Downtown landscape master plan: consultants outline quick-action 'level 1' planting and cleanup for Knights of Lights

Consultants working with the City of St. Augustine presented a draft Downtown Landscape Master Plan and a set of quick-action, level-1 improvements the Community Redevelopment Agency could implement ahead of the Knights of Lights season.

Jeremy Marquis, representing the consultant team, said staff and consultants focused first on landscapes that already have Historic Architectural Review Board (HARB) approval and on plant palettes that favor historically appropriate and salt-tolerant species. The quick-action items include restoration of hedges and small-planting beds near the Leitner Museum and city hall plaza, refreshed plantings around the visitor information center, reintroducing agapanthus and iris for seasonal color, and targeted additions of palms and live oaks to increase the downtown tree canopy.

Marquis said the plan intends to ‘‘refresh’’ landscapes that have lost plants over the years rather than wholesale redesigns for the immediate timeframe. He described the approach as prioritizing HARB-approved areas for quick action while reserving more intensive level-2 work for later review.

Board questions and maintenance concerns

Commissioners asked whether the plant palette is salt tolerant and whether irrigation and maintenance were addressed. Marquis and team members confirmed the selection emphasizes salt-tolerant and Florida-friendly species; consultants said level-1 work will largely use modified existing irrigation systems, while larger level-2 sites would likely require full irrigation retrofits. Commissioners also urged a stronger emphasis on native species and asked staff to de-emphasize commonly used nonnative elements where feasible (podocarpus, liriope, African iris and certain fan palms were discussed). Staff acknowledged the maintenance budget for ongoing care is separate from capital CRA funding and committed to follow-up planning on maintenance costs and responsibilities.

Why it matters: the downtown landscape work affects high-traffic civic spaces, the visitor experience, and preservation design review. Quick-action items are intended to produce visible improvements in time for a major seasonal event while larger design and irrigation upgrades are planned for later phases.

Speakers cited in this article: Jeremy Marquis (consultant lead), Kaylee Toller (consultant team), Commissioner Barbara Blonder, Vice Mayor (unnamed in transcript for vice mayor remarks).