Growler bill dies in House
Florida beverage laws remain unchanged, thanks to the House of Representatives. Although the Senate passed its highly restrictive bill (SB 1714) 30 votes to 10 (those against included Audrey Gibson and Aaron Bean), Dana Young, the House majority whip, suggested that the bill would not be heard on the House floor in its last session […]
Food trucks win fight to stay Downtown
For all intents and purposes, the food fight is over. After five public meetings, from Feb. 25 to Apr. 7, an amendment to Chapter 250 (Miscellaneous Business Regulations) of the Municipal Code will soon be introduced to City Council that will allow “mobile food dispensing vendors” to operate downtown without excessive restrictions. The amendment, in […]
Update on I-10/I-95 Proposed Expansion
The wheels of the transportation bureaucracy appear to turn slowly, and that may be a good thing. It’s a hopeful sign that the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is taking residents and business owners seriously about concerns with the proposed I-10/I-95 interchange project. At the early February public meeting, which approximately 200 attended, concerns were […]
More parking for 5 Points patrons
Late last month the Planning Commission approved an application for a minor modification that will open up a tenant-only parking lot for evening patrons of 5 Points shops and restaurants. The application filed by Doug Skiles, CEO of Envision Design+Engineering, on behalf of Mike Shad, owner of 5 Points Theatre Building LLC, requested the creation […]
Remembering the Philips Highway corridor
Regular contributor David Gum once again provides interesting and detailed memories of a particular part of town – in this case, the Philips Highway corridor between Atlantic and University boulevards. Who remembers back in the late 1990s/early 2000s when the city finally changed all the Philips Highway street signs to be consistent? Before then, half […]
Towering ‘stealth’ cell tower toppled by committee
Despite recommendation by the Planning and Development Department to approve a railroad-side cellular tower, at the end of the day, vegetation ruled. On May 8 the Tower Review Committee, by denying a landscape waiver, essentially toppled the application by Dynan Group and PI Telecom Infrastructure to erect a 150-foot cellular tower in a right-of-way near […]
Dredging up interest
Millers Creek group to gauge depth of desire for a special tax district – St. Nicholas residents living on Millers Creek met last month for the second time to discuss creating a special tax district to fund the dredging of the waterway that has become increasingly shallow over the years. While there is still plenty […]
Tribute to 90 years fitting for Memorial Day
Approaching the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, The Memorial Park Association hosted a free community breakfast in the park on Memorial Day. The Navy’s Color Guard opened the day with a brief formal ceremony, followed by breakfast treats donated by a number of the community’s merchants. Keynote speaker Dr. Wayne Wood […]
