Riberia funds sought

Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 12:38 am by Beth Romanik
From Staff

Multiple improvements on Riberia Street, a major artery south of King Street, will require money from many sources, especially grants, Mayor Joe Boles said Sunday.

“We’re looking everywhere for money, and we will leave no stones unturned in finding the money to finish the Riberia Street project,” he said. “Riberia Street is a main route for residents of that area but also for people who work in the south end of the city.”

He gave examples of the Florida National Guard, Bayview-Samantha Wilson Care Center, Council on Aging, the city’s wastewater treatment plant, Galimore Center and businesses along the length of Riberia Street, from King Street south to its dead end.

City officials have their eyes on obtaining a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant for part of the project and a cost-sharing arrangement for a total of $100,000 between the city and the St. Johns River Water Management District.

The city especially needs the public’s help in the block grant application development, said Tim Burchfield, the city’s chief administrative officer. “We want people to come out and hopefully be in favor of the block grant.”

Burchfield said the grant is vital to the Riberia Street project because it and other grants and some ad valorem tax dollars will be used to redo the roadway, water and sewer lines, and storm water drainage and to provide sidewalks.

At 4 p.m. today the City Commission will hold a public workshop on the Fair Housing Act as it relates to eligibility for the block grant. During the 5 p.m. City Commission meeting, a public hearing will be held to get the public’s views in preparation for development of the city’s block grant application. Another public hearing will be held Oct. 12, if the City Commission agrees to go forward with the grant, at which time the full application will be up for public comment.

The Riberia Street improvements will be done in phases. Phase I is from King Street south to Bridge Street. The primary funding for that part, according to Burchfield, is the incremental property tax revenue from the Community Redevelopment Area, with some funding from the Water Management District. Phase II will take the project from Bridge Street to the vicinity of South Street. Phase II funding will include Water Management funds, general revenue funds and block grants funds. The remaining part to the William Galimore Center will be in a later phase, again with several funding sources, Burchfield said.

Preliminary work will be done toward the end of this year and into 2010 with most of the grant funding coming in the middle of 2010.

The project’s total cost and exact time frame were not available Sunday.

Also on the regular meeting agenda are:

* Presentation by Save Our Bridge organization regarding the grand opening next year of the rehabilitated Bridge of Lions.

* Presentation by Animal Rights Foundation of Florida (ARFF) regarding sightseeing carriage horses.

* Public hearing on an ordinance relevant to parades in downtown St. Augustine, changes to it and specific regulations for parades on St. George Street.

If you go:

The City Hall/ Lightner Building is at 75 King St.

Both the 4 p.m. City Commission workshop and the 5 p.m. City Commission meeting will be held in the Alcazar Room located on the west side of the Lightner Courtyard.