Can you imaging approving a project without identifying all of the actual "beneficial" owners? St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners can -- there's no lobbying disclosure, no disclosure of actual owners of property, no ombudsman and no inspector general.
DAVID HUTSON was a no-show, and Commissioner PRISCILLA "RACHEL" BENNETT eagerly voted for her ex-boss's project.
St. Johns County Commission approves HUD grant application
Posted: August 2, 2016 - 11:37pm | Updated: August 4, 2016 - 6:31am
By JAKE MARTIN
jake.martin@staugustine.com
St. Johns County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved submitting an application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for nearly $800,000 in initial funding through its Community Development Block Grant Entitlement program.
HUD determined last year that St. Johns County meets the population requirement to qualify for urban county status, which opened the door for the CDBG funding. The program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties to develop viable urban communities, principally for low- and moderate-income residents.
The county will proceed with submitting its 2016-2020 Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan for the upcoming fiscal year through HUD. The deadline for submission is Aug. 16, after which HUD has 45 days to review the plans and approve or disapprove them. If approved by HUD and accepted by the commission, the funding would be available starting Oct. 1.
The estimated initial funding allocation for the county is $799,754, with an estimated $3,199,016 to be made available over the subsequent four years of the Consolidated Plan. The county would also have to leverage CDBG funds with other state, federal, and local funds to complete projects as outlined in the plans.
Shawna Novak, county director of Health and Human Services, told commissioners that county residents are paying more for home ownership and rentals than other parts of the state in a time where income has not kept up with increasing costs.
According to 2008-2012 American Community Survey data, the county’s median home value increased by nearly 62 percent while median contract value of rent increased by about 44 percent since 2000. During the same stretch, the median income only increased by 28 percent.
Community members who spoke during public comment were generally in support of the county’s pursuit of the funding, although with some caveats.
Bill Lazar, director of St. Johns Housing Partnership, said the funding would be an extra tool to provide more affordable housing.
“It is something we know now is going to come every year,” he said. “This is our tax dollars coming back to help us.”
Lazar said although the funding is provided through a federal framework, there is the ability to make local-level decisions on how to spend the allocations. He also said other funding usually comes but it can’t always be counted upon, making it harder to build partnerships and plan for the future.
Greg White, former chair of the steering committee of the West Augustine Community Redevelopment Agency, said the CDBG funding is another step in the right direction, referencing the July opening of the Family Dollar store on West King Street. He also said despite some lingering questions about whether the funding will be enough to get the job done, only time will tell.
“It’s here now, so let’s take advantage of it and appreciate the moment,” White said.
Flagler Estates resident Walt Smith, in the meantime, said his community was “a little displeased” with the process.
“There was not much time to put our requests together,” he said. “We understand next year maybe we’ll have a better chance.”
Smith said there was some interest in funding for recreational equipment for area parks as well as installation of radar speed signs.
Commissioner Bill McClure said he had heard other community groups struggled to come up with requests in time for the deadline. Commission Chair Jeb Smith said he appreciated the concerns of Flagler Estates but that the HUD application was a “crunch-time item” for staff, at least for the initial year.
The Annual Action Plan identifies four projects to be funded by CDBG funding, all of which must be completed within the first program year, no later than Sept. 30, 2017.
A home repair and rehabilitation project to benefit about 13 low-income households scattered throughout the county and St. Augustine Beach would receive an estimated $208,000. West Augustine drainage improvements that would benefit an estimated 350 households stand to receive about $300,402. Education assistance and after-school programs for about 30 students in three different sites within West Augustine would be funded for about $40,740. A housing rehabilitation project in St. Augustine would receive $90,661 toward the conversion of five homeless housing structures on Chapin Street to permanent affordable housing for homeless families with children.
MAJOR MODIFICATION
Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a request by developers behind the SilverLeaf Planned Unit Development to add and rezone 826 acres of land known as the “Goodman Tract” from Open Rural to Planned Unit Development and, thus, spread existing development rights over the land. McClure was alone in his dissent of the request, which included modifications to the overall plan of development.
SilverLeaf is a mixed-use development originally approved in 2006, although homes have yet to be built. The PUD already spans about 6,092 acres located south of County Road 210, north of County Road 16A and west of Interstate 95.
The addition of the Goodman Tract didn’t change the external boundaries of the existing SilverLeaf Development of Regional Impact, but brought the tract into the PUD. No plans for additional development were included.
In accordance with the SilverLeaf DRI, the development is approved for the following uses to be constructed over 15 years: 6,800 single-family units; 3,900 multi-family units; 1,140,000 square feet of retail commercial space; 300,000 square feet of office space; and 330,000 square feet of industrial space. The Master Development Plan currently depicts 5,668 single-family units.
One condition of SilverLeaf’s development order requires the developer to construct County Road 2209 as a four-lane road from Johns Creek Parkway to the State Road 16 Connector and to donate right-of-way, engineering permits and environmental mitigation.
The developer must also provide partial funding for St. Johns County to construct CR 2209 from the SR 16 Connector to International Golf Parkway. The roads must be built or be committed to being built before any construction of buildings can begin.
McClure expressed some concern with the county accepting dedication of roads within the development, given the county’s revenue challenges in meeting demands for existing roads. He also questioned the need for maximum building heights of 45 feet for residential single-family units and 90 feet for residential multi-family units.
County staff said there were benefits to building up, particularly in condensing the horizontal footprint of development and, thus, preserving more open space.
Staff pointed to previous approvals, particularly in the World Golf Village area.
COMMENTS
mach12.1e 08/03/16 - 06:50 am 42We qualify for "urban status".
Every resident's nightmare come true. We have achieved "urban status". Thanks to the county commission. If we had wanted to be "urban" we would have settled in Atlanta, or New York. They keep approving major modifications, height restriction variances and whatever else they can do to accelerate the destruction of what is left. Fools and thieves. They should be jailed.
Firstcoaster 08/03/16 - 07:36 am 13Federal Grants
are nothing but bribing the taxpayers with their own money.
Thomas Francis Reynolds 08/03/16 - 08:27 am 21The County Administration Failed, (but really WON) !
The whole Process for the Grant came late and rushed. Well that is the NORM in the SJC. Or more truthfully put, St Johns County Administrator Michael Wanchick STYLE ! Bring it before the Residents at the last minute, then rush the process. That way there is less or no input from the Residents. You FOOLED us again, SO YOU THINK. It is time to say BYE BYE MIKE e !
I'll bring the empty box to the next meeting, have Security escort Mike E to his car and off the Property, WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH !
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