Friday, May 17, 2019

DAVID BARTON CORNEAL: RENTING OUT THREE (3) ROOMS IN 125 MARINE STREET BAYFRONT MANSION ON AIRBnB, TAKING 100% HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION







HOMESTEAD TAX EXEMPTION FRAUD PROBE underway of lawyer DAVID BARTON CORNEAL, controversial owner of 125 Marine Street, 11,620 square foot mansion (photo above).

CORNEAL is still receiving and claiming a 100% homestead tax exemption while renting out three bedrooms on AirBnB since March 2018, with access to common areas, including pool, yard, parking.    From AirBnB listings:

  • "Guests will have access to large shared living room with a balcony."  
  • "Private balcony with views of Lighthouse and Bridge of Lions." 
  • "Guests will have access to large living room area shared with other guests as well as pool access."  
  • "Guests will have access to a large living room area shared with other guests, balcony overlooking the Lighthouse and Bridge of Lions."
  • We request that guests use pool between 8 AM and 9 PM.
On May 14, 2019, Property Appraiser Eddie Creamer mailed a letter to CORNEAL, asking about his exemption.



If the exemption is denied or revoked, DAVID BARTON CORNEAL could be subjected to a tax lien, back taxes and penalties on his 125 Marine Street Mansion.

Speculator, retired Pennsylvania lawyer and business law instructor DAVID CORNEAL:

  • bought and privatized the former DOW MUSEUM OF HISTORIC HOMES, 
  • paid $1.7 million to the DAYTONA MUSEUM OF ARTS AND SCIENCES for nine home museum property that Florida Secretary of State spent $2.1 million preserving and protecting. 
  • advised, aided, abetted egged on DOW Planned Unit Development (PUD) by then ex-Mayor JOSEPH LESTER BOLES, JR., who showed CORNEAL the homes in the presence of witnesses in October 2014, shortly before his electoral defeat by Nancy Shaver. 
  • obtained approval for a PUD, 4-1, Mayor Nancy Shaver dissenting, after a marathon seven hour, fifty minute meeting that the Gang of Four would not recess until another day, forcing a vote under developer lawyers' usual artificial time pressure, 
  • threw a party after his PUD victory, attended by City Manager JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E. and Commissioner TODD DAVID NEVILLE, commencing at 1 AM on the early morning hours of August 25, 2015. 
  • gave campaign contributions, as did those close to him which led Historic City News blogger Michael Gold to question "conflict of interest," leading Commissioner TODD NEVILLE, who sups with CORNEAL's son weekly, to ask for the City Commission to authorize spending City funds on an illegal Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation -- instead of saying "no" on the spot, City Attorney ISABELLE CHRISTINE LOPEZ "researched the issue," wasting City funds never reimbursed by NEVILLE.  Libel lawsuits are personal to the individuals and governments can't file libel lawsuits against reporters under the First Amendment.
hired ROGERS TOWERS lawyer ELLEN AVERY-SMITH as his lawyers, and as "consultants":
Fired St. Augustine Planning and Zoning Director MARK ALAN KNIGHT AND fully 40% of the members of the Historic Architectural Review Board -- two (2) of five (5) HARB members -- 
JEREMY MARQUIS
and 
 
PAUL M. WEAVER, III, 
requiring their recusal, which left only three (3) members left, voting 2-1 to allow him to destroy historic CARPENTER'S HOUSE, now the location of a swimming pool (HARB now has alternates because of CORNEAL's scheme).
  • hired former Vice Mayor DONALD CRICHLOW to lobby and design the DOW PUD, illegally lobbying new Mayor Nancy Shaver at breakfast on New Year's Day, January 1, 2015 (escaping ethics charges filed by Tom Reynolds on the basis he had been "appointed" and not elected." Footnote: in selecting interim Mayor Tracy Upchurch on March 4, 2019, Commissioners were informed it was an "election," and that they must have resigned to run on February 28, 2019.  I maintain that this means that Upchurch cannot lobby the City for six years under Amendment 12 and F.S. 112.313(14).
  • stomach-bumped me outside a HARB meeting, then called police, who assured him there was no reasonable expectation of privacy in the loggia of City Hall, where he accused me of "listening" to him.
  • misrepresented the condition of historic CARPENTER's HOUSE when the State of Florida spent $30,000 stabilizing it.
  • demolished CARPENTER's HOUSE before 30 day time to appeal the demolition permit expired, resulting in an ordinance amendment preventing repetition (passed 4-1, with Commissioner "ODD TODD" NEVILLE, C.P.A. dissenting, because activists like me (Ed Slavin) might stop demolitions). 
  • procured an unbalanced "study" by five unscholarly University of Florida Professors lacking in expertise about historic preservation, touting the putative tourism benefits of CORNEAL's project.
  • hired JOHN BENOIT, BEHST BUILDERS, to build his 125 Marine Street Mansion; Mr. BENOIT is now a HARB member and 125 Marine Street is now an AirBnB rental at $200/night.  
  • conned local Minorcans to "Save Our Heritage" by hiring the daughter of segregationist ex-SAPD Police Chief Virgil Stuart to whip them up with false claims that the City would build a parking lot on the DOW MUSEUM site if he did not get his way.  CORNEAL mocked his Minorcan supporters by referring to them, scandalously, as the "Minorcan Mafia."
  • conned the local convent to support the project and provide parking -- I overheard him and HARB member PAUL M. WEAVER, III laughing in the courtyard/loggia, bragging that they could "sell ice cubes to eskimos."
  • won waiver of nearly $15,000 archaeological fee for 102 Bridge Street property (now Preserved restaurant) on spurious basis that he was unaware of archaeological fee, in unusual early morning City Commission meeting chaired by then-Mayor Boles --  despite the fact that he had paid an archaeological fee for his mansion (I've got the receipt).
  • filed wrongful retaliatory civil litigation against former employees of his gym in Pennsylvania, losing in court in jury trial.
  • filed frivolous civil rights litigation against a central Pennsylvania local government which he lost in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, with Judge Samuel Alito (now a U.S. Supreme Court Justice) n the panel).
  • has painted parking stripes in his parking lot, ready for AirBnB business.
  • rents out rooms for $200/night.
  • counts on regulatory desuetude from his pals and August 25, 2015 DOW PUD victory party guests, like City Manager JOHN PATRICK REGAN, P.E., and maladroit City Planning and Building Director DAVID BIRCHIM, and incurious City Commissioners like JOHN OTHA VALDES, also an AirBnB property exemption scofflaw, who testified in support of the DOW PUD on August 24, 2015.
  • tried to list his 125 Bridge Street Mansion for $8 million, an unrealistic price, in 2017.  The property remains on the market.
  • faces strict scrutiny from the Property Appraiser.
  • can expect questions about his bona fides if he tries to rezone 125 Marine Street again (he dropped the proposal in November).
  • may face raised eyebrows from City Commissioners, who, empowered with the knowledge of his AirBnB rental, will want to question him and his lawyers at their May 22, 2019 workshop on short-term rentals.
  • pays $54,608.52 in property taxes on his nearly 11,700 square foot fancy-bears crib.










From AirBnB:

















































Hi, I’m David
Joined in 2018
D

























David provided

Phone number

























1 review
I could have not asked for a better place. David was so nice, and the house was just beautiful. The view from my bedroom was jaw dropping, and the location was perfect. The walk downtown takes less than 15 minutes. I would come back to this house in a heartbeat. 
Kayla
Kayla, Myrtle Beach, SC
Joined in 2016



























 

Summary

Parcel ID2012400000
Location Address125 MARINE ST 
SAINT AUGUSTINE 32084-0000
NeighborhoodCity of St Aug (east of lake) (SF) (612)
Tax Description*CITY OF ST AUG LOTS 1 2 3 & 4 BLK 44-A OR45/604 & 3379/1821
*The Description above is not to be used on legal documents.
Property Use CodeSingle Family (0100)
SubdivisionCity of St Augustine
Sec/Twp/Rng 20-7-30
DistrictCity of St Augustine (District 452)
Millage Rate20.2171
Acreage0.570
HomesteadY
 

Owner Information

Owner NameCorneal David 100% 
Mailing Address125 MARINE ST
SAINT AUGUSTINE, FL 32084-5003
 

Map

Map image
 

Valuation Information

2019
Building Value$2,321,371
Extra Features Value$85,131
Total Land Value$1,044,000
Agricultural (Assessed) Value$0
Agricultural (Market) Value$0
Just (Market) Value$3,450,502
Total Deferred$566,431
Assessed Value$2,884,071
Total Exemptions$50,000
Taxable Value$2,834,071

Values listed are from our working tax roll and are subject to change.
 

Historical Assessment Information


YearBuilding ValueExtra Feature ValueTotal Land ValueAg (Market) ValueAg (Assessed) ValueJust (Market) ValueAssessed ValueExempt ValueTaxable Value
2018$2,321,371$87,743$1,044,000$0$0$3,453,114$2,830,295$672,819$2,780,295
2017$2,348,364$88,670$1,044,000$0$0$3,481,034$2,772,081$758,953$2,722,081
2016$2,375,356$87,661$1,044,000$0$0$3,507,017$2,715,065$841,952$2,665,065
2015$2,162,136$90,074$1,044,000$0$0$3,296,210$2,696,192$650,018$2,646,192
2014$1,638,594$92,250$943,950$0$0$2,674,794$2,674,794$50,000$2,624,794
2013$0$17,662$943,950$0$0$961,612$817,853$143,759$817,853
2012$0$17,662$725,841$0$0$743,503$743,503$0$743,503
2011$150,300$17,662$806,490$0$0$974,452$974,452$0$974,452
2010$154,656$17,662$896,100$0$0$1,068,418$1,068,418$0$1,068,418
 

Exemption Information

Exemption TypeAmount
Homestead$25,000
Homestead Band$25,000
 

Building Information

Building1
Actual Area11620
Conditioned Area7927
Actual Year Built2013
UseSingle Family Residence
Style01
ClassN
Exterior WallConcrete Stucco
Roof StructureGable Hip
Roof CoverClay Tile
Interior FlooringHardwood, Stone, Ceramic Tile
Interior WallDrywall
Heating TypeAir Duct
Heating Fuel
Air ConditioningCentral
Baths8.5

CategoryTypePct
FoundationConcrete Perimeter Footing100%
Floor SystemConcrete Slab100%
FrameMasonry100%
Exterior WallConcrete Stucco100%
Roofing StructureGable Hip100%
Roofing CoverClay Tile100%
Interior FlooringHardwood30%
Interior FlooringStone30%
Interior FlooringCeramic Tile40%
Interior WallsDrywall100%
Heating TypeAir Duct100%
Air ConditioningCentral100%
ElectricalVery Good100%
Plumbing36 FIXTURES100%
Wind2 Story Masonry100%
ConditionGood100%

DescriptionConditioned AreaActual Area
BASE AREA43274327
FINISHED GARAGE0858
FINISHED CARPORT0238
FINISHED OPEN PORCH0395
PATIO0389
FINISHED OPEN PORCH0216
PATIO0403
PATIO0260
FINISHED OPEN PORCH028
FINISHED OPEN PORCH0294
PATIO0324
POINTER00
FINISHED UPPER STORY36003600
FINISHED OPEN PORCH072
FINISHED OPEN PORCH0216
Total SqFt792711620
 

Extra Feature Information

Code DescriptionBLDLengthWidthHeightUnits
Masonry Wall0000348
Bulkhead (Average)00002100
Elevator - Residential (48"x48" - 3 Passenger) 3+00001
Residential Fence0000202
Masonry Wall00002422
Pool (Concrete)0000544
Kool Deck00001582
 

Land Information

Use DescriptionFrontDepthTotal Land UnitsUnit TypeLand Value
Single Family200129200FF$1,044,000
 

Sale Information


Recording
Date
Sale DateSale PriceInstrument
Type
BookPageQualificationVacant/ImprovedGrantorGrantee
11/24/201011/24/2010$0.00AF33791815UIMC CORMICK ROSEMARY L ***MC CORMICK ROSEMARY L LIV TRST
11/24/201011/23/2010$1,000,000.00WD33791821QIMC CORMICK ROSEMARY L LIV TRSTCORNEAL DAVID
12/18/2003$100.00LE2112709UIMC CORMICK ROSEMARY LMC CORMICK ROSEMARY L ***
10/31/1994$0.00LE1085633UISMITH LUCILLE B ***,50FT OF LOT 4MC CORMICK ROSEMARY L
9/22/1993$100.00QC1022378UISMITH LUCILLE B,LOTS 1 2 3 & PT 4SMITH LUCILLE B ***,50FT OF LOT 4
 

Area Sales Report



 

Sketch Information

Sketch 0

Clean Up City of St. Augustine, Florida: SPECULATOR DAVID ...




Aug 2, 2017 - LAWYER-SPECULATOR DAVID BARTON CORNEAL is selling his 125 Marine Streetbayfront mansion for eight million dollars. It's not even ...
Jul 22, 2015 - Northeast Florida's news and opinion magazine. ... Historical preservation activist Ed Slavin visits StAugustine's popular St. George Street. ... if developer David Corneal, who owns Old Island Hotels Inc., the new owner of the ...
Aug 7, 2015 - Our City embarrassed us in the eyes of the world, repeatedly losing First ... The museum sold it to David Barton Corneal who wants to inflict a high-end ... Aug. 5, county commissioners unanimously reversed and rejected rules ...






From St. Augustine Record, the day after the ugly CORNEAL stomach-pumping event -- notice the resemblance to Sidney Greenstreet, Mr. Potter in "It's A Wonderful Life"?: 




HIDE CAPTION
PETER.WILLOTT@STAUGUSTINE.COM David Corneal, owner of the Cordova Inn property in St. Augustine, talks to his consultant Mark Knight and attorney Ellen Avery-Smith outside of the St. Augustine City Hall after a meeting of the St. Augustine Historic Architectural Review Board on Thursday, May 21, 2015.



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