Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Votes Roundup topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Planning board approves multiple variances, dock modification and warns public about phishing emails
Summary
The St. Augustine Planning & Zoning Board approved variances for 24 McCarris, 322 Anastasia, 445 Ocean Vista, 31 Hibiscus and a dock modification at 3545 Island Drive, and repeated warnings to applicants about realistic-looking phishing invoices; approvals were tied to staff recommendations and, in one case, to HARB site-plan conditions.
The St. Augustine Planning & Zoning Board on Feb. 3 approved several variance requests and a dock modification after hearing staff reports and public comments. The board also cautioned the public about a wave of realistic phishing emails that included fake invoices for permitting fees.
Votes at a glance
- 24 McCarris (PZB‑2026‑0012): Approved a reduction of the rear‑yard setback from 20 feet to 8.75 feet to allow a garage addition and to move and preserve a historic house. The board’s approval was explicitly tied to the HARB (Historic Architectural Review Board)‑approved site plan. Attorney James White house spoke for the owners and said the change preserves the streetscape; staff recommended approval and noted HARB’s prior order.
- 322 Anastasia Blvd (PZB‑2026‑0014): Approved a parking variance to permit a change of use from a traditional restaurant to a drive‑through restaurant; the site has 10 existing off‑street spaces but the new use requires five additional spaces, four of which cannot be met on site. The property owner previously received a use‑by‑exception for a drive‑through window; the board approved the variance after site visits and discussion of pedestrian/traffic flow.
- 445 Ocean Vista Ave (PZB‑2026‑0015): Approved an increase in maximum height from 30 to 33 feet for an addition that will create a code‑compliant stair to access a roof deck; neighbors and staff told the board the addition is largely obscured by landscaping and would be minimally visible from public vantage points.
- 31 Hibiscus Ave (PZB‑2026‑0016): Approved a variance (from 10 feet to 5 feet) to construct an ADA‑compliant master‑bedroom addition; staff noted the existing house was built with a 5‑foot setback under an earlier code.
- 3545 Island Drive (PZB‑2026‑0009): Approved modification of an existing dock within Conservation Overlay Zones 1 and 2, allowing an addition of floating dock area up to the packet’s stated limit (the applicant and the adjacent neighbor confirmed they were in agreement about separation and not exceeding the submitted dimensions).
Phishing emails and next steps
Several applicants and board members reported receiving realistic‑looking emails on meeting day demanding payment for permit-related invoices (amounts cited in the meeting included $4,500, $3,700 and $4,800). Staff and the chair warned the public not to pay invoices that come via unsolicited email, to verify invoices with city staff, and to contact law enforcement and banking institutions immediately if funds were wired. Planning staff said they have posted alerts and will continue to remind applicants that a board approval is not the final permitting step; building permits and other permits may still be required.
What happens next
Approvals were recorded by roll call; successful applicants were reminded that board approval does not remove subsequent building‑permit requirements. For the HARB‑tied 24 McCarris approval, staff and the board emphasized that the variance is tied to the specific site plan that HARB approved.
