St. Augustine commissioners reject hotel ordinances

St. Augustine commissioners rejected two applications for hotels taller than 50 feet off U.S. 1.

The applications were for the proposed Ponce Hotel, and an application to transform the Quality Inn at 1111 Ponce de Leon Blvd. into a larger hotel.

The ordinances, which were heard at Monday's commission meeting, would have changed the city's comprehensive plan and zoning to allow for the developments. The ordinances needed to be moved to a second reading to be considered for adoption.

At the meeting, commissioners also passed an ordinance increasing parking violation fines. Commissioners also supported the reduced-rent lease between the city and the St. Augustine Yacht Club.

For the hotels, commissioners voted unanimously against moving forward comprehensive plan amendments for both applications. That also kept the rezoning applications for both hotels from moving forward.

People had expressed concern about the proposed hotel heights and whether approval would set a precedent inviting more large developments.

Current zoning on those properties restricts height at rooftop to 35 feet.

Commissioners said they had problems justifying the allowance for more height.

Farid Ashdji, who noted his business history in the community, said he wanted to transform the Quality Inn into a larger and higher-end hotel. The hotel would be five stories tall.

He said the area is not in the historic district. He also said the hotel would boost the city's tax base without adding much traffic - the Quality Inn is already there.

"(The) City of St. Augustine needs the high-end hotels," Ashdji said. "And we don't have enough hotels."

Mayor Nancy Shaver said officials appreciated Ashdji's contributions to the community. But she said commissioners represent the residents, who want to protect the city's character and livability.

"I would consider exploring a four-story hotel that could bring to the community (the benefits) you just described," Shaver said.

In the application for the Ponce Hotel, Shaver said it was hard to understand the impact of the hotel based on information provided.

The Ponce Hotel was proposed to be at the lot bounded by Garnett, Cunningham and Matanzas avenues and U.S. 1, south of the library at San Carlos Avenue.

While commissioners turned down the hotel applications, they approved an ordinance to increase fines for parking violations.

The measure increases fines for overtime meter violations from $15 to $25 and increases fines for illegal parking from $25 to $35.

Mark Litzinger, city comptroller, has said the measure will increase revenue by about $55,000. However, he said it was about managing parking by bringing the cost of parking in line with the cost of violations.

Bringing them in line would encourage people to obey parking rules and leave parking spaces on time.

Without the ordinance the costs are out of balance. For instance, the cost of parking in the city's garage is $12.

"So basically anybody could park anywhere you'd like in town for just $3 extra dollars and get a ($15) fine," he said.