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Commission unanimously approves rezonings to protect 100-acre parcel and complete Fish Island Preserve
Summary
The commission approved a package of second-reading ordinances changing land-use and zoning on city-acquired parcels (including a roughly 4.55-acre back-bay parcel and Fish Island parcels) to recreation/open-space and government-use designations to preserve them for conservation; each ordinance passed unanimously on second reading.
The St. Augustine City Commission voted unanimously to adopt a set of second-reading ordinances that change future land-use designations and zoning on several city-owned properties bought for conservation.
Planning Director Amy Skinner presented ordinances to: (1) amend the future land-use map and rezone approximately 4.55 acres behind East Park Avenue (ordinances 2026-03 and 2026-04), converting about 0.75 upland acres to recreation/open space and about 3.8 waterward acres to open-land conservation; (2) change land use and rezoning for roughly 2.12 upland acres on Fish Island (ordinances 2026-05 and 2026-06) to complete the Fish Island Preserve; and (3) rezone approximately 54.67 acres at Fish Island so upland parcels match existing recreation/open-space use (ordinance 2026-07).
Each ordinance was presented in a public hearing and moved, seconded and adopted on second reading with roll-call votes recorded as unanimous. The clerk read the short titles on the record and the mayor called for roll call; all five commissioners voted yes on each ordinance.
Why it matters: the ordinances reclassify city-acquired parcels to protect them from development, align zoning with conservation goals and place city-owned upland acreage into Government Use (GU) or Open Land (OL) as appropriate. Planning staff noted the Planning and Zoning Board reviewed the applications and recommended approval.
Votes at a glance: Ordinances 2026-03, -04, -05, -06 and -07 were each approved unanimously (Commissioners Barbara Blonder, Jim Springfield, John de Prater, Cynthia Garris and Nancy Sykes Klein: yes).
What happens next: with second readings adopted, the rezonings take effect per the ordinances' effective dates and staff will proceed with conservation and management steps for the parcels.
