Commission approves donated Davis Shores monument sign after debate over scale (4–1)

The City Commission voted 4–1 to accept a donated monument sign for Davis Shores Park and authorize the city to accept the gift and assume ongoing maintenance.

Candace Seymour, the city’s historic preservation planner, presented the proposed sign: aluminum construction with a textured finish, design colors preapproved for the corridor, and a height of 6 feet 6 inches with a total width of about 22 feet including pillars. She said donor Christopher Way raised funds locally to build and donate the sign; if approved the city would take responsibility for illumination and future maintenance.

Commissioners praised the neighborhood fundraising and the intent to commemorate the Davis Shores plan from the 1920s but expressed aesthetic concerns. One commissioner said the design and letter sizes felt out of scale for the boulevard, calling the finished monument “the size of a two‑car garage” and urging a scaled design for future signs; another commissioner said the sign would not cause confusion when entering or exiting Saint Augustine and supported approving it as presented.

The motion to accept the sign as presented passed with four commissioners in favor and one opposed.

Next steps: the city will accept the donated sign, install it at the proposed location on the south edge of Davis Shores Park near Anastasia Boulevard, and assume responsibility for maintenance and illumination.