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RESIDENTNEWS.NET | MARCH 2020, VOL. 13, ISSUE 03
SAN JOSE . SAN MARCO . ST. NICHOLAS
City Council approves Park Place San Marco RIGHT SIZE SAN MARCO THREATENS TO APPEAL DECISION
By Marcia Hodgson Resident Community News
LIMOUSINE SCAVENGER HUNT RAISES FUNDS (AND FRIENDS) FOR WOMEN IN NEED
Ryan Schwartz’s team, Ain’t Too Proud to Buy a Clue, joined Helping WIN Executive Director Gwen Gallagher-Howard and her husband, Alan, during the after-party for the nonprofit’s photo scavenger hunt at the Grape and Grain Exchange Feb. 23. From left, Dan Stocker, Kelly Kristoff, Ryan Schwartz, Gwen Gallagher-Howard, Kim Kristoff, Alan Howard and Mary Calcote. READ MORE, PAGE 33
Everything’s coming up roses Dr. James and Maruchi Schumacher joined Marcia and Dick Morales at the Red Rose Ball, the 39th annual black-tie affair for Ascension St. Vincent’s Foundation to help raise money to benefit the Foundation’s Mobile Health Outreach Ministry.
Suds for kids
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Honoring J.F. Bryan
Kim Shoals with Dave Gast, Chuck Shoals and Laurie Gast had the opportunity to sample more than 100 craft beers from regional and national breweries during the 7th Annual Riverside Craft Beer Festival Feb. 22 at Riverside Arts Market. Proceeds from the event benefited Community PedsCare® and charities supported by the Riverside Rotary Foundation.
Former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney joined J.F. Bryan IV, Maurice A. Jones, president and CEP of LISC’s national office and former Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton at the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) during its award’s event at TIAA Bank Field’s East Club Feb. 20. Bryan, who was instrumental in the organization’s founding, was additionally honored for the establishment of the Friends of J.F. Bryan Fund at the Community Foundation of Northeast Florida.
I N H O M E S BY M A RC H 5 T H, 2 0 2 0
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Preserving land for future Floridians Passionate patrons and advocates for Florida’s great outdoors joined Ryan and Lindsay Riggs, David and Susanna Barton, Katherine and Dave Auchter at the Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens as the North Florida Land Trust commemorated its 20th anniversary Feb. 19. READ MORE, PAGE 28
Residential construction may soon be coming to San Marco Square. Despite objections from the San Marco Preservation Society and the neighborhood group, Right Size San Marco, South Jacksonville Presbyterian Church has persevered to see the Jacksonville City Council approve its bid to rezone its nearly three-acre property so that a large portion of the campus can be sold and a 133-unit apartment complex and parking garage built on the site. The historic church, which claims it can no longer afford to maintain the buildings on two-thirds of its property first received unanimous approval for its application from the City Council’s Land Use and Zoning Committee (LUZ) Feb. 19 at City Hall. The vote in favor came after a contentious five-hour public hearing and heartfelt arguments against the plan by At-large Group 4 Councilman Matt Carlucci, who is not a member of LUZ. On Feb. 25, City Council voted 17-1 to approve the amended application, which would allow a four-story, 49.5-foot residential complex to be built within the San Marco Overlay, which is a zoning ordinance that mandates buildings shall not exceed 35 feet within its boundaries. Carlucci, who lives in the adjacent neighborhood south of the proposed development, cast the only dissenting vote. The City Council approved the application, which consisted of two amended ordinances, 2019-750 and 2019-751, under the threat of appeal by members of Right Size San Marco, a grassroots neighborhood group consisting of more than 700 members. The Council also refused to act on a request to have a formal quasi-judicial public hearing on the plan. According to the Council’s rules, rule 6.301 states that such requests need to be filed at least seven days prior to the LUZ Committee public hearing, making the request “untimely,” said Shannon Eller of the City’s Office of the General Counsel. Because no council member moved to have the rule waived, Council President Scott Wilson decided to drop the matter and get on with business. “I’m just pleased that the Council saw the merit of the Planning Commission and what the LUZ members voted on,” said Bill Ware, of Harbert Realty, which plans to purchase the church property and develop the project. “I’m not worried about the appeal. I feel we have a strong position as does the city, and we defer to the city in that respect. We’re anxious to get started and will CONTINUED ON PAGE 6