Jackson Square Controversy Brewing

[jaxphotocat]

I live in San Marco very close to River Oaks Road and on a regular occasion use River Oaks Road to commute.
Here are my quick thoughts on what may be the facts or near facts:

*A. From a google map I see that a street call Summerall Ave connects to River Oaks and I think it should be shut off from being connected to River Oaks Road.   (see attached jpeg)

*B. Trinity Street also connects Summerall Ave should be possibly be extended to connect to Phillips Hwy or St. Augustine Rd.    (see attached jpeg)

*C.  If the traffic becomes a problem, then very serious consideration must be given to shutting off River Oaks Road around the railroad track area.    (see attached jpeg)

*D. Under NO conditions should River Oaks Road be widened.  San Marco has a beautiful old charm that should not be traded in for modern highway.

Some other quick thoughts:

* 900 to 950 residential living units sound like too many.   The developer can be flexable, make some of the units bigger, thus not increasing the number of families, offering more space, and drawing a higher end buyer???  Just a thought.

*Sounds like at least a bit more parking is needed.

Just my 2 cents.

Jaxphotocat

[southerngirl]

Hey Jaxphotocat --

Drive by there today if you get a chance -- they've already CLOSED Trinity -- it's part of the development now. 

The developer's attorney (and puppetmaster for Art Shad), Paul Harden, said that since Jerry Hamm owned property on either side of those streets, they had the "right" to "petition" the city to close the streets.  Jerry Hamm did that prior to the sale, and the developers who bought the Hamm property were then given the whole property -- streets and all.  Shrewd move.

ALL of this was done out of the clear sight of anyone in the area. They've been laying the groundwork for this for 18 months...and it appears there's no turning back.

More importantly, there is a rapidly closing window of opportunity for comment. PLEASE SEND YOUR CONCERNS TO CITY COUNCIL and the MAYOR'S OFFICE:

JPeyton@coj.net; adamh@coj.net; BThoburn@coj.net; Clay@coj.net; SKELLY@coj.net; WBishop@coj.net; RClark@coj.net; Redman@coj.net; AShad@coj.net; Webb@coj.net; Gaffney@coj.net; EDLee@coj.net; WAJones@coj.net; MJones@coj.net; Holt@coj.net; DDavis@coj.net; ArtG@coj.net; Corrigan@coj.net; RonnieF@coj.net; Joost@coj.net; KHyde@coj.net; GloriousJ@coj.net

They NEED TO KNOW that neighbors of the development have concerns that MUST be addressed, especially since our Councilman can't be counted on to advocate for our concerns and needs.

[jaxphotocat]

Southerngirl,

Thanks for the info.  I probably have driven by since it was closed off but simply did not notice. 

I am becoming more and more concerned about how fast this has progressed without so much of the nearby community knowing about it or details about it.

In the basic concept, I am all for it, but having to many living units and a lack of parking can really be a concern.

[thelakelander]

I know our current parking requirements are higher than they need to be, but I'm not up to speed on how many stalls will be eliminated here or if the goal is to share a certain percentage of retail/residential parking.  How many parking stalls will this development contain?  I've heard a lot of complaints about parking, but have not seen any actual real numbers.  Are there at least 1,800 spaces?

[southerngirl]

Lake -- you've nailed the problem.  There are NO DETAILS that answer this or hundreds of other specific questions in the PUD.

NONE.

ZERO.

All they're stating in the PUD is they plan to provide 1/2 the required parking.

[jaxphotocat]

I have heard there has been 2 community meetings regarding concerns over this development and the lack of communication with nearby residents.  At those 2 meetings I heard Art Shad did not appear?  He is the city council member that is suppose to represent San Marco? 

Amazing with all this technology that most are all of the basic numbers are not clearly posted somewhere for the community to see?

[thelakelander]

That's something that should be included as a condition for PUD approval.  Has the planning department already taken at this?  Did any representatives from the city attend the most recent meeting with residents?  I can't imagine them approving a PUD like this, without this type of information included.  What else is missing?

[thelakelander]

I have heard there has been 2 community meetings regarding concerns over this development and the lack of communication with nearby residents.  At those 2 meetings I heard Art Shad did not appear?  He is the city council member that is suppose to represent San Marco? 

Amazing with all this technology that most are all of the basic numbers are not clearly posted somewhere for the community to see?

I think Shad represents San Marco, but Warren Jones represents the area where Jackson Square is located.  What' Shad's position at this point?

[Charles Hunter]

I have heard there has been 2 community meetings regarding concerns over this development and the lack of communication with nearby residents.  At those 2 meetings I heard Art Shad did not appear?  He is the city council member that is suppose to represent San Marco? 

Amazing with all this technology that most are all of the basic numbers are not clearly posted somewhere for the community to see?

I think Shad represents San Marco, but Warren Jones represents the area where Jackson Square is located.  What' Shad's position at this point?

I think Shad's position is whatever Harden wants it to be.
Isn't the FECRR the boundary between Shad and WJones?

I can't imagine them approving a PUD like this, without this type of information included.  What else is missing?

Paul Harden is the Developer's lawyer.  Paul Harden owns the 4th Floor of City Hall.  Why bother with useless details like reviewing the non-existent details in the PUD?  Why attend a public meeting?

[Lunican]

Jackson Square development gets closer

A major development in San Marco is closer to reality as designs are complete for what will be called Jackson Square at San Marco, a proposed transit-oriented development along Philips Highway just south of Interstate 95.

The development site covers approximately 18 acres, including the former Jerry Hamm Chevrolet location and other smaller parcels. It is the largest redevelopment project on the boards in Jacksonville’s San Marco district.

Jackson Square is based on the design principals of Transit Oriented Development and designs have been done by the Basham & Lucas Design Group. This new trend emphasizes the creation of livable, walkable communities oriented around public transportation systems. This type of development also makes it possible to live a high quality life without complete dependence upon an automobile.

Full Article:
http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=50741

[tufsu1]

Jackson Square will be discussed in detail at today's TOD woprkshop (info. in another thread)....Lakelander and I are both attending/presenting and will be able to report back.

[southerngirl]

I'll give the developer, Steve Cissel this:  he has CERTAINLY gotten his message out.

Sadly, NOBODY -- newspapers, blogs, LUZ, Council -- is asking the questions they should about impact (traffic, safety, noise) or wondering why this thing is getting not only the green light but a friggin' HOV lane of its own to zoom it straight through to completion before anyone asks a single thing.

There is NO guarantee of a commuter rail much less a stop at this location (the presentation I saw said that Emerson/Philips was the better location b/c of east/west traffic access), so how are they able to trade so simply on their TOD project?  If running a bus through the development counts as a TOD, than every damn street in Jax has a TOD on it already.

And, contrary to Paul Harden's repeated BS about hosting all of these meetings with neighbors (he was a part of ONE of them, and he was condescending as hell the entire time), they don't care ONE BIT about their impact on the surrounding areas. They're sloughing off the "where will these kids go to school?" question by saying "it's a concurrency issue" or "we don't expect there to be that many children in this development." Come on.  We're not that dumb, are we?

He attended a separate meeting last week and, once again, condescended the whole time. He's not interested in listening or adjusting the development plans ONE BIT. He wants what he wants and he's using his friends on the Council and in the Planning department to get whatever he wants. I guess the City's edict that Planning Dept. employees no longer are able to sit in Harden's box at Jags games isn't really stopping his influence on them, eh?

[jaxphotocat]

Is there any new news?   Is there a source that I can go to to see the some of the confirmed details about the Jackson Square project?  The number of living units concerns me most and I guess I have to lump parking into that also.

Jaxphotocat

Jackson Square will be discussed in detail at today's TOD woprkshop (info. in another thread)....Lakelander and I are both attending/presenting and will be able to report back.

[southerngirl]

Jaxphotocat...check this other discussion for more details on the TOD meeting...especially the more recent posts:

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,2840.0.html

[hound dog]

Jacksonville's planning department has sold out River Oaks Road in its concurrency negotiations with Steve Cissel and Paul Harden.  Cissel declares with confidence that the RR crossing won't be closed, that the street will be re-aligned and widened, that a tree-lined median will be installed as part of his landscape concurrency requirements, that on-street parking lanes will take up the easements, and that utilities will be moved back onto residents' private property.  As with all concurrency negotiations, these were carried out without public hearings.

However, the concurrency negotiations must be made available to the public via Sunshine laws.  Demand to see the notes on those meetings.  The planning department feels comfortable rubber-stamping the 5-page Jackson Square PUD application when others require 100+ pages of detailed plans and data.  They are behind the rezoning and maximum intensity development 100%.  They have made up their minds before hearing any of the staff recommendations required by law.  Why?  What's going on in there between the developer and the city?

This department feels qualified to waive any part of its planning code when it feels convenient, starting with the appointment of the notably unqualified Brad Thoburn after a bogus "national search".  The COJ planning department has become a law unto itself, and must be held accountable to its own code and procedures.  Demand transparency now.