by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The City Council will put a premium on preserving public access to the river when it begins its review next week of the City’s deal with LandMar to develop the Shipyards.
The development agreement is expected to go before Council committees starting Monday. The deal needs approval from the committees then the full Council before an April 30 deadline.
Several Council members interviewed said they would pay particular attention to the deal’s provisions for public improvements. Council member Pat Lockett-Felder, whose seventh district includes the Shipyards, said taxpayers were owed access to the river.
“I want to see public access set in stone,” said Lockett-Felder. “A lot of tax dollars have already been spent on that land. You can’t take taxpayer dollars and not open it up to the public.”
The City issued $47 million in bonds to help develop the 45-acre parcel sandwiched between the Sports Complex and the river. Much of that money went to previous developer TriLegacy to build public amenities including a Riverwalk and several parks. The City’s pending deal with LandMar calls for the developer to take over payments on that bond issue.
LandMar CEO Ed Burr’s plans for the land includes 662 residential units, 100,000 square feet of retail space and 1 million square feet of office space. But those features barely drew a mention when Burr unveiled his plans for the Shipyards. Instead it was the eight acres of public parks planned for the development that served as the focal point of Burr’s March press conference.
But Council member Suzanne Jenkins said she remembers hearing similar fanfare when TriLegacy announced its plans. Jenkins said the amount of planned public space seemed to shrink as she continued to monitor TriLegacy’s progress. She wants to avoid a similar situation with LandMar.
“We’re going to nail this down as far as how much public space there’s going to be and where it’s going to be,” said Jenkins. “I want to know when the public can use that space, whether its going to be 24/7 or what.”
As development picks up along the river, the City needs to ensure the public can continue to access it, said Jenkins.
“If we can give people access to the river, then that’s something that a lot of other places in Florida can’t give them. You go to some places in Florida and everything’s been built up and you can’t even get to the water,” she said.
Jenkins said she’s encouraged by the participation of LandMar and Burr.
Another portion of the deal likely to attract the Council’s interest is the so-called use-it-or-lose it provision. It gives LandMar a deadline of 2015 to begin substantial development or else give up the property.
Jacksonville Economic Development Commission commissioner Bob Rhodes sparred with LandMar attorney Lynn Pappas over the provision when the deal appeared before the commission March 10. Rhodes said the provision was too soft. Burr said any strengthening of the clause would be unacceptable and unfair.
Rhodes didn’t press the issue at the JEDC meeting because he said he was confident the City Council would give it “a hard look.” The JEDC passed the deal unanimously.