In zoning law, the motto is "bring extra money," as Jimmy Breslin said. The late California State Treasurer Jesse Unruh said, "The mother's milk of politics" is "money."
Frequent campaign contributor, bundler and bungler, and developer mouthpiece DOUGLAS NELSON BURNETT, may misspell "waiver," as "wavier," but what do you want good grammar or bad taste? Or both?
At the August 1, 2023 County Commission meeting, BURNETT may get another waiver anyway, despite misspelling the word "waiver" in his one page application.
Corporate lawyer DOUG BURNETT is a former Assistant State's Attorney, former Assistant County Attorney, former conflicted counsel to St. Augustine Beach City Commission, former conflicted counsel to St. Augustine Airport Authority, son of the former Adjutant General of the State of Florida National Guard and Department of Military Affairs. Often photographed with Florida Republicans, BURNETT is a generous contributor of campaign ca$h to political candidates. When he opened his law firm office in St. Augustine Beach, it was with some $37,000 dollars in "incentives" from compliant St. Johns Commissioners. It's our money,
DOUG BURNETT, this favored favorite son of the St. Johns County political machine, represents land-raping "developers" for a living.
Those dodgy clients treat government officials like short-order cooks, or schnooks, bullets in their scheme to babble, baffle, borne and bully their way into government favors.
Under loose-as-a-goose Land Development Codes developed and approved by developers, our glorious County is constantly committing crimes against nature, to include clearcutting, wetland-filling, wildlife killing, flooding, overcrowded schools and traffic tie-ups. BURNETT is one of overdevelopers' willing accomplices, representing Limited Liability Corporations and other owners of land who are unknown to the public, but know. to Commissioners, who don't require disclosure of corporate interests.
Perhaps we should expect little of our County Commissioners and the controlling criminaloids, their corporate lawyers and the leader of their gang, developer-Senator TRAVIS JAMES HUTSON, developer of clearcutting environmentally devastating projects like SILVERLEAF.
DOUG BURNETT won a controversial waiver at the July 20, 2023 County Commission meeting. On behalf of Mr. Greg Mills, Mr. BURNETT has applied for yet another waiver of the one-year waiting period to reapply for a zoning change after a rezoning is denied.
In this case the denial in quo was on nearly a year ago, back on October 22, 2022: close enough that no waiver would have been necessary.
But the St. Johns Law Group's demands a waiver, to allow Commissioners to approve more "workforce housing," whatever that is. It's item 1 on August 1, 2023 agenda.
Shallow backup below, demanding to "prevent injustice."
Our Republican County Commissioners anxiously defend their "special relationship" to privileged developer lawyers. In fact, at the July 18, 2023 St. Johns County Commission meeting, 5th District County Commissioner I. HENRY DEAN angrily denied having ever received contributions from BURNETT or his law firm. In fact and in truth, he received $1000 in 2019 and $1000 in 2016 from BURNETT's St. JOHNS LAW GROUP.
Here's BURNETT's application, inter alia misspelling the word "waiver" as "wavier":
Christian Whitehurst, Chair St. Johns County Commission 500 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
June 30, 2023
RE: Mills Place CPA(SS) 2021-14 and PUD 2021-16 Request for Wavier of 1 Year Filing Requirement
Dear Chairman Whitehurst:
Please accept this request for the Board of County Commissioners (the “BCC”) to consider waiving the one (1) year filing limitation for a rezoning of land concerning the property located on Lewis Speedway; south of Plantation Point Drive, north of Woodlawn Road, St. Augustine, Florida, having parcel ID’s 073230-0040 and 073230-0000. These two parcels are owned by Gerald Gregory Mills.
This request is made on behalf of Mr. Mills, as he is the owner of the land and would like to pursue a workforce housing rezoning of the property under the existing Future Land Use. The denied CPA(SS) and PUD both sought to significantly increase density by way of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment. Most of the comments leading to the denial related to the proposed Comprehensive Plan Amendment. As a result, Mr. Mills would like to submit an application under the exist Residential-B designation and merely seek a rezoning consistent with that designation.
There has been a significant amount of focus and effort to bring workforce housing to St. Johns County and the location of the property is ideal for such a project, being so closely located to major employers in the St. Augustine area.
Pursuant to LDC Section 9.04.05.B, Limitations on Rezoning Land, whenever the BCC has denied a rezoning, the Planning and Zoning Agency shall not consider any application for rezoning of any part or all of the same land for a period of one (1) year from the effective date. The prior CPA(SS) and PUD were denied on October 18, 2022.
Per LDC Section 9.04.05.C, a waiver of the one (1) year time limit may be waived by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board of County Commissioners. Note: this waiver request is not so that a new CPA(SS) or PUD rezoning can be filed. The new application would be strictly for a straight rezoning to workforce housing.
Letter to Chair, Christian Whitehurst Page 2 of 2
This request is in keeping with the spirit and intent of the LDC, because of the County’s strong desire to encourage the development of workforce housing by adoption of provisions in the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Code specifically contemplating the uses in land designated Residential-B. A waiver is necessary to prevent injustice and to facilitate proper and compatible development of the County.
Accordingly, we would respectfully request the BCC waive the one (1) year limitation. Thank you for your consideration and review of this request.
Cc: County Attorney
Sincerely,
Douglas N. Burnett
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