by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Brenna Durden is on a mission to protect Jacksonville’s past and improve the city’s future.
Durden, an attorney specializing in land use and environmental law at Lewis, Longman & Walker, is using her experience within the legal community to bring positive change to the city. Having served as a city planner in numerous locations doesn’t hurt either.
“I like to take on projects that serve the community. I feel all of us need to do something,” said Durden.
Currently, she is involved in historic preservation and chairs a Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. study on litter.
“‘Making Jacksonville a Clean City’ is the name of the study,” said Durden. “The board decided it was worthwhile because we do want to beautify. We want visitors to say we’re a clean city. We’re going to be viewed by millions at the Super Bowl and we want them to notice cleanliness.”
As chairperson, her job is to gather information on the types of litter found, where it is found and how to resolve the issue. Biannually, JCCI conducts a study of topics of concern for the area. Information is accumulated over a four- month period and assessed. A formal report is then submitted to their board with a two-year time line for implementation.
“First we had to find out what the laws were and what settings litter was found in, be it malls, roadways, storm water, parks, undeveloped areas,” she said.
JCCI’s committee on trash meets weekly to discuss the problem. It also discusses social problems that contribute to the problem.
“There’s a theory called the broken window theory,” explains Durden. “If a broken window in a home gets left, then the next door neighbor isn’t going to fix his front porch when a board breaks. It’s like a disease that spreads and the whole neighborhood goes down with it. To go in and fix up a neighborhood has the opposite effect, which is to cause everyone to have pride in their neighborhood. Trash directly affects the desire to fix that broken window. We have to change the attitude people have.”
Historic preservation has been a pet project for Durden since her days at the University of Florida School of Law.
“I was always drawn to antiques and old architecture. My professor was the father of historical preservation and was pivotal in the protection of historical structures.”
While employed at the City’s general counsel office, Durden represented a historical committee, which led to her creating the St. Johns Quarter in Riverside. The territory stretches along the St. John’s River from the Villas at the St. Johns to St. Catherine Laboure Manor.
“It was important to ensure that neighborhood was protected from encroachment,” she said. “There are some special homes there and it was facing tremendous development pressure.”
Working in conjunction with Riverside/Avondale Preservation, the City Council, the Planning Department and Riverside homeowners, the quarter was spared from having the integrity of the existing homes compromised.
Jacksonville Beach Elementary School faced a similar predicament earlier this year.
Teachers at the school approached Durden, hoping she would be able to use her legal expertise to prevent the old school building from suffering the fate of the wrecking ball to make way for a park.
“It was built in 1939 and served as an African-American school, community center, polling place and health center,” said Durden. “It was well-preserved and gave a sense of pride to the community. Even as late as 2000, it was used as classrooms.”
Durden spent hundreds of hours, fighting to save the structure and finally prevailed when beach residents Chris and Nadia Hionides donated three lots so the school building could be moved. Today, Durden and the Jacksonville Beach Elementary Preservation group continue to raise funds for the restoration of the building.
Next on the horizon for Durden is a push to jump start downtown.
“There are many exciting things going on there,” she said. “That will be the next area where there’s an opportunity. I have made contacts and told people I have an interest in serving.”