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Planning board approves reduced parking for 3 Nesbitt affordable-housing project with condition to add spaces
Summary
The St. Augustine Planning & Zoning Board approved a variance reducing required parking for a 16-unit housing project aimed at low-income and homeless families, but asked the applicant to return with additional on-site spaces (the board approved 22 spaces as the working target).
The Planning & Zoning Board voted to approve a variance that reduces the minimum off‑street parking for a proposed 16‑unit project at 3 Nesbitt, but added a condition asking the applicant to seek additional spaces on the site.
The board considered an application to reduce required parking from 33 spaces to the 17 spaces requested by the applicant. In a staff report the city said the variance could be granted under the ordinance. Applicant Jamie Mackey, who identified himself for the record, told the board the organization houses homeless families referred through Care Connect and manages residents with two in‑house social workers. "If our families have a car, they'll have one car," Mackey said, adding that in his experience about 80% of current residents own a single vehicle.
During public comment, Michelle Burgess of 44 Ewing Street opposed the reduction, arguing that "placing as many units as possible on this property without providing adequate parking should not be permitted," and warning that narrow nearby streets and limited turning space would make trash, delivery and emergency access difficult. Burgess also asked who would enforce any one‑car‑per‑unit rule and how overflow parking would be handled.
Board members pushed the applicant to explore site reconfiguration, moving dumpsters and creating parallel parking to pick up additional spaces. Several members said they were reluctant to lose existing mature trees or to require the applicant to rebuild a nonconforming street that would be needed to add a driveway connection. The maker of the motion said the board wanted to approve the variance while encouraging the applicant to secure about five additional spaces on site.
The motion approved the variance with an expectation the applicant would work with staff and neighbors to increase on‑site parking toward 22 spaces; the applicant said they would attempt to reconfigure and to add signage and restrictions to manage on‑street overflow.
The board’s action allows the project to move forward under the revised parking condition; the applicant must submit updated plans and work with staff on permitting and any further variance work required by deadlines set by planning staff.
