Commission approves 50-foot boat-storage PUD at 404 Iberia after neighborhood debate

The St. Augustine City Commission on Jan. 27 approved Ordinance 2024-34, rezoning roughly 30.15 acres at the south end of Riberia (Iberia) Street from Industrial and Warehousing to a planned unit development. The vote was unanimous. The rezoning allows working-waterfront uses and a maximum 50-foot building height intended to accommodate enclosed boat storage and related marine industrial activities.

The rezoning is meant to preserve and focus marine industrial activity on the site while adding conditions the city and the applicant said would reduce impacts. Amy Skinner, director of the Planning and Building Department, told the commission the PUD is “consistent with the marine industrial and open land comprehensive plan land use categories” and that the proposed plan “encourages permeable pavers and Florida native or friendly landscaping.”

James Whitehouse, attorney for the property owner, described the project as a “working waterfront improvement project” and said the application does not add new uses but helps require long-term stormwater retention and a defined PUD site plan that would return for commission review if substantially changed.…