Update: we won!
Thanks to Commissioners Clay Murphy, Ann Taylor and Chair Krista Joseph.
Thanks to those who testified (more later).
No thanks to Commissioners Christian Whitehurst and Sarah Arnold.
Come speak out at our March 18, 2025 County Commission meeting and support a tree protection ordinance of which we can all be proud. It is up to us, to We, the People.
To empower our discussions, I've asked for documents: Developer-influenced arachnid apparatchiks in our St. Johns County Administration Building have not provided them. Wonder why?
ST, JOHNS COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Deadline for Submission - Wednesday 9 a.m. – Thirteen Days Prior to BCC Meeting
3/18/2025
BCC MEETING DATE
TO: Joy Andrews, County Administrator DATE: February 7, 2025
FROM: Michael Lagassé, Environmental Manager PHONE: 904 209-0617
SUBJECT OR TITLE: AGENDA TYPE: Business Item, Report
Board Discussion of Land Development Code Article IV (Tree Ordinance)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Presentation to seek Board guidance on possible updates to the Land Development Code with
regards to Article IV protections for Trees and land clearing.
1. IS FUNDING REQUIRED? No 2. IF YES, INDICATE IF BUDGETED. No
IF FUNDING IS REQUIRED, MANDATORY OMB REVIEW IS REQUIRED:
INDICATE FUNDING SOURCE:
SUGGESTED MOTION/RECOMMENDATION/ACTION:
Presentation item, seeking Board direction
For Administration Use Only:
Legal: Kealey West 2/10/2025 OMB: ARM 2/10/2025 Admin: Brad Bradley 3/10/2025Growth Management Department
Environmental Division
Discussion Item: 14 Tree Goals
To:
Board of County Commissioners
From:
Michael Lagassé, Manager
Date:
March 18, 2025
Subject:
A presentation to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) of 14 Tree Goals re-
introduced at the December 17, 2024 BCC meeting.
Hearing Dates:
Briefing to BCC – July 18, 2023
Discussion to BCC – October 17, 2023
Discussion to BCC – March 18, 2025
Commissioner
District:
All
Objective: Facilitate BCC discussion on the previously proposed 14 Tree Goals.
Background: On October 17, 2023 BCC directed staff to bring a discussion item on current St. Johns
County tree protection regulations in the Land Development Code (LDC) and to revisit the 14 Tree Goals in
the context of the Comprehensive Plan amendment process. On December 17, 2024 BCC directed staff to
again present the 14 Tree Goals for further discussion.
Since December 17, 2024 staff has met with Chair Joseph twice to discuss the goals. Table 1 is a summary of
the original 14 Goals with notation of considerations of changes from these 2 discussions.Table 1. 14 Tree Goals revisited
Goal ID Goal Statement Goal 1: Continue to prevent removal of ALL
trees on a lot less than an acre
Goal 2: Provide greater tree protection on all
lots that are an acre or greater
and/or are coastal habitat lots
Goal 3: Better protect our irreplaceable trees Goal 4: Greater conservation of trees for
Planned Unit Developments (PUD)
Goal 5: More strongly discourage non-
permitted tree removal
Goal 6: Keep Tree Bank Fund (TBF)
payments current with inflation
Goal 7: Prevent land clearing too far in
advance of development
Goal 8: Preserve buffers, thereby protecting
neighborhoods’ privacy and other
quality of life impacts
Discussion summary
Consider elimination of Goal 1 and Goal 2 from
discussion – may be too stringent/impractical on
single family development
Standardize Protected and Specimen tree designations.
>30” DBH* Protected Tree = Specimen Tree
Except:
>50” DBH Live Oak = Specimen Tree
>18” DBH Sand Live Oak
> 12” DBH Red Cedar
Consider increasing penalty for Protected Tree
removal without a permit.
Require 20% conservation of upland natural
vegetation in PUD ( not inclusive of Significant
Natural Communities Habitat, Upland Buffers,
Essential Habitat and other conservation or
preservation areas). Currently 5% required.
Increase fine to $100k/acre and include an education
campaign to alert land clearers and residents of the
fine.
Raise tree bank fund payment from $25/inch to at
least $100/inch.
Eliminate Clearing Grading with no Construction
Plan (CGCP) permit type.
Keep as much as possible the undisturbed and natural
buffers, and request INSPIRE to provide options from
other jurisdictions including incentives for preserving
buffers.
Consider applying the more stringent scenic and
development edges required in NW District across the
entire county. Apply 30’ screening edge and 35’
development edge to all PUDs across the County.Goal 9: Disallow raising grade within 15 feet
of property boundary to preserve
buffer tree roots
Goal 10: Goal 9 and Goal 10 are related: No change, except
allow technical/engineering staff to exempt this
requirement if necessary.
Ensure that development and
construction does not lead to die-off
of trees in abutting preserve areas,
including due to die-off in drainage
areas.
Goal 11: Preserve more trees in commercial
settings
Delete the commercial application exemption for
payment into TBF and apply the $100/inch for lost
inches
Goal 12: Ensure that disbursement of funds
form the County’s tree bank go 100%
towards purchase and installation of
trees
Allow only on County projects.
Goal 13: Keep pines as important and take off
the noxious weeds list.
Add Longleaf Pine as a protected tree
Goal 14: Notification of clearing within 300
feet of homeowner and property line
before the clearing takes place
Eliminate due to high cost, low-benefit
*DBH= Diameter at Breast Height, approximately 4.5’ from ground surface
Staff is seeking Board direction on either of the following:
1. Provide staff with direction to bring further analysis on one or more goals for further discussion at a
future date TBD.
2. No further action.
37 comments:
Vote to restrict records requests by those who, in bad faith, obtain records and make libelous claims regardless of whether or not those records do or don't support that person's agenda or original assumption.
Oh? Sounds unconstitutional.
Libel, slander, and harassment sounds criminal or at least it would make a good suit, and I'm not talking about your church suit, if they even wear suits at whatever church you attend 🍷
More non sequiturs by persevering pestilential sock puppet poster "Pete." Who is "Pete". "Why do the heathen rage?" Psalm 2.
"Libel, slander, and harassment?" Shades of Bull Connor. "Pete" is a belligerent bully. He began posted when I wrote about a public figure, RICHARD CHRiSTIAN KOMANDO, beneficiary of the "spoils system," hired without an interview or an application. Pray for "Pete."
Count the non sequiturs by perseverating pestilential sock puppet poster "Pete." Who is "Pete". "Why do the heathen rage?" Psalm 2.
Heathen? Psalm 2? Sounds like the same irrational ideology the likes of which Doug Russo might adhere to. Go speak to him and let him sing you a tune or two using that same irrational ideology.
Yes taking public records and spinning libelous accusations and using the Constitution to aid and justify such behavior.
Waiting for proof and evidence for your claims for days... and since you brought fiction into the conversation..go ahead and give proof and evidence for resurrection with ascension into the sky. Proof and evidence for supernatural beings outside of one piece of historical fiction and a bunch of people believe it? A bunch of people believe in stolen election as well..
Look who slipped while PUI (Posting Under the Influence), calling himself Pete Komando. Either "Pete" actually is Richard Komando, or he's so obsessed with him, he's having an identity crisis. No wonder Pete Komando makes so many references to alcohol. But 2:43 PM is starting a little early, isn't it?
I'm obsessed with someone because I asked for actual proof and evidence for a claim that was made.. and argued against making claims without proof and evidence? How is that arguing for Komando? I'm supposed to just ignore bogus claims or that means I'm not on the side of Ed Slavin or pro komamdo? You're intellectually, logically, and rationally bankrupt.
You wrote someone's name as yours - unless you are Komando. If you have an explanation for writing that, then provide it. I'm sure you'll continue to deflect.
I think you complain about irrelevant nonsense and nip at people's heals while there's an actual conversation going on. You're the one deflecting and nitpicking while people are trying to accomplish something through dialogue. You have poor insight. Wishing right now that there was a block feature on this comment section so you couldn't waste people's time.
You're still avoiding answering the question. I believe this is Richard Komando which is sad because I had no idea he was that vicious and rude.
This isn't Richard Komando and it's slightly foolish to speculate who is who online anyway. Like it matters. Many of you will make things up regardless so wouldn't even matter if I showed you ID in person... that won't lend validity or credibility to claims without proof or evidence attached.
After weeks posting pejoratively as "Pete," the poster slipped up and posted as "Richard Komando." Psychiatry calls it a "Freudian slip." We may call it a "Floridian slip." Ab initial, "Pete" did NOT deny that he was RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO. Ipse dixit, he can't fix it.
So "Pete" posts under Komando's name occasionally, pretends he didn't, and then accuses others of making things up while calling them foolish.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freudian_slip
Ab initio, "Pete Komando" did not deny that he was RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO, the Interim County Attorney. This is an adoptive admission or an admission by silence. Ipse dixit, he can't fix it. I've asked SJC BoCC for all of the social media posts by RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO and all acting in concert with him.
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 08:02:04 PM EDT
Subject: RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO, et al. 2025 social media posts
Good evening:
1. Would you please be so kind as to send all social media posts or printouts or screen saves by St. Johns County Interim County Attorney RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO, or all acting in conert with him, during 2025?
2. Please include any social media posts that RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO and all acting in concert with him may have posted anonymously, or using "sock puppets" or other names, including but not limited to posts by "Pete" or "Pete Komando."
3. Please be sure to include all posts by RICHARD CHRISTIAN KOMANDO or others acting in concert with him to Facebook, http://www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com, edslavin.com, or other social media.
Thank you.
With kindest regards, I am,
Sincerely yours,
Ed Slavin
Box 3084
St. Augustine, Florida 32085-3084
www.edslavin.com
http://www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
http://www.staugustgreen.com
(904) 377-4998
Is that proof or evidence for your claims? No, it's not... but continue deflecting with irrelevant monologues, irrelevant accusations, unrelated nonsense, meaningless off topic nonsense.
I'm not Richard Komando, and it wouldn't matter if I was. You made a claim, I asked you for proof and evidence, you haven't really given me anything besides "because I think so."
Would you be so kind as to give actual proof and evidence for hiring "because friends" and not because qualifications? Everything else is pretty much a deflection. The sober people here will understand that.
I haven't pretended not to do anything see. You've made a bogus claim. I said I wasn't Richard Komando and I'm not. You don't have proof or evidence for that either but I'm sure you'll just go ahead and believe whatever is convenient for you. Ed fails to deliver proof and evidence for a claim he made, so it's not an accusation. That's what he did until he provides the proof and evidence. For you, I recommend alcoholics anonymous since we've set the precedent of making assumptions. Lay off the pills and booze.
No credibility. In "A Man For All Seasons," the play and movie by Robert Bolt, Saint Thomas More speaks in the courtroom trial scene, where Thomas More is on trial for treason, for refusing to assent to Henry VIII's divorce. Thomas More speaks to an ambitious young prosecutor, Richard Rich, who was a young courtier as the story begins, played by John Hurt, a young man who badly wanted a government job with Henry VIII. Played by Paul Scofield, Saint Thomas More notes that Richard Rich wears a chain of office, as Attorney General for Wales. More says to Rich in an aside during the trial, "Why Richard, it profit a man nothing to give his soul for the entire world.... but for Wales?"
"Pete" says "it wouldn't matter" even if he was Richard Komando (posting under another identity). That pretty much confirms "Pete's" lack of a moral compass.
You've posted under nothing but anonymous, so you should be the last one to comment on user names. Just no insight and you've not offered proof and evidence for his claims and neither has he. Only trying to attack people's character instead of answering questions. Seek medication and psychotherapy.
Pete, were you abused as a child? I've rarely encountered a more aggressive bully on the internet.
Your arguments are very thin on logic. Such as...I comment anonymously, therefore I can't criticize you for stealing another person's name when you comment!
👆All these accusations when I originally only asked for proof and evidence for Ed's claims... then comes along this individual sidestepping that issue.. and instead making irrelevant points about what said or didn't say. Like that has anything to do with really anything. So an attempt at character assassination failed... now more attempts. And now I'm a bully..
If I was "abused as a child" for demanding proof and evidence for claims... then anonymous must have been thrown down a flight of stairs as a baby for attacking me because I asked for proof and evidence.
You've not won anything really. They don't have to agree with you or do anything. They simply did something that you agreed with, and in the future they might not. If they do something you don't agree with then you loose? What sort of nonsense is this?
Yes, Big Money Power ululating and perseverating. "Why do the heathen rage?" (Psalm 2)
Mr. Slavin, would you please remove this post that is fraudulently posted in my name --- just like the fraudulent GOP voting card that was mailed to thousands and illegitimately won the election for Commissioner Whitehurst? Thank you.
Thank you for pointing out the false impersonation, Nicole Crosby.
Deleted false impersonation post.
Whitehurst is a good man and would have won anyway. The mailers did nothing but give a bunch of Karens something to complain and talk about.
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