Commission approves modified variance limiting Publix Plaza boulevard lights to 18 feet

The City of St. Augustine Beach Commission approved a modified agreed order on Jan. 6, 2025, that limits the height of new parking-lot light poles along a portion of Anastasia Boulevard to a maximum of 18 feet while allowing up to 25-foot poles elsewhere on the Regency/Anastasia Plaza site. The motion to approve the parties’ proposed order for variance file no. 2024-7 passed unanimously.

The commission's action adopted a settlement the appellant (an adjacent property owner) and the applicant (RC FL Anastasia LLC/Regency Centers) negotiated after a Planning & Zoning Board 4–3 decision. The modification includes: an exhibit mapping the area along the boulevard where the 18-foot cap applies (the exhibit will be cross-hatched for clarity in the recorded order); incorporation of specified non-residential lighting regulations (county-derived illumination and maintenance standards) as conditions; and requirements limiting glare and off-site light spill.

City attorney and parties said the modification adds enforceable conditions beyond the original variance. Attorney Doug Burnett, who represented nearby residents and participated in negotiations, summarized the compromise as limiting boulevard-adjacent pole height to 18 feet (comparable to the Seagrove Town Center poles) while allowing 25-foot poles in interior areas of the site. Stacy Ruiz, counsel for the developer, said Regency agreed to the change and requested the exhibit be cross-hatched so the recorded document remains legible in future copies.

The commission discussed technical illumination thresholds and asked staff to ensure the final engineering submittal clearly reflects which design standards apply where. Building official Brian Law and city staff said they would review the submitted lighting plans against the attached non-residential standards and noted any replacement of poles in the future that replaces over 50% of fixtures would trigger bringing the site into current code compliance.

Motion and vote: the commission voted to approve the proposed agreed order modifying variance 2024-7 “based upon agreement between the parties,” as added to the order’s findings; the roll-call recorded approvals by the commissioners and the motion carried unanimously.

The order and its exhibits will be prepared for signature and recorded with the clerk of courts; staff said they will bring any final edits and the recorded modification back to the commission as needed. The commission also asked staff to use the negotiated language as a prompt to review city lighting code provisions for potential future amendments.

The action concludes the appeal hearing on the variance for the Regency redevelopment; staff and the parties said construction may continue under the revised conditions.