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West City CRA plan draws public concern over proposed uses of TIF, Oyster Creek preservation
Summary
A local resident urged the Planning & Zoning Board to limit use of West City CRA tax increment funds for a downtown parking garage and to preserve Oyster Creek in its natural state during the board’s May 6 public comment period.
BJ Calady of West City St. Augustine used the public‑comment period at the board’s May 6 meeting to press officials to modify the West City Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) plan. Calady asked that Tax Increment Financing (TIF) or WCCRA funds not be used toward a proposed garage on U.S. 1 and King Street and urged that Oyster Creek be left in its natural condition.
Calady told the board that the city had not adequately maintained riparian vegetation along Oyster Creek, which she said has become a camping area, and she urged natural preservation of the creek. She said she voted against advancing a WCCRA plan and asked the Planning & Zoning Board to modify the plan to: (1) leave Oyster Creek undisturbed, (2) not allow parking on West King Street, and (3) prohibit additional sidewalk dining on narrow West King Street sidewalks for safety reasons.
Why it matters: The West City CRA plan guides local redevelopment spending, and TIF funds can be used to pay for public improvements. Calady’s remarks raise neighborhood concerns about how redevelopment dollars will be prioritized and about protection of creekside habitat.
What the speaker said (selected paraphrases and direct lines) - Calady: “Please modify this plan by eliminating the use of WCCRA tax dollars to change Oyster Creek.” - Calady: She described Oyster Creek as becoming a camping area and said “Oyster Creek should be kept in its natural state.” - Calady requested that the PZB modify the WCCRA plan by: leaving the creek alone, no parking on West King Street, and no more sidewalk dining on West King Street (she cited safety and narrow sidewalks).
Board response and context - Board members briefly asked follow‑up questions during public comment; the chair closed public comment and moved to the consent items for the meeting. Calady’s concerns were recorded in the transcript as part of the public record; the board did not take immediate action on the CRA plan during the May 6 meeting (the CRA plan adoption was listed as an “other business” item for a later point in the agenda).
Next steps - Calady asked board members to read the staff backup materials carefully and suggested she would follow up when the CRA adoption item reaches the formal agenda. Any modifications to the CRA plan or TIF allocations would be reflected in future staff reports and would come before the board and City Commission as required by the redevelopment and budget process.
