The August 15 meeting was refreshingly short! With no Proclamations on the agenda, the Board was able to move quickly into the Public Safety Update
Public Safety Update
SJSO Director Scott Beaver reported that 54,000 kids have now returned to school in St. Johns County, across 43 public schools. Noting that traffic is always much worse during the first 2 weeks of school as everyone gets into a new routine, he asked for patience during this “chaotic” time. He also shared that SJSO has been working hard to cut down on crashes in the county through proactive actions by deputies. They are on a projected path to decrease 71% of our traffic crashes in SJC and 55% of traffic related deaths. He added, “ If you get mad because you get a ticket, we probably saved your life or someone else’s”
Fire Rescue Chief Bullard also commented on school starting and that usually being the signal of the end of summer. He reminded us that August is the hottest part of the year, please stay out of the sun if you have that option and please stay hydrated. He recommended drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids and noted the fine line between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. His admonition was to give your body time to recover when you’ve been in the heat for an extended period of time.
The Clerk of the Court’s update was skipped as they are providing the Financial Report on Agenda Item 1.
Consent Agenda
The County Attorney asked for one item to be pulled from the Consent Agenda, Item 18.
Consent Agenda Item 18 was “Resolution approving the First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Utility Service and Refund Agreement for the SilverLeaf Development of Regional Impact.”
Regular Agenda
Item 1 – Comprehensive Financial Report – Brandon Patty
The Financial Report was a presentation by the external audit firm, MSL, on the completed audit for the Fiscal Year ended in June, 2022.
The audit report can be found at this link: St. Johns County Financial Report
There were no significant issues noted in the audit, internal controls are effective and the county is in sound financial status.
The presentation can be found here: Auditor’s Presentation on the Financial Report
Regular Agenda Item 2 – Hastings Main Street – presented by Sally O’Hara and Jenna Davis.
“The Florida Main Street Program solicits communities annually to submit applications for Florida Main Street Program designations. Currently, there are 57 such programs in Florida whose purpose is to improve economic development within a context of historic preservation. The benefits of attaining designation contribute to increased professional technical assistance and training for participating communities, guidance for national best practices for community development, and advantageous grant scoring considerations for future funding. The focus of national and state Main Street programs is to: a) create jobs through revitalizing districts attracting new industry and strengthening services and retail job markets; b) save tax dollars through revitalization and strengthening of the area’s tax base, while also protecting existing investments; c) preserve the community’s historic resources for an economically healthy downtown and preservation of the community’s heritage; and d) build community pride providing a public space for members from all areas of the community to come together, create new partnerships, and celebrate their downtown. Hastings Main Street, Inc. is submitting an application to the Florida Department of State, Division of Historical Resources to be recognized as a Florida Main Street community. The Main Street Program application requires the support of the local government in the form of a resolution.”
There was unanimous approval for the resolution.
Read more about the Hasting Main Street Program here: Hastings Main Street
You can read more about the Florida Main Street program here: Florida Main Street Program
Item 3 – New Twin Creeks signage – this was a simple request to modify the PUD to allow for new signage in the Twin Creeks PUD.
Commissioner Whitehurst took the opportunity to ask County Attorney Migut for an update on negotiations with the developer regarding obligations for road improvements. Attorney Migut shared that there is good progress. There is already a bid package out with responses due 8/30 for a traffic light at Cumberland Park Drive and 210. Another package is being prepared for the widening of 210 and should be out for bid by 9/1.
Items 4 – 11 were relatively minor with no significant comments.
Jumping ahead to Agenda item 12, the “First Reading of Proposed Amendments to St. Johns County Ordinance No. 2009-36, the St. Johns County Ordinance which prohibits the presence of registered sexual offenders and sexual predators within 300 feet of specified locations designed for children.”
The full ordinance can be found here: Presentation on Sexual Offender/Predator Ordinance
This Ordinance specifically addresses “prohibiting the presence of registered sexual offenders and sexual predators from being present, loitering or prowling within three hundred (300) feet of specified locations that are primarily designed for used by, or are primarily used by children in St. Johns County (“County”)”
During public comment there was a question raised about some of the language in the ordinance.
- Could the language be changed to match the state statute? Distance in the ordinance is 300 feet, State Statutes state 1000 feet.
- Could the terminology of “Amenity Center” be added to the language? Amenity Centers in CDDs and HOAs are a large portion of HOAs and CDDs and a great area where residents congregate.
The Assistant Attorney clarified that the 1000 feet is in reference to registered sexual offenders and sexual predators cannot LIVE within 1000 feet of a school. It does not extend to parks.
As for adding Amenity Centers, the ordinance is targeting places that are designed primarily for the use of children. Amenity Centers are not designed primarily for children.
It would be up to the Board to direct the ordinance to be modified differently.
By consensus, the Board agreed they would like to see the distance changed to 1000 feet and to include Amenity Centers in the ordinance.
The Attorney’s office will research and confirm there would be no legal hurdles with modifying the ordinance to include those items and will bring that back to the Board for the Second Reading, possibly in September.
Commissioner’s Reports:
Commissioner Alaimo asked staff to review and come back to the Board recommendation for parking at Tortuga Beach Walkover.
Commissioner Dean provided an update on the beach renourishment projects and reminded residents that keeping our beaches viable is a benefit to all County residents because of the impact on our County economy.
Commissioner Joseph asked about options for providing funding to Fort Mose. By consensus, the board agreed to hear recommendations on how to accomplish this.
Commissioner Arnold requested agreement from the Board to support Flagler Estates in getting their own Zip Code. The Board agreed.
Commissioner Whitehurst talked about the return on investment the county gains as a member of the Northeast Florida Regional Council.
County Administrator Report
Interim County Administrator Joy Andrews shared several items with the Board including the creation of a new Infrastructure Team that will be working on ways to expedite strategic infrastructure projects. She asked for this to be a standing item on the first BOCC meeting each month, to follow right after the Clerk of the Court’s report.
She asked the Board for a motion to send letters of support for the widening of State Route 16 between International Golf Parkway and I-95 to the Florida Department of Transportation and the US Department of Transportation. Motion was passed.
Ms. Andrews also provided timeline clarifications on a project of great interest that will be coming before the Board in a few weeks. This project is the Ponte Vedra Resorts PUD. The applicant has pulled their application from the August 17 PZA meeting and there is a new schedule.
Ponte Vedra Resorts PUD Schedule:
- Ponte Vedra Architecture Review Board – September 6
- Ponte Vedra Zoning and Adjustment Board – September 11
- Planning and Zoning Agency – September 21, at 10:00 AM time certain (tentative, could still be changed)
- Board of County Commissioners Meeting – November 7
With no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
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Beth Tate 