HOTELS, AND LAST IN THE LAST THREE YEARS VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET HAS HONESTLY VOLUNTEERED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF HOURS IN VILANO. CINDY CAN ATTEST TO THAT. VIVIAN CAN. MICHELLE. THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE UNDERTAKING IN VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET SO TO SUGGEST VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET DOES NOT HAVE A FEELING FOR VILANO, IT'S NOT TRUE. ON THE BOARD ARE TWO PEOPLE, BOARD MEMBERS ON THAT BOARD HAVE TEN CHILDREN BETWEEN THE AGES OF PRE-K AND TEENS. WE CARE ABOUT EVERYBODY, A CROSS SECTION OF PEOPLE IN VILANO AND WORKED EXTENSIVELY WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND THE CRA STEERING COMMITTEE HAS MET QUARTERLY FOR THE LAST 3 1/2 YEARS, I CO- CHAIR IT. WE WORKED WITH ST. JOHNS COUNTY, THEY HAVE DONATED HUNDREDS OF OF-- COMMITTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO VILANO, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT THE PURVIEW OF THIS BOARD, I HOPE, IS TO RECOGNIZE THE CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT ITEMS, BE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A CLEAR PLAN OF WHAT THOSE ITEMS ARE AND WHAT ANY DEVELOPER OR ANYBODY WHO COMES IN OR THE PEOPLE WHO SAVE IT NEED TO KEEP, BECAUSE OF IF THIS GOES BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WITHOUT THOSE SIGNIFICANTLY CULTURAL ITEMS HOW WILL THE NORTH COASTAL DESIGN REVIEW BOARD BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT HAPPENS AND I'M SURE SASHA AND HER TEAM WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THIS COMMITTEE DEEMS AS CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT REMAINS. THAT'S REALLY ALL I HAVE. QUESTIONS? THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. ILANO. >> THANK YOU. BARB GRAS GENESS. ARA GENESS. [00:50:25] >> BARBARA GENESS. ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. I AM A NORTH BEACH COMMUNITY ALLIANCE DIRECTOR AND ON THE PREVIOUS BACK IN APRIL WE PRESENTED TO YOU THAT THE MBCA CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF THE COMMUNITY IN NORTH BEACH AND 75% WERE AGAINST DEMOLITION. LET'S BE CLEAR THEY DIDN'T SAY, OKAY, AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A SIGN ENDOA TRIBUTE WALL, THEY SAID NO TO DEMOLITION. FROM DEBBIE DICKINSON WHO COULD NOT BE HERE BUT ASKED ME TO READ THIS, PRESIDENT OF MBCA, STOP DESTROYING COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS WITH OVER AND INAPPROPRIATE DEVELOPMENT. CERTAINLY DO NOT ALLOW THE DESTRUCTION OF CULTURALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURES WHEN DEVELOPERS' PLANS ARE UNKNOWN AND NOT APPROVED. TO APPROVE VAGUE DESCRIPTIVE PLANS WITHOUT ESSENTIAL INFORMATION IS PUTTING THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE, STOP THE MADNESS AND DESTRUCTION, PRIORITIZE CORRECTLY. THIS PERSPECTIVE CHANGE IN GROWTH MANAGEMENT WILL BENEFIT ST. JOHNS COUNTY OVER TIME. WHY WOULD YOU DEMO AN ICONIC STRUCTURALLY SOUND BUILDING BEFORE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO? VILANO BEACH HAS ITS OWN ZONING DEVELOPED WITH THE COUNTY AND COMMUNITY INPUT AS PART OF THAT. THE COUNTY SPENT MILLIONS IN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR VILANO BEACH FOR UNDERGROUND STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SO THAT YOU WOULD NOT HAVE AND WE DON'T HAVE FLOODING. IT INCLUDED STREET SCAPE AS WELL. WE ARE VERY THANKFUL TO THE SCIENTISTS FOR THEIR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET. THE REASON FLORIDA VERNACULAR AND ART DECO ARE THE REQUIRED DESIGNS ARE TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR EXISTING HISTORIC STRUCTURE, NOT TO TEAR THEM DOWN AND REBUILD IN THAT STYLE. WHEN AIR FORCE BASED WHAT MAKES MAGIC BEACH HISTORIC OR SIGNIFICANT, IT'S THE BUILDING. THE ARCHITECTURE THAT DEFINES WHAT MAKES VILANO BEACH UNIQUE. I'VE SEEN THE QUESTION WHO ELSE WILL BUY IT? AS FAR AS I CAN TELL IT, IT'S NOT FOR SALE. I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT BUYING IT. DON'T THINK IT'S FOR SALE. I'VE BEEN BY THERE MULTIPLE TIMES, IT'S PACKED SOLID. I WENT ONLINE TO TRY TO BOOK. I COULDN'T. IT WAS BOOKED UNTIL I THINK LIKE JULY 9TH. YES, IT'S FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND AND THE RECENTLY REVIEWS FROM JUNE JUST NOW WERE 10 OUT OF 10 AND HOW GREAT THE STAFF IS THERE. SOMEBODY SAID, WHAT OTHER PLANS DO WE HAVE? I'M PRETTY SURE THE OWNER WOULD HAVE APPROACHED MAIN STREET COMMUNITY FOR ASSISTANCE AND THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN BENEFITS OF BEING A MAIN STREET. THERE ARE WAYS YOU CAN GET ASSISTANCE IF YOU NEED IT. AND ALSO DONE AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FOR REUSING IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE OF HOW IT IS DOESN'T WORK FOR THEM. WE LIVE IN A NATION'S OLDEST CITY. THANK GOODNESS THE CITY HAS TAKEN GREAT CARE TO PRESERVE HISTORIC STRUCTURES. PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW ANY BUILDINGS TO BE DEMOLISHED WITHOUT APPROVED PLANS OR WE WILL BE LEFT WITH VACANT LOTS. CERTAINLY DO NOT APPROVE THE DEMOLITION OF AN ICONIC STRUCTURE AS MAGIC BEACH THAT MAKES MAGIC BEACH -- MAKES THE MAGIC IN VILANO. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. DON CRISP LO. NO? OKAY. MAUREEN O'CONNOR. >> MAUREEN O'CONNOR, 4260 MYRTLE STREET, VILANO BEACH. BOARD MEMBERS AND COUNTY, MAGIC BEACH MOTEL MUST BE SAVED FROM DEMOLITION. IT HAS REPRESENTED THE ESSENCE OF VILANO BEACH SINCE 1951. ITS DESIGN AND DECOR ARE APPEALING ENOUGH TO CONTINUALLY ATTRACT MANY VISITORS CURRENTLY AND OVER THE YEARS, TV AND MOVIE PRODUCERS HAVE USED THE MOTEL IN THEIR PRODUCTIONS. IN '21 WHEN A MAJOR HOTEL WAS PROPOSED ON THE SITE OF MAGIC BEACH BEACH HOTEL, PUBLIC OUTCRY WAS SUCCESSFUL IN HALTING THE PROJECT. YET, JUST ONE YEAR LATER IN MAY OF '22, MR. PATEL PURCHASED THE MOTEL FOR $3.8 MILLION. ST. AUGUSTINE RECORD REPORTED IN MAY OF '22 THAT, QUOTE, THE NEW OWNERS ARE A BOUTIQUE MANAGEMENT COMPANY HAVE NO PLANS TO CHANGE THE ICONIC VINTAGE MOTEL ASIDE FROM SOME GENERAL REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS. [00:55:04] AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE, MR. PATEL KNEW OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE RESISTANCE TO ANY DEMOLITION OF THE PROPERTY AND SHOULD HAVE DONE HIS OWN DUE DILIGENCE AS TO THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE PROPERTY. HE IS A PRINCIPAL OF AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN HOTEL MANAGEMENT COMPANY. IN LESS THAN THREE YEARS MR. PATEL FILED FOR AN APPLICATION FOR DEMOLITION WITHOUT SUBMITTING THE SUBSTANTIAL DOCUMENTATION BACKING UP THE CLAIMS THAT THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND AND THE HOTEL IS LOSING MONEY. PLANS HAVE BEEN TOTALLY REVERSED AS MR. PATEL HAS AGREED, I ASSUME, WITH MR. RICK JOHNSTON TO SELL THE PROPERTY TO HIM AND SUBSEQUENTLY MR. JOHNSTON WILL DEMOLISH IT FOR HIS OWN PLAN TO MULTIPURPOSE BUILDINGS. OVER THE YEARS THE CONSTANT DEMOLITION IN VILANO BEACH TOWN CENTER REDUCED THE NUMBER OF CLASSIC BUILDINGS TO A HANDFUL AND REPLACED BY MAJOR DEVELOPMENT. VILANO BEACH TOWN CENTER IS RAPIDLY LOSING ITS SMALL TOWN APPEARANCE AND AMBIENCE AS RESIDENTS OF VILANO BEACH ONCE MORE ARE FACING THE LOSS OF THIS ICONIC BUILDING. THE PROPOSED STRUCTURES WILL EXACERBATE BOTH PARKING AND TRAFFIC ISSUES CURRENTLY FACING RESIDENTS AS WELL AS VISITORS. CURRENTLY TRAFFIC IS UNMANAGEABLE BOTH ENTERING AND EXITING VILANO BEACH TOWN CENTER. IT IS ALMOST UNATTAINABLE DURING SUMMER BEACH DAYS BUT, LOOK, MANAGEMENT REPORTED LOSS OF REVENUES, TRAFFIC AND PARKING ISSUES HAMPER PATRONS TO THE FEW LOCAL BUSINESSES STILL OPERATING IN VILANO. A1A IS A TWO- LANE HIGHWAY AND THE BRIDGE IS TWO LANES AND BACKED UP FROM PORPOIS POINT AND THOSE ENTERING AND CARS COMING INTO THE TOWN CENTER ARE BACKED UP OVER THE BRIDGE. CONTRAIRE TO PRESS RELEASES AND PROMOTIONAL MEETINGS REGARDING THE OVERWHELMING BENEFITS OF DEVELOPMENT, THE DEVELOPMENT ONLY PROFITS THE DEVELOPERS, NOT THE RESIDENTS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. SASH THAT MARTIN. A MARTIN. >> SASHA MARTIN, 133 COASTAL HOLLOW CIRCLE. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE REVIEW BOARD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VOLUNTEERING TO SERVE ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT COUNTY CULTURAL RESOURCE REVIEW BOARD. TODAY IT COMES DOWN TO A CHOICE BETWEEN PRESERVING OUR HISTORY AND SAVING A SENSE OF PLACE VERSUS NEW ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION. WHEN EACH OF US CAME HERE WE CHOSE TO LIVE NEAR THE CITY OF ST. AUGUSTINE'S PRESERVATION OF HISTORY, THAT'S STILL AVAILABLE TO US TODAY. IT ALSO DRIVES TOURISM AND, THEREFORE, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY TO MANY OF US. THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE HERE AND TO VISIT HERE. WHEN MAKING A DECISION OR GIVING DIRECTION TODAY, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT YOUR MISSION IS OF OUR COMMUNITY'S CULTURE WHENEVER THAT'S POSSIBLE. WE ASSUME YOU WILL UNDERSTAND THAT THE REALLY RELEVANT AND POSSIBLY FUTURE ATTENDANCE FACTS ARE TO BE CONSIDERED COMPARED TO WHAT MAY BE PRESENTED BY THE APPLICANT AND MAKE THE BEST DECISION FROM THAT. WE UNDERSTAND YOU TAKE THE OBLIGATION FOR ASSURANCE SERIOUSLY, AND MANY OF THOSE WHO HAVE SENT YOU WRITTEN COMMENTS OR ARE HERE TODAY IN THE AUDITORIUM ARE HOPING YOU WILL HELP SAVE THE MAGIC IN VILANO BEACH. THANK YOU. I'D JUST LIKE TO ASK THE PEOPLE IN THE AUDITORIUM TODAY WHO WOULD LIKE TO SEE MAGIC BEACH BE SAVED AND NOT DEMOLISHED TO STAND UP. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION. >> SORRY. KEITH WILLARD. >> KEITH WILLARD, 66 FERRELL ROAD, VILANO BEACH. [01:00:06] I AM RESPONDING TO THE WARNING BY THE APPLICANT THAT THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL PROPERTY WILL EASILY BE SUBJECT TO FLOODING AND THEREFORE REGULARLY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO BEING DEMOLISHED BY AN ACT OF NATURE. I HAVE LIVED ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM THE MAGIC BEACH AT 66 FERRELL ROAD FOR 24 YEARS SINCE 2001, I'VE NEVER BEEN FLOODED. NEIGHBORS, ARNIE AND JUDY GREIVIS AT 13 FERRELL WITHIN VIEW OF THE MAGIC BEACH NEXT DOOR THE OCEAN VIEW LODGE HAVE LIVED THERE FOR 34 YEARS SINCE 1986 AND CAN TESTIFY THAT THEIR PROPERTY HAS NEVER FLOODED IN ALL OF THAT TIME. ANOTHER NEIGHBOR ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME, VIRGINIA CAPHAN SINCE 1956 REPORTED THAT NO FLOODING EVEN WHEN HARRY MADE LANDFALL IN VILANO BEACH IN 1964 WHERE THE WINDS WERE 110 MILES AN HOUR PER HOUR. IS THE MAGIC BEACH OWNER AWARE IN 2006 TO 2008 WHEN THE VILANO TOWN CENTER WAS BEING DEVELOPED A NEW VERY LARGE UNDERGROUND STORMWATER AND IRRIGATION AND FILTRATION SYSTEM WAS CONSTRUCTED TO SERVICE THE ENTIRE TOWN CENTER. IT IS LOCATED UNDERGROUND JUST A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE MAGIC BEACH UNDER A ROAD IN BETWEEN THE OCEANFRONT PARK AND OCEAN VIEW LODGE YOU CAN CHECK WITH GREG CALDWELL WHO OVERSAW THAT PROJECT. HE IS NOW DIRECTOR OF THE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. THE ORIGINAL MAGIC BEACH BUILDING HAS BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 75 YEARS AND IS STILL STANDING. IN ADDITION I BELIEVE THERE IS A SPECIAL FLOOD MANAGEMENT PLAN AVAILABLE FOR HISTORIC STRUCTURES WITH SUBSIDIZED INSURANCE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. TO THE COUNTY ATTORNEY, IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR THEM IF THEY HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO LEAVE THOSE WITH THE STAFF OR -- >> NO. >> OKAY. >> THE ONLY THING LEFT WITH STAFF ARE ANY TYPE OF MATERIALS, DEPICTIONS THAT ARE PLACED ON THE CENTER CONSOLE. >> I'M SORRY. >> ANYTHING THAT GOES WITH STAFF AND GOES INTO THE PART OF THE RECORD IS NOT THE WRITTEN WORDS BUT IF THEY HAVE ANY DEMONSTRATIVE EVIDENCE THEY'RE PUTTING ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, THAT WOULD GO TO STAFF. >> OKAY. HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY UNDERSTOOD THAT SO NOT YOUR WRITTEN WORDS BUT IF THERE ARE ANY GRAPHICS. >> CORRECT. >> OKAY. JAMES SLATLAND, SORRY. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JAMES SLATLAND. I LIVE AT 4476 PULLMAN CIRCLE AND I'M AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF AN IRREPLACEABLE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL WHICH IS PART OF THE HISTORY AND UNIQUE SENSE OF A PLACE FOR VILANO BEACH AND ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THERE IS A BUILDING EVALUATION AND FEASIBILITY REPORT PROMOTING DEMOLITION ATTACHED TO THE REVIEW BOARD'S MEETING AGENDA BY THE APPLICANT FOR DEMOLITION. HERE ARE MY COMMENTS. CRACKS, MOLD, RUST AND INSUFFICIENT ELECTRICAL WIRING, POOR WORKMANSHIP MAY BE UGLY OR IN NEED OF REPAIR. LEAKS ALWAYS NEED CAULKING. WE ALL GET THESE PROBLEMS IN OUR OWN HOMES. BUT DOES THAT MEAN THE BUILDING IS STRUCTURAL DEFICIENT? UNSTABLE OR UNSAFE? NO. WHAT ACTUALLY AFFECTS THE ABILITY TO OPERATE IN A PLACE WHERE TO OCCUPY IT DOES THE PROPERTY STILL FUNCTION? THE ANSWER IS, YES. IF MAINTENANCE IS NOT CARRIED OUT, RESULTS DO MULTIPLY WITH MANY MORE PROBLEMS. ELECTRICAL INSUFFICIENCY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN ANY CASE. THE RECONSTRUCTION WORK DONE BY THE PRIOR OWNERS OBVIOUSLY WAS PERMITTED BY THE COUNTY AND PASSED INSPECTION. INCLUDING REMEDIES FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY. AND WE HAVE TO ASSUME IT WAS TURNED OVER IN GOOD OPERATING CONDITION AND THAT THE NEW OWNER, MR. PATEL, DID HIS OWN FEASIBILITY ENGINEERING STUDY BEFORE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR $3.8 MILLION. AND, IN FACT, I HEARD TODAY [01:05:03] IT'S LOSING $1.7 MILLION A YEAR AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SOMEBODY WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A HOTEL LIKE THIS FOR $3.8 MILLION WHEN IT'S LOSING 1.7 MILLION A YEAR. MAGIC BEACH MOTEL IS GRANDFATHERED REGARDING CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS, ITS 75-YEAR- OLD AND THE 50% RULE REFERRED TO DOES NOT APPLY TO MAINTENANCE OR RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. PAULA CHILDRESS. >> HI THERE. PAULA CHILDRESS, 1255 PONCE ISLAND DRIVE. THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED THAT ARGUE THAT MAGIC BEACH BE DEMOLISHED INCLUDE A JAX BEACH SUBMARKET COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS. WHAT DOES NOT APPLY HERE IS THE DESIRE BY A GUEST FOR MODERN UPSCALE. AS BACKGROUND I HAVE WORKED FOR SEVERAL ELITE HOTEL CHAINS. I HAVE HAD A CAREER IN THE HOTEL INDUSTRY. IN MY OPINION, YOU CANNOT COMPARE A HOTEL -- YOU CANNOT COMPARE A HISTORIC AND MOM AND POP- TYPE MOTEL TO A NORMAL CHAIN HOTEL. MOST PEOPLE GO TO A HOTEL TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP AND HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE. THE COMPARATIVE AMENITIES ARE DIFFERENT IN HOW THEY ARE MEANINGFUL AS WELL. IN ADDITION TO ITS SEDUCTIVE CHARMS WITH HAND PAINTED WALL MURALS IN THE ROOMS, MAGIC BEACH IS STEPS FROM THE OCEAN BEACH. SOME ROOMS HAVE JACUZZIS, GUESTS USED TO GET BREAKFAST BUT NO LONGER. MANY ZONING REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN GRANDFATHERED HERE AND HISTORIC BUILDINGS HAVE OR IN THIS CASE COULD HAVE A FULLY VETTED HISTORICALLY POSITIVE REGULATIONS AND ASSISTANCE, WHICH COULD APPLY, MAGIC BEACH IS ELIGIBLE FOR LANDMARK STATUS AND NATIONAL HISTORIC RECOGNITION AS WELL AS HISTORIC DISTRICT RECOGNITION. THE DOCUMENTS REFERRED TO LACK OF PROPER PROFITABILITY TO MAKE THE BUSINESS WORTHWHILE. WHY IS IT THEN THAT THE HISTORIC SEA SPRAY SURF LODGE FROM THE 1950S IN VERO BEACH AND THE AMIGO MOTOR LODGE IN SALIDA, COLORADO COLORADO, WITH 17 ROOMS EACH ARE PROFITABLE AND WHAT ABOUT CHECKING WITH THOSE ON ROUTE 66? HOW CAN THEY BE PROFITABLE? MAGIC BEACH HAS 24 ROOMS FOR PROFIT POSSIBILITY, CREATE NEW WAYS TO REDUCE THE COSTS FOR MAINTENANCE, REMEMBER, IF IT'S GONE, IT'S GONE FOREVER. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. DOUG CLAY. >> I HAVE A PHOTO ON A CELL PHONE. DOES THAT WORK ON THIS OR NO? I'M SORRY. DID YOU HEAR ME. >> JUST PLACE IT ON THE X RIGHT THERE. ON THE METAL PODIUM. >> I'M NOT SURE WHERE. >> BACK TO THE PODIUM YOU WERE. >> OKAY. >> STARTING. AND THEN SHE SAYS PLACE IT ON THE X. OKAY. >> ON THE X. OKAY. >> X MARKS THE SPOT. OKAY. >> MAKE THAT BIGGER? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. CAN I START? OKAY. I WAS IN FRONT OF THIS ESTEEMED GROUP BEFORE AND I TALKED ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE MAGIC BEACH HOTEL AND HOW OVER THE YEARS DIFFERENT OWNERS AND STUFF HAD ADDED TO THE HOTEL, MADE IT MORE ENJOYABLE, ADDED ROOMS TO IT, PUT IN A SWIMMING POOL. THE PARKING LOT AND, OF COURSE, THAT WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL SIGN THAT IS OUT FRONT THAT YOU CAN SEE UP HERE, WHICH, BY THE WAY, NOWADAYS DOES NOT WORK. IT WAS WORKING UNTIL THE PRESENT OWNER STARTED COMING IN. SO WHAT WE'VE SEEN IS I THINK IS A DELIBERATE USE OF THIS HOTEL OR TO HAVE IT GO TO SEED. OVER THE YEARS IT'S BEEN [01:10:03] CARED FOR VERY NICELY BY ALL THE PREVIOUS OWNERS WHO HAVE MADE IMPROVEMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT BUT THE LAST OWNER FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAS NOT REALLY MADE VERY MANY IMPROVEMENTS AND IS GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND THEN THEY'RE USING THAT FOR AN EXCUSE. WE SAW SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO THAT DOWN AT THE REGENCY MALL OR UP IN THE REGENCY MALL UP IN JASHGZVILLE WHERE OVER THE YEARS THEY DIDN'T MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, THEY DIDN'T FISSION IT UP AND IT WENT TO SEED AND ACTUALLY THE CITY STARTED FINING THEM FOR IT AND NOW IT'S GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED AND THERE'S GOING TO BE ALL SORTS OF CONDOS THAT ARE BUILT. SOUND FAMILIAR? BASICALLY IT'S EXACTLY THE SAME THING WE'RE SEEING HERE. WE'RE GOING TO LOSE AN ICONIC MOTEL THAT'S DOWN HERE ON THE BEACH THAT PEOPLE COME TO, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME HERE THAT COME HERE YEAR AFTER YEAR BECAUSE THEY LOVE THIS PLACE. I HAVE STAYED AT THIS PLACE TOO AND IT'S VERY NICE. AND WE SHOULDN'T LET IT GO. IT'S A MAGIC BEACH HOTEL. IT'S MAGIC. THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE LIKE IT ON THE BEACH. THERE'S NOTHING ELSE EVEN CLOSE TO IT I THINK EVEN IN FLORIDA. WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY THAT BUT THERE PROBABLY ISN'T VERY MANY. WHAT I DO IS I'D LIKE YOU TO KEEP THIS MOTEL THE BEST WE CAN BECAUSE IT'S ICONIC AND IT REPRESENTS VILANO BEACH, THE BEST OF VILANO BEACH AS WE'VE HAD IT OVER THE YEARS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. SO WE'RE COVERED ON THE LEGAL SIDE WITH THE PICTURE, YES? >> IT'S CAPTURED IN THE RECORD. >> OKAY. WHOLE NEW TECHNOLOGY. ELLERY FREEMAN. >> GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD. ESTEEMED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY, I'M ELLERY FREEMAN AND LIVE AT 90 COLIN AVENUE AND LIVED AT 105 VILANO ROAD BEFORE THEY TURNED IT INTO A HYATT OR WHATEVER. I HAVE MADE ST. AUGUSTINE MY HOME FOR ALL OF 34 YEARS OF MY LIFE. I HAVE SEEN ELEMENTS OF MY CHILDHOOD AND MY HISTORY BULLDOZED AND PAVED OVER REPEATEDLY AND WITH FRIGHTENING REGULARITY. I WATCHED MY CHILDHOOD HOME AT 1015 VILANO ROAD GET TORN DOWN AND TURNED INTO ANOTHER CHAIN HOTEL. MAGIC BEACH MOTEL HOLES A SPECIAL PLACE FOR ME. I LOST MY VIRGINITY THERE. IT IS DEFINITELY MAGIC AND IT IS DEFINITELY A SPECIAL THING. ST. AUGUSTINE IS A SPECIAL PLACE AND TO HEAR YET ANOTHER DEVELOPER COME IN WITH A VAGUE PLAN CHASING THEORETICAL NUMBERS REMINDS ME A LOT OF WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE FIRST GOLF COURSE IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA, THE RESPONSE PONCE DE LEON RESORT THAT I NOW LIVE ON 90 COLON WHICH I HAVE WATCHED LAY FALL LOW FOR OVER A DECADE WITH NO CLEAR PLAN OF DEVELOPMENT, HIT OR MISS BUILDINGS BEING PUT UP, SLOW EXPANSION. PROMISES. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THAT ON VILANO. VMA IS TOO IMPORTANT TO ME. THANK YOU. ILANO IS TOO IMPORTANT TO ME. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> CYNTHIA ROBINSON. >> OH, GOOD AFTERNOON. CYNTHIA ROBINSON, 1703 WINDJAMMER LANE, ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA. SO, I'M NEW TO BEING A PRESERVATION ACTIVIST, BUT I HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF BEING A PRESERVATION ENJOYER, SO I CAME SEPARATE FROM RESEARCH, I WENT BY THE MAGIC BEACH ON MY WAY, BECAUSE I PASS BY THIS SIGN ALL THE TIME BUT I HAD NEVER ACTUALLY STOPPED AND TALKED TO ANYONE AND REALLY LOOKED AT THE STRUCTURE AND GONE INTO A ROOM, SO I DID THAT TODAY, SO I WOULD BE BETTER INFORMED FOR THIS MEETING. IT'S REALLY FUN. IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE THAT YOU WANT TO GO. IT'S THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE YOU'RE NOT JUST A SIGHTSEER OR A TOURIST, BUT SOMEONE WHO REALLY COMES TO ABSORB A PIECE OF OUR PAST AND TO ENJOY THE WAY THINGS USED TO BE. I'M AFRAID THAT IF WE ALLOW FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE MAGIC BEACH, THERE WILL BE NOTHING REALLY LEFT OF THE DECO FLAVOR OF THE COMMUNITY. WITH THE NEW HOTELS, THE SCALE IS SO DIFFERENT FROM THE SCALE OF THE MAGIC BEACH, AND PRESERVATION IS NOT JUST [01:15:03] ABOUT PUTTING A CURVED WALL OR A CURVED METAL RAILING ON SOMETHING, IT'S ABOUT SCALE AS WELL. AND I'M REALLY AFRAID THAT IF WE SACRIFICE THIS ONE PIECE THAT PROJECT WILL JUST EAT UP THE SPIRIT OF WHAT WE ALL WANTED THIS COMMUNITY TO BE WHEN WE BECAME PART OF IT. SO, I'M ADVOCATING THAT WE FIND A WAY TO KEEP IT. THE MURALS ARE INCREDIBLE, AND, OF COURSE, THE SIGN AND I THINK IT JUST MAKES US WHO WE ARE AND WE NEED TO VALUE THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ED SLAVIN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ED SLAVIN, BOX 3084, ED SLAVIN. I WANT TO THANK OUR COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR GETTING US THIS ROOM. I HOPE WE MEET IN THIS ROOM FROM NOW ON. THERE WERE AT LEAST 60 PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO A LITTLE MEETING ROOM IN THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT WITH FIVE TV CAMERAS, AND THE COUNTY SHOWED DISRESPECT TO FOLKS WHO WANT TO SPEAK ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION BY HAVING THOSE MEETINGS IN THAT ROOM FOR YEARS. I'M SO GRATEFUL TO OUR CURRENT COUNTY COMMISSION CHAIR MEMBERS FOR HAVING US HERE. FASTER THAN A SPEEDING DUMP TRUCK WHAT WE KNOW AND LOVE ABOUT ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND ST. AUGUSTINE IS BEING DESTROYED AND DEMOLISHED AND CALLING YOUR ATTENTION AS THE CHAIR DID TO THE QUOTE FROM MR. KOPPENHAFER, IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY THEY REFER TO ANY BUILDING OVER 50 YEARS AS OLD AS HISTORIC, WHICH CONFUSES THE LEHMAN TO ASSUME THAT THIS IS A HISTORIC STRUCTURE. THE MAGIC BEACH IS NOT A REGISTERED HISTORIC STRUCTURE BY ANY FEDERAL OR STATE DEFINITION. I THINK THE CHAIR HAS REBUTTED SUFFICIENTLY WHAT MR. KOPPENHAFER HAD TO SAY, WHICH IS WORTHY OF NO WEIGHT WHATSOEVER. ALSO THE ECONOMIST REPORT AND THE OTHER REPORTS THAT THE HIRED GUNS HAVE PROVIDED ARE NOT WORTHY OF BELIEF. IT IS HISTORIC. IT IS PART OF OUR CULTURE. IT'S A 1951 BUILDING WHICH MEANS IT'S EVEN OLDER THAN ME AND I'M DEFINITELY HISTORIC. WE NEED TO LANDMARK THIS BUILDING. WE NEED TO HAVE IT BE PRESERVED FOREVER AND WE NEED TO REJECT THE ECONOMIST, SO- CALLED, AND THE ARCHITECT WHO WOULD SUPPORT DEMOLISHING THIS BUILDING. HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY DO THAT? THIS BUILDING IS PART OF THE STRUCTURE, PART OF THE FABRIC, PART OF THE CULTURE OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY AND VILANO BEACH. WE LOVE IT. WE LOVE THIS BUILDING. WE LOVE OUR HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND THEY'RE WORTH PRESERVING AND I SALUTE YOU, CHAIR KEYS, 40 SOME YEARS, 47 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION, I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE WAY YOU CONDUCTED THAT MEETING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE COUNTY WOULDN'T TELEVISE IT IN THIS ROOM BUT I GOT MY NOTES, NOBODY CAN READ THEM BUT ME BUT I WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE CONDUCT OF THIS BOARD IN THAT MEETING A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND I KNOW THIS BOARD IS GOING TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND YOU'RE SCHOLARLY, YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. IT IS HISTORIC AND I WOULD QUOTE FROM THE STATE DIVISION OF HISTORIC RESOURCES THAT SAID IT WAS PAINFUL, I THINK THEY SAID PAINFUL TO SEE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL HISTORIC AUTHENTIC BUILDING UP FOR DEMOLITION. LET'S NOT ENDORSE ANY MORE DEMOLITIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN TOO MANY. TOO DOGGONE MANY, AND WE'VE SEEN IN OUR LIFETIMES HERE IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY SO MANY WONDERFUL HISTORIC STRUCTURES DESTROYED BUT NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE MEETING IN THIS ROOM THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING LITERALLY. AND WE SALUTE YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS, AND I THINK EVERYBODY SO FAR HAS TESTIFIED IN FAVOR OF PRESERVATION. THANK YOU, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN- >> JUST AS A POINT OF CLARIFICATION, THE FIRE MARSHAL DID COUNT HEADS AND WE HAD 54 PEOPLE WHICH WAS MAXIMUM CAPACITY. >> THANK YOU. I HAVE SALLIE O'HARA, BUT I'M NOT SURE -- OKAY. >> IS IT OKAY IF WE SWITCH? I HAVE TO LEAVE. [01:20:01] >> SO CINDY? >> CINDY KAMALA HARRIS TAYLOR, 31 FERRELL ROAD, ST. AUGUSTINE. SO, SO FAR I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM ASKING -- >> HANG ON JUST A MINUTE. YOU'RE SET. IS CINDY CAMPBELL TAYLOR 31 FEDERAL ROAD, ST. AUGUSTINE. I AM ASKING YOU VOTE NO ON THE CURRENT REQUEST FOR THE DEMOLITION OF MAGIC BEACH. THIS IS MUCH BIGGER THAN ZONING CODES AND PROPERTY RIGHTS AND IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN VILANO BEACH. NOBODY HAS SAID THEY'RE OPPOSED TO ECONOMIC VITALITY AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CONTINUE TO HEAR FROM THE ARGUMENTS, BUT ECONOMIC VITALITY NEEDS TO MAKE SENSE, RIGHT? AND IT NEEDS TO SUPPORT THE EFFORTS AND PROTECT THE RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY'S QUALITY OF LIFE. IT NEEDS TO ENHANCE THE ECOLOGICAL CONNECTIVITY AND ALSO PROTECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AT THE COMMUNITY THAT IT'S BEING PROPOSED IN AND ALWAYS, ALWAYS ECONOMIC VITALITY SHOULD BE ORDERLYAND A TRANSPARENT PROCESS. RICK, THE DEVELOPER, HAS BEEN ASKED MULTIPLE TIMES TO PRESENT THE PLAN, THE ENTIRE PLAN THAT HE PLANS TO DO OR THAT HE INTENDS TO BILL THERE AND HAS YET TO DO THAT. SO ASK OURSELVES WHY AND I THINK WE KNOW THE ANSWER. VILANO BEACH WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE AN AREA WHERE EVERY SQUARE INCH BECOMES A VICTIM OF VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL OVERDEVELOPMENT. DEMOLISHING MAGIC BEACH WILL FURTHER EXASPERATE THE CURRENT ISSUES WE ARE FACING, AND MY LAST POINT ON THIS IS AN ARGUMENT THAT VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET CONTINUES TO MAKE. FOR PEOPLE TO COME UP AND WHO IS GOING TO BUY IT AND WHO IS GOING TO MAINTAIN IT? THAT IS PART OF THE PROBLEM. WHEN I SPOKE WITH A MEMBER, A LEADER ON THE VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET AND BY THE WAY I SERVED WITH VILANO BEACH MAIN STREET FOR FOUR YEARS AS THE VICE PRESIDENT AND AS LINDA STATED EARLIER PUT IN THOUSANDS OF HOURS, NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT MY TEAM FROM MY COMPANY IN DEDICATING OUR TIME TO VILANO BEACH BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN IT. SO, THE QUESTION CAME UP IN JANUARY WHEN I HAD A CONVERSATION IS WHAT ARE ALTERNATIVES? AND THERE WERE GOING TO BE ALTERNATIVES RESEARCHED BUT THEN A MEETING HAPPENED IN JANUARY WITH THE BRAND- NEW BOARD WITH RICK COMING IN TO PRESENT WHAT HE WANTED TO DO AND TO DEMOLISH MAGIC BEACH AND WHEN I ASKED AFTER THAT MEETING, SO WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU RESEARCHING AND LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVES, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS WHAT ARE THE ALTERNATIVES, SAVE MAGIC BEACH AND LOOK AT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES AND THIS WAS THE RESPONSE I GOT, THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN TOO MUCH TIME. WHO HAS THAT KIND OF TIME? WE ALL DO. >> THANK YOU. SALLIE COME UP AND HAVE ONE FINAL SPEAKER AND THAT IS MR. PATEL. OH. DO WE HAVE A CARD FOR VIVIAN? >> IT'S ON THE TABLE. >> I'LL LOOK THROUGH MY PILE. >> GO AHEAD. >> SALLIE O'HARA, P.O. BOX 6. THIS IS IN OPPOSITION TO THE DEMOLITION PERMIT AND TO STATE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW FOR THE CRMP IS DEFICIENT. WE ARE NOT JUST DEBATING THE FATE OF A SINGLE STRUCTURE. >>> WE ARE DECIDING WHETHER POLITICAL WILL, PROPERTY RIGHTS AND THE VOICES OF THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS WILL BE RESPECTED OR WHETHER THIS GOVERNMENT WILL SET A PRECEDENT FOR OVERREACH IN FAVOR OF A PRIVATE GAIN. MORE THAN 2,000 PEOPLE HAVE WEIGHED IN THROUGH SURVEYS, PETITIONS, LETTERS, AND PUBLIC COMMENTS OVERWHELMINGLY IN SUPPORT OF PRESERVING THIS HISTORIC PROPERTY. IT DESERVES WEIGHT MEANWHILE THE OWNER WHO PURCHASED THIS PROPERTY IN 2022 FOR 3. 8 MILL NOW SEEKS A PAYOUT OF 4. 7 MILL BY A DEVELOPER ARGUING DEMOLITION IS THE ONLY OPTION. THE PROPERTY IS NOT OPENLY LISTED FOR SALE. THE RECORD STRONGLY SUGGESTS THIS IS NOT ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OR COMMUNITY BENEFIT, IT'S ABOUT RECOVERING A QUESTIONABLE INVESTMENT. DEMOLITION IS NOT A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE. IT REQUIRES SUBSTANTIAL VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE [01:25:02] THAT ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA ARE MET. TO BE CLEAR, THE CRMP DOES NOT SATISFY THESE CRITERIA. ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY, IT MUST BE SHOWN CONCLUSIVELY WITH DETAILED FINANCIAL ANALYSIS THAT REHAB IS BEYOND REASONABLE MEANS, NO SUCH RIGOROUS INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL EVIDENCE HAS BEEN PRESENTED COMPARATIVES TO JACK'S BEACH SUBMARKETS AND ADR PRESENTATIONS ONLY SUBSTANTIATE PAID CONSULTANTS EARNING THEIR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION. UNUSUAL AND COMPELLING CIRCUMSTANCES, NOTHING PRESENTED DEMONSTRATES A CIRCUMSTANCE SO EXTRAORDINARY THAT THE DEMOLITION BECOMES THE ONLY RECOURSE. THE PROPERTY IS WITHOUT QUESTION OPERATING AS A VIABLE BUSINESS WITH EXCEPTIONAL REVIEWS, UNSAFE STRUCTURAL CONDITIONS, WHILE DETERIORATION EXISTS, THE PROPERTY HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND TO THE POINT OF IMMINENT COLLAPSE. QUALIFIED INDEPENDENT ENGINEERING HISTORIC PRESERVATION ASSESSMENTS, NOT MERELY SELECTIVE REPORTS MUST CONFIRM THE STANDARD. DEFINITIVE REUSE, NO CREDIBLE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR CONSTRUCTION OR REPLACEMENT PLANS OR PRESENTED. AND THERE'S BEEN NO ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS, NONE OF THESE REQUIRED FINDINGS HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIATED AND I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE FOLLOW SHIPBO'S RECOMMENDATION TO STAY THIS DEMOLITION REQUEST TO FURTHER STUDY AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES FOR SAVING MAGIC BEACH. WE NEED EVIDENCE- BASED SYSTEMS AND WE SHOULD NOT BYPASS THE RIGHTS AND VOICES OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >> I THINK WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND WE DO HAVE VIVIAN BROWNING'S CARD NOW AND MR. PATEL WILL BE LAST SINCE HE'S THE PROPERTY OWNER. UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER CARD COMING? OKAY. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR. TREY ASNER DID, INDEED FILL OUT A SECONDARY CARD. MY APOLOGIES. >> OKAY, HE COULD BE AFTER MS. BROWNING. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. VIVIAN BROWNING, 30 BEACH WAY, VILANO, SINCE 1985, 1986 FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS OF RESIDENCE, BUSINESS OWNER AND COMMUNITY LEADER. 18- YEAR FOUNDING PRESIDENT OF MAIN STREET, MAIN STREET WAS PUT TOGETHER AFTER NORTHSHORES IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION AFTER WE GOT IT DESIGNATED IN 1999. I WOULD SAY PEOPLE ARE JUST ZEROED IN ON MAGIC BEACH, BUT IT'S A DISTRICT. IT GOES FROM THE RIVER TO THE OCEAN AND WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BRING IN ABOUT $100 MILLION OF BUSINESS, MIXED- USE DEVELOPMENT, NO HOMES HAVE BEEN STARTED YET. WE TOOK HOTELS DOWN TO 30%, SO WE REDUCED HOTEL CONSTRUCTION WHEN THE BIG BRIDGE WENT IN DOWN TO 30%. IT COULD HAVE BEEN 100% WITH COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND WE'VE ADDED IT NEEDS TO BE OR HAS TO BE 30% RESIDENTIAL AND THAT'S WHAT COLONIA NEXT DOOR TO THIS PROPERTY IS DOING. WHEN WE WERE ABLE, OUR FIRST GOAL WAS TO BRING PUB BLIX AND THERE WERE BUILDINGS ON THE PUBLIX PROPERTY INCLUDING THE CORNER STORE THAT HAD TO BE TORN DOWN FOR US TO HAVE GROCERIES AND MEDICINE AND SOME OF US, LIQUOR, NOT ME. OVER THE YEARS. SO, BUILDINGS HAVE HAD TO BE SACRIFICED AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS A CORNERSTONE AND PRESERVATION AND WE HAVE PRESERVED 165 VILANO, IF THEY GET STARTED AND Y'ALL HELP WITH THAT, 176 IS A VIABLE RESTAURANT, 150 IS A MOTEL SIMILAR TO MAGIC BEACH. THE BIG THING ON MAGIC BEACH IS THAT IT WAS A -- HAD SOME -- THE MOVIES AND THAT TYPE OF THING, BUT I WILL SAY, WE ARE IN THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE, CHECK IT OUT. THE 25 ADDITION AND 2050 ADDITION VILANO BEACH TOWN CENTER DISTRICT IS IN THERE AND WE BELIEVE IN INFILL DEVELOPMENT WHICH THIS IS THE COLONIA DEVELOPMENT AND OUR OTHER BUILDINGS AND WE'RE [01:30:02] TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN TO HAVE A SENSE OF PLACE, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND I BELIEVE IN FOLLOWING THE CONSTITUTION, PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO BUY PROPERTY AND SELL PROPERTY AND HAVE RIGHTS OF DEVELOPING THEIR PROPERTY, SO I'D LIKE FOR INSTEAD OF IT BEING AN EMOTIONAL THING WE'D ALL LIKE TO DO THE FEEL GOOD THING, JUST KEEP IT. BUT THERE'S NO -- I'VE HEARD NOTHING ABOUT HOW TO PAY FOR IT. >> THANK YOU. >> HOW TO USE IT. >> THANK YOU. >> OKAY. TREY ASNER. >> HI AGAIN. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HAD TWO FORMER CULTURAL RESOURCE COORDINATORS FOR THE COUNTY COME OUT AGAINST THE DEMOLITION OF MAGIC BEACH, MISS MERCEDES HARROLD AND MYSELF, AND WE USED TO BE IN CHARGE OF OVERSEEING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION MATTERS HERE IN ST. JOHNS AND BOTH OF US RECOGNIZE THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF MAGIC BEACH, AND THAT IS WHY IT WAS DESIGNATED AS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE. IT'S A DESIGNATION FOR THE COUNTY'S INVENTORY, NOW, ANOTHER THING TO MENTION IS THAT WE DO NOT HAVE THAT MANY MIDCENTURY MODERN STRUCTURES LEFT IN THIS COUNTY. ESPECIALLY AS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS MAGIC BEACH. IT IS A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF A POST- WAR MOTOR LODGE AND TELLS THE SOCIAL HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THIS COUNTY IN THE 1950S. AND IN THE 1990S IT WAS USED AS A SETTING FOR THAT RUE MCCLANAHAN MOVIE AND EVEN THOUGH THAT IS NOT OVER 50 YEARS AGO NOW, IT STILL WARRANTS HISTORICAL PROTECTION AND MAGIC BEACH IS, YOU KNOW, PRIMARILY A ONE- STORY STRUCTURE, AND IT'S MASSING IS HISTORICALLY RELEVANT TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE USED TO EXPERIENCING IN VILANO AND THERE'S NOT THAT MANY HISTORIC STRUCTURES THAT ANCHOR VILANO AND PROVIDE THAT SENSE OF PLACE, THAT SENSE OF AGE, THAT SENSE OF COMMUNITY ANYMORE, AND I'M WORRIED THAT IF WE ALLOW THIS DEMOLITION, THERE'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE ANY COMPREHENSION OF OUR HISTORICAL PAST ON THAT BEACH AND WE NEED TO EXPLORE ALL OPTIONS FOR PRESERVATION, AND I AGREE WITH MISS SALLY IE O'HARA THAT WE SHOULD LISTEN TO WHAT THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE HAS RECOMMENDED AND TO TAKE MORE TIME TO EXPLORE MORE OPTIONS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN WORK OUT WITH THE APPLICANT AND WITH THE PUBLIC, BECAUSE WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER HISTORIC STRUCTURE. ESPECIALLY ONE AS SIGNIFICANT AS MAGIC BEACH, A STRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES A SENSE OF PLACE, A SENSE OF COMMUNITY, AND MEANS HOME FOR MANY PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THAT AREA OF ST. JOHNS COUNTY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. MR. PATEL. OKAY. ANYBODY ELSE THAT THOUGHT THEY FILLED OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND WE DIDN'T GET? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. AND, AGAIN, THIS IS PROCEDURALLY, I KNOW WE HAD A LETTER FROM LES THOMAS. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THAT MADE IT INTO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY OR NOT. I JUST ENDED UP BECAUSE I THINK IT MAY HAVE BEEN RECEIVED AFTER THE 27TH. SO I HAD PRINTED THAT OUT, THE ARCHITECT THAT DID THE LAST RENOVATION ON THE BUILDING AND OBVIOUSLY OPPOSES THE DEMOLITION IN PART BECAUSE OF THAT AND THEN THE OTHER ITEM I THINK THAT WAS MENTIONED BUT WANTED TO MAKE SURE IS IN THE RECORD IS THAT THE PROPERTY HAS BEEN NOMINATED TO THE FLORIDA TRUST'S 11 TO SAVE WHICH IS LIKE THE NATIONAL TRUST'S 11 MOST ENDANGERED BUT FROM A POSITIVE STANDPOINT, THAT DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE, BUT A SUBMISSION WAS -- CAME IN FROM THE COMMUNITY. OKAY. MR. JOHNSTON. AND WE DON'T NEED A SPEAKER CARD, CORRECT? OR DO WE? >> HE CAN FILL ONE IN AFTERWARDS. >> OKAY. YOU CAN FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD AFTERWARDS. >> SO, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE ITEMS THAT WERE BROUGHT UP FROM -- DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT. AND KIND OF FILL IN SOME OF THE GAPS, AND I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT WE SPEND SOME TIME IN THE [01:35:05] STAFF REPORT, THOSE PREPARED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY STAFF, WE LOOK AT THE SYNOPSIS THAT WAS PREPARED BY ST. JOHNS COUNTY STAFF AND VARIOUS OFFICIALS AND THAT WE ALSO EXPAND ON THE DOCUMENT, THE SHOP DOCUMENT, THE LETTER THAT PEOPLE REFERRED TO, SO I THINK WHAT I'D LIKE TO START WITH IS WE HAVE PROVIDED A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND A STUDY THAT WAS DEEMED SUFFICIENT BY COUNTY STAFF. THERE WAS BACK AND FORTH DIALOGUE INCLUDING ARIS WHICH ARE RESPONDED TO SO TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS THAT IT'S NOT SUFFICIENT, THAT'S RY TO THE POSITION COUNTY STAFF HAS TAKEN. BEYOND THAT, WITH REGARD TO THE LETTER FROM CARA LUCAS, ALTHOUGH SOMEONE EARLIER COMMENTED ON THE BEAUTIFULLY SIGNIFICANT MOTEL, THE REST SAYS ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, MOST REGULATIONS NATIONAL OR LOCAL AFFORD PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS THE RIGHT TO DO WITH THEIR PROPERTIES AS THEY PLEASE. IT SEEMS LIKE THE CRMP FOR MITIGATION DOES QUITE A BIT OF THE SAME THINGS IF IT WAS GOING THROUGH A COMPLIANCE REVIEW AND THE SUGGESTIONS FOR HABS DRAWINGS DEFINING OR MENTATION AND MEMORIAL SPACE PROPOSED ARE APPROPRIATE. SO, LET'S -- GOING TO START WITH THAT. GOING TO THE STAFF REPORT, PAGE 3, THE 2001 HISTORIC RESOURCE SURVEY RECORDED THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL IN THE MASTER SITE FILE. THE -- SKIPPING -- THE RESOURCE LOCATED AT 50 VILANO ROAD WAS CONSIDERED INDIVIDUALLY INELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NRHP AT THAT TIME. IN 2009 A SURVEY WAS COMPLETEDCOMPLETED BROCKINGTON & ASSOCIATES AND THEY FOUND THE MAGIC BEACH MOTEL INDIVIDUALLY WAS INELIGIBLE FOR LISTING ON THE NRHP. IN A REVIEW OF THE REDEVELOPMENT BLIX FOR THE PROPERTY, IS WHEN THE SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE DESIGNATION AND FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND EARLIER, THERE ARE NO PROTECTIONS FOR THAT COME ALONG WITH THE DESIGNATION AS IT RELATES TO PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER RIGHTS AND RIGHT TO DEMOLISH PROPERTY. LASTLY IN 2022, I THINK THE COUNTY SUBMITTED AGAIN FOR ANOTHER SURVEY AND GIA CONSULTANTS CONSIDERED IT AS A POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE AS A CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE TO THE DISTRICT. >> THANK YOU. >> MA'AM, HE'S DOING REBUTTAL SO IT CAN GO. >> THANK YOU. >> GOING TO THE SYNOPSIS, WHICH IS BROKEN DOWN, YOU KNOW, HIGHLIGHTS OF EACH ONE OF THE CONSULTANTS, YOU KNOW, I KNOW MANY OF THE ESTEEMED MEMBERS ARE CREDENTIALED. A COUPLE OF YOU ARE ARCHITECTS. CHAIRMAN KEYS, YOU'RE VERY DENZELED IN YOUR OWN RIGHT, SO TO ASSERT REPRESENTATIONS THAT THE VERY DENZELS THAT WE ENGAGED WITH WEREN'T CREDIBLE OR DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THEIR TRADE OR THEIR CRAFT IS DISINGENUOUS AND I WOULD ASK THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF CONSIDERATION BE STRICKEN AND NOT GIVEN ANY MERIT. IT'S TITLED ST. JOHNS COUNTY GROWTH MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENTAL COMMENTS RECEIVED BASED ON REVIEW OF THE FIVE SUBMITTED REPORTS. PLANNING HAD -- DIDN'T REALLY COME DOWN TO IT, MAGIC BEACH IS NOT REQUIRED TO MEET STANDARDS, REALLY MORE ABOUT THE FEEL AND THE TEXTURE, BUT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, THEY CONCURRED WITH THE REPORT FROM J.R. EVANS AS IT RELATES TO THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. CODE CHAPTER 31, SECTION 31, STRUCTURE OF THE COASTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTROL LINE AND THE REQUIREMENTS ON THE VALUATION OF WORK MEETS THE DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT. MEETS IT. THE ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL REVIEW, AS SUCH, IF THE REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS BEING MADE TO THE STRUCTURE EXCEED 50% OF THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE STRUCTURE THEN THE ENTIRE BUILDING WILL BE NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CURRENT CODE. SPECIFIC TO A STRUCTURE LOCATED WITHIN THE CCL. SPECIFIC TO A STRUCTURE LOCATED WITHIN THE CCL WILL NOW NEED BE [01:40:04] TO SUPPORTED OFTEN PILING WITH THE STRUCTURE HAVING THE BOTTOM HORE SON SAL STRUCTURE WELL ABOVE EXISTING ELEVATION OF THE SURROUNDING GROUND AND ADJACENT ROADWAY. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO INVOLVE A REDESIGN OF THE BUILDING'S FOUNDATION AND POSSIBLY THE BUILDING ITSELF TO MEET CURRENT REGULATIONS. THE FLOOD PLANE MANAGER, FLOODPLAIN STAFF VERIFIED ALL STATEMENTS RECORDING FLOODPLAIN POLICY MEASUREMENTS TO BE FACTUAL. WE'VE SUBMITTED A -- YOU KNOW, CULTURAL RESOURCE MITIGATION PLAN. WE'VE SUBMITTED A HABS STUDY. YOU KNOW, BY AND THROUGH THIS BOARD, A MOTION WAS TENDERED THAT REQUESTED ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE WITH REGARD TO STRUCTURE, ARCHITECTURAL, FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT. WE WENT ABOVE AND BEYOND. YOU GUYS ASKED FOR A STRUCTURE AND GAVE IT TO YOU AS MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AS WE CAN. I'M PREPARED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING ANY OF THOSE REPORTS AT THIS TIME. WHEREAS YOU MAY FIND QUESTION OR CONCERN REGARDING ANY OF THE STATEMENTS OR REPRESENTATIONS MADE, I CAN APPRECIATE AND THANK THE PUBLIC FOR THEIR COMMENT AND THEIR TIME, BUT WE HAVE THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN SUBMITTED TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. WE FILED A DEMOLITION APPLICATION, SO I WOULD, YOU KNOW, I WOULD ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE BACK AND FORTH TO THIS POINT TO, YOU KNOW, LET'S DISCUSS WHAT THE CULTURAL RESOURCE ELEMENTS ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE CONSIDERING AND WE CAN RESPOND TO WHETHER THE PLAN CONTEMPLATES THOSE OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK THAT WE HAVEN'T ADDRESSED. I'D LIKE TO HEAR THAT ALSO, BUT I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY MORE OF YOUR TIME OR ANYONE ELSE IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC REGARDING SUPPOSITION AND COMMENT REGARDING FEELING. WE'RE AT THIS POINT WE'VE NARROWED IT DOWN TO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE EVIDENCE. ANY QUESTIONS? IN. >> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> BASED ON MR. JOHNSTON'S STATEMENT AND IF YOU COULD MOVE THE SLIDE TO THE NEXT ONE UP, I BELIEVE THIS WOULD GET KIND OF NARROW INTO WHAT YOUR NEXT OPTIONS ARE. YOU HAVE RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, APPROVAL OF CHANGES AND RECOMMENDED DENIAL FOR THE NEXT STEPS FOR TAKING ACTION ON THIS. THANK YOU. >> DO WE HAVE A MOTION? >> CAN I MAKE A MOTION? I WOULD MAKE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS. >> I THINK YOU HAVE TO MAKE A MOTION ON WHICH OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. >> I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO REMEDY NILE OF THE REQUEST FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT FROM THIS BOARD. >> SO THROUGH THE CHAIR THAT'S AN INAPPROPRIATE MOTION SO THE POTION WOULD BE TO RECOMMEND EITHER DENIAL OR APPROVAL OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. >> IT SAYS RECOMMEND -- OKAY, SO RECOMMEND DENIAL. >> CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT -- >> THE MAKER WOULD HAVE TO CORRECT HIS MOTION. >> WELL, I WANT A CLARIFICATION. IS IT RECOMMENDED DENIAL IS THAT ON THE REQUEST FOR A DEMOLITION PERMIT? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, SO THE DEMOLITION PERMIT ITSELF IS NOT BEFORE YOU. IT IS JUST THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN BEFORE YOU SO THAT'S WHAT YOUR MOTION SHOULD ENCOMPASS. >> THE LAST ITEM ON THE PAGE. WELL, ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TRY THIS. TO GET CONVERSATION. I -- >> YOU HAD GIVE EVERYBODY BOARD MEMBER JONAH THE FLOOR SO IF YOU NO LONGER WANT THE FLOOR -- [01:45:01] >> I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE -- WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING. SO, THE RECOMMENDED DENIAL FINDS THE PLAN TO BE INSUFFICIENT IN ADDRESSING ALTERNATIVES? IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY. SO -- >> IS THAT YOUR MOTION? >> NO, MY MOTION IS TO, AGAIN, REMEDY NILE -- RECOMMEND DENIAL. COMMEND DENIAL -- RECOMMEND DENIAL. >> DOES HE NEED TO STATE THE FULL SENTENCE. >> REMEDY NILE OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMEND DENIAL OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN? >> I WANT TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE RECOMMENDED DENIAL IS. THE DENIAL IS A -- IS A DENIAL OF THE PROVIDED INFORMATION TO RECOMMEND OR TO APPROVE THE DEMOLITION PERMIT, IS THAT CORRECT? >> NO, SO THROUGH THE CHAIR TO THE BOARD, YOU'RE NOT OPINING OR RECOMMENDING THE DEMOLITION PERMIT. THIS IS A PART AND PARCEL OF THAT. THERE HAS TO BE A CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN SO TO DENY OR APPROVE IS BASED ON THE CULTURAL REMORSE MANAGEMENT PLAN AND WHETHER THAT PLAN IS SUFFICIENT BASED ON COMPETENT AND SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. >> TO THE CHAIR, IF THERE'S ANY CONFUSION ABOUT HOW THAT WAS WRITTEN, THAT WAS WRITTEN AT A GUIDANCE, YOU CAN MAKE THE MOTION OF YOUR OWN LANGUAGE AS LONG AS YOU'RERECOMMENDING TO EITHER APPROVE, DENY OR APPROVAL OF MITIGATION -- APPROVAL WITH CHANGES. >> REFERENCING THE CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLAN. >> CORRECT. >> I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IT IS I'M GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING, SO I'M STILL LOOKING AT THIS. I APOLOGIZE. >> AGAIN, THOSE ARE SUGGESTED MOTIONS FOR YOU JUST TO GUIDE YOU. THE MOTION IS YOUR OWN AND AS WITH ANY MOTION, OR DECISION OF THIS BOARD, YOU WOULD NEED TO STATE YOUR REASONS ON THE RECORD BASED ON THE COMPETENT SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE CULTURAL RESOURCE REVIEW MANAGEMENT PLAN THAT WAS SUBMITTED. FINDING THE PLAN TO BE INSUFFICIENT IN ADDRESSING ALTERNAIVES. >> DOES THAT WORK AS FAR AS -- OKAY. >> SURE, IT'S A RECOMMENDED DENIAL AND WE NEED A SECOND. >> DO WE HAVE A SECOND? OKAY. I'LL SECOND IT SO WE CAN HAVE DISCUSSION. BASED -- AND I WILL STATE BASED ON MY WRITTEN RESPONSES THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED THAT I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE MANAGEMENT PLAN WITH REPORTS PROVIDED ADDRESSED THE FACT THAT IT IS A HISTORIC BUILDING AND HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF STANDARDS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE MANAGE. PLAN. I RECOGNIZE THAT THE STAFF CREATED THE PLAN AND PARAPHRASED A LOT OF WHAT CAME FROM THOSE STUDIES. BUT I THINK THAT THAT'S MY SECOND. >> STAFF DID NOT CREATE THE PLAN. WE PRESENTED THE PLAN THROUGH THE MEETING PROCESS. IF YOU MEANT OUR STAFF, THE COUNTY STAFF. >> SO TO CLARIFY, SO THE PLAN WAS PRESENTED BY THE APPLICANT. IT'S THE APPLICANT'S PLAN, STAFF DID NOT DRAFT THE PLAN. >> OKAY. I KNOW THAT THE HEARING WE HAD 2 1/2 MONTHS AGO, THE APPLICANT THANKED THE STAFF FOR PUTTING TOGETHER SO THAT'S WHY -- [01:50:01] >> SO THE STAFF PUT TOGETHER THE STAFF REPORT BASED ON THE INFORMATION SUBMITTED. THE STAFF DOES NOT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH GUIDANCE OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, GROWTH MANAGEMENT STAFF DOES NOT MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS. >> OKAY. THERE'S A SECOND. DO WE HAVE -- >> OKAY, I AGREE THATTHAT MITIGATION PLAN DOES NOT ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES . I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE NEXT STEP WOULD BE, IF THIS PASSES, COULD SOMEONE -- >> SURE. >> OKAY. >> THROUGH THE CHAIR TO BOARD MEMBER NEWMAN. AT THIS TIME YOUR DENIAL THAT WERE TO PREVAIL IS AN APPEALABLE DECISION SO YOU HAVE FINAL ACTION ON THE PLAN AND SO THAT'S -- SO THAT COULD BE APPEALED TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND THEY WOULD HAVE FINAL DECISION. >> I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IS WHY IS IT AS A PLAN INSUFFICIENT? WE NEED EVIDENCE, RIGHT, IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THAT. I THINK ONE THING THAT I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO MY OWN THOUGHTS WAS THAT THE PLAN DIDN'T REALLY ADDRESS THE CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STRUCTURE AND HOW IT'S CULTURALLY THE MOTOR LODGE WAS A ONE- STORY KIND OF HUMAN SCALE THE MASK AND THE SCALE OF THAT BUILDING IS VERY UNIQUE TO VILANO BEACH. I THINK THAT'S WHY EVERYONE IS TRYING TO GET AT, IT'S REALLY THE SCALE AND A FEW HAD MENTIONED THAT AND I'M NOT SURE THAT THE MITIGATION PLAN REALLY ADDRESSED IT THAT WAY. THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, SAYING THEY WOULD SAVE PIECES OF THE BUILDING, WHICH REALLY NOT SURE THAT ADDRESSES IT BUT I THINK THE SCALE IS WHERE I'M AT IS HOW DO YOU KEEP THAT AND THEN JUST ANOTHER PIECE BETWEEN US ON THIS BOARD, WE HAVE AVENUE SAVED A NUMBER OF THINGS IN VILANO BEACH, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE'VE TRIED TO PROTECT THINGS HERE, SO I REALLY DO THINK WE NEED TO STAND BY THE PREVIOUS CULTURAL RESOURCE BOARD WHO SAID THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT BUILDING AND I KNOW THAT'S NOT A LANDMARK, BUT THE REPORT SAID IT MEETS FOUR OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE AND ONLY THREE ARE REQUIRED, SO THIS BOARD DID VOTE TO PROTECT THIS BUILDING ON SOME LEVEL. >> AND JUST CLARIFICATION FROM FOUR YEARS AGO, IT WAS A SIGNIFICANT CULTURAL RESOURCE INSTEAD OF A LANDMARK DUE TO OWNER OBJECTION. SO, IT'S FROM A SUBSTANTIVE STANDPOINT IT MET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR LANDMARK DESIGNATION BUT NOT THE COUNTY'S LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. >> SO I THINK THAT'S JUST MY STANCE IS, IT'S WHERE THE PLAN WAS KIND OF MISSING IS THE SCALE AND THE MASSING. THAT IS KIND OF VERY SIGNIFICANT TO VILANO BEACH. BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING THE STRUCTURAL AND FEASTABILITY. I THOUGHT THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WAS INTERESTING. BUT I DID THINK TO ONE PERSON'S POINT WAS ALSO MY POINT IS IT DIDN'T REALLY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE MOTEL'S COMPARED TO HOTELS IN THE AREA. THERE'S A NUMBER OF MOTELS IN ST. AUGUSTINE THAT ARE REALLY SUCCESSFUL. I THINK ISN'T THE LOCAL ONE OF ÷÷THEM THAT IS LIKE A 1950S MOTEL? IT'S VERY SUCCESSFUL SO I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU WOULDN'T USE THAT AS A COMP IN YOUR REPORT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. >> IF I MAY ADDRESS THE BOARD. >> I THINK WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A MOTION. SO, I'M PREPARED TO CALL A QUESTION UNLESS THERE'S MORE DISCUSSION. >> OKAY. >> SORRY. JUST -- >> NO, I'M GOOD. >> OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO DENY AND THAT THE PLAN IS INSUFFICIENT IN ADDRESSING ALTERNATIVES ON THE ADVERSE EFFECT OF THE RESOURCE -- >> SO THE MOTION DENIED. THE MAN IS FOUND INSUFFICIENT [01:55:04] IN ADDRESSING ALTERNATIVES. >> OKAY. AND STAFF GOT THAT. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, OKAY. I GUESS WE NEED TO DO ROLL CALL, YES? NO? OKAY. >> ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. >> TO BE LEGAL. MS. KNIGHTING. >> I AGREE WITH THE MOTION. >> MS. NEWMAN. >> I AGREE WITH THE MOTION. >> MR. JONI ERNST HAKZ. >> I AGREE ALSO SO IT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY. THANK EVERYONE FOR THEIR PARTICIPATION IN THAT. AND WE [Board Member Reports] ARE GOING ON TO BOARD REPORTS. I'M GOING TO TAKE CHAIR'S PRIVILEGE AND DO SOMETHING HAPPY, I HOPE. WHICH IS TO NOTE THAT THIS WEEK KICKS OFF AMERICA 250 AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK JULY 22ND FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING WE WILL HAVE A PROCLAMATION RELATED TO THAT. SPANISH FLORIDA HAD -- WAS TWO BRITISH COLONIES BETWEEN 1763 AND 1784 WITH ST. AUGUSTINE AS THE CAPITAL OF EACH FLORIDA, WHICH WAS THE PENINSULA, THE ENTIRE PENINSULA OF FLORIDA AT THE TIME, THE SUWANEE RIVER, IN 1777 AND THIS IS IN PART FOR MR. NOLAN, 600 GREEKS AND ITALIANS FINISHED THEIR 7 A5- MILE BEACH AND THEIR SENTIMENT AND FISHING GROUNDS INCLUDES AREAS BY THE ENCINO BRIDGE INCLUDING NORTH VILANO BEACH. THE SOUTHERNMOST BATTLES WERE FOUGHT NORTH OF JACKSONVILLE ALONG THOMAS CREEK MAY 17TH, 1777 AND NEAR CRAWFORD ON JUNE 30TH, 1778. DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 63 SOUTH CAROLENS ALL WHITE MALE PROPERTY OWNERS WERE BROUGHT TO ST. AUGUSTINE AND HELD UNDER HOUSE ARREST MOSTLY THEY ARE TRINITY EPISCOPAL CHURCH AND A FEW AT THE FORT. FOUNDERS DAY UNTIL AFTER JULY 4TH, 1781 INDEPENDENCE DAY. SOME BROUGHT THEIR SLAVES WITH THEM. THE PRISONERS INCLUDED THREE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF AMERICAN, THOMAS HAYWARD AND EDWARD RUTLEDGE AMONG THEM AND ONE OTHER LOCAL CONNECTION WITH A BIT OF HELP FROM ST. AUGUSTINE BASED HISTORIC FOURS OF AMERICA MASSACHUSETTS RE- CREATED THE BOSTON TEA PARTY ON DECEMBER 16TH, 2023 AND WITH A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE, DONATING LOOSE TEA, DUMPED TEA INTO BOSTON HARBOR. HGA OWNS THE BOSTON TEA PARTY SHIPS AND MUSEUM. THAT'S MY HAPPY THREE MINUTES. AND I SUBMITTED A WRITTEN BOARD [Staff Reports] REPORT. DO WE HAVE REPORTS FROM ANYONE ELSE ON THE BOARD? >> THROUGH THE CHAIR, YES, I HAVE SOME ALSO JOVIAL EVENTS. AS YOU ALL KNOW ON MAY 9TH. THE STATE PARK TO DO A WONDERFUL RIBBON CUTTING FOR THEIR RECONSTRUCTED FORT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT TO SEE. THE ST. AUGUSTINE HISTORICAL SOCIETY REHABILITATED A RESEARCH LIBRARY DID OPEN THEIR DOORS UP FOR APPOINTMENT, STARTING ON JUNE 6TH AND I HAVE VISITED. IT'S BEAUTIFULLY REDONE AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANYBODY HERE IN THE COMMUNITY PAY THAT A VISIT. IN MORE LOGISTICAL NEWS WE HAD JANET JORDAN AND BOB OLSON RESIGN SO WE HAVE TWO VACANCIES, THEY WERE POSTED ON JUNE 6TH AND THEY WILL BE PULLED ON AUGUST 4TH. THE MEETING ON AUGUST 11TH WILL BE THE MEETING TO RECOMMEND THOSE TWO SLOTS AND THEN THE BCC MEETING WHERE THEY ADDRESSED FINANCIAL DISCLOSE SURE, HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE MADE INTO THAT MEETING BUT WE'LL SEE. AS WAS ADDRESSED BY MISS SALLIE O'HARA, WE DID NOT HAVE TWO GRANTS FUNDED BY THE DHR AND I WANTED TO THANK YOU ALL FOR FILLING OUT YOUR FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES RIGHT ON TIME BEFORE JULY 1TH. THANK YOU ALL. >> MAY I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE FUNDING? WAS IT BECAUSE WE RANK SO LOW OR WE DIDN'T GET ENOUGH FUNDING? >> OH, THEY ONLY VOTED 150 ,000 IN SMALL MATCHING INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING THE FULL 250 THAT HAD BEEN OFFERED AND THEN AS I'M HOPING EVERYONE KNOWS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE 43 YEARS WE GOT ZERO FOR SPECIAL CATEGORY. >> OH, I DIDN'T -- >> -- GRANTS, YEAH. LITERALLY THE FRIDAY BEFORE THEY HAD TO BE FINISHED WITH THE SESSION, THEY MOVED WHAT THEY HAD RECOMMENDED WHICH WAS ALMOST ALL OF THE GRANTS TO ZERO AND PUT IN 44 MEMBER PROJECTS, WE USED TO CALL THEM -- IF YOU WANT÷÷A LIST I'LL BE GLAD TO SEND YOU THOSE BUT WE -- OTHER THAN THE FLORIDA BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM, WE GOT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR [02:00:03] THAT, THAT WAS I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY THING IN ST. JOHNS COUNTY THAT GOT FUNDED SO -- >> THANK YOU. >> AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WRITING THOSE GRANTS FOR THAT LONG, IT WAS VERY PAINFUL. SO. YEAH. YEAH, AND TODAY'S JUNE 30TH SO I AUP HAVED THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE BUDGET. >> QUESTION FOR MS. WRIGHT, WHEN WILL WE HAVE SOME OF THE RESUMES FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS TO REVIEW? >> I DO NOT OVERSEE THAT PROCESS. I WOULDN'T KNOW AN ANSWER. I APOLOGIZE. >> WELL, YOU JUST SAID AUGUST, RIGHT? >> YOU WERE ASKING US TO VOTE ON THE 11TH. ARE WE GOING TO HAVE SOMETHING BEFORE THAT? >> SURE, THEY WILL BE PROVIDED TO YOU PRIOR TO THAT. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> AND I HAVE A PROCEDURAL QUESTION RELATED TO THE SUBSTANTIVE MATTER WE HANDLED TODAY, IF THE APPLICANT CHOOSES TO APPEAL TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, DO WE NEED TO TRY TO HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING TO ADDRESS OUR MINUTES SO THAT THAT GOES IN THE RECORD IF THEY COME -- >> IT'S A DE NOVO PROCEEDING SO EVERYTHING IS NEW AND THE MEETINGS WILL NOT BE RELEVANT AND DO NOT SEND THE MEETING MINUTES UP. >> THANK YOU. OKAY, UNLESS THERE'S FURTHER BUSINESS, I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN. >> I MOVE THAT WE ADJOURN. >> DO WE HAVE A SECOND TO THAT MOTION? >> I SECOND. >> OKAY, MR. JONIHAKIS * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.