Staff Writer
Members of Jacksonville’s Waterways Commission were left scratching their heads Wednesday trying to figure out why they reviewed some proposed land use changes that affect waterways in the city and not others.
The Waterways Commission was created to, among other duties, “study and make recommendations to the Council with respect to the improvement, development and protection of the St. Johns River and all tidal waters in Duval County.”
The duties continued with: “Formulate an overall plan for dealing with any problems that exist concerning the St. Johns River and all tidal waters in Duval County. Devise methods of developing future uses of the St. Johns River and all tidal waters in Duval County.”
Its creation and operation are part of the City’s Municipal Code, which requires the City Council to operate and maintain such a commission.
But a request from Council member and commission vice chair Bill Bishop, also the former chair, is not a part of the City Code and can be carried out at Council discretion.
“When I was chair of the Waterways Commission, I requested that all land use map amendments that affect waterways in the city be review by the Waterways Commission,” said Bishop. “But it is only a request. It’s not codified anywhere.”
This issue was raised after City Senior Planner Edward Lukacovic presented a proposed land use map amendment for the Commission’s review Wednesday. The parcel fronts New Kings Road near its intersection with Dunn Avenue and abuts the Trout River to the east. The proximity of the waterway made it a matter of Commission review.
When Lukacovic was asked by the Commission why he hadn’t presented another proposed amendment involving 5.56 acres of land on San Jose Boulevard between Baymeadows and Beauclerc Roads that abuts Goodys Creek, he explained that he was told not to.
“The Council president told me I didn’t have to present it to the Commission,” said Lukacovic. “He conferred with the Office of General Counsel and they told him the amendment wasn’t required to go before the Waterways Commission.”
One of the areas of focus Council President Jack Webb planned to pursue during his term was to make the Council more efficient.
With both Bishop and Waterways Commission Chair John Crescimbeni on the Council’s Land Use and Zoning Committee, they would be doing the same job twice. Crescimbeni is also chair of that committee.
“If the chair wants the amendment to come before the Waterways Commission, all he has to do is ask,” said Webb.
“The bigger picture is I want to get my arms around what goes to what committee. I’ve got to be able to control what comes out of the Council effectively. I had an issue with some things not being assigned to committees and other things being assigned to committees where I didn’t understand why they were being assigned. We are just trying to rationalize the whole process,” he said.
The parcel in question is in District 5, which is represented by Art Shad.
Commission members asked for the chair to request that the Goodbys Creek-related amendment be presented at its next meeting Sept. 15.
“I’m concerned about a procedure that allows some applications the ability to skirt this commission,” said Lane Burnett.
Noticing the concern from most members of the Commission, Crescimbeni is considering developing legislation that would make Bishop’s request part of the City Code.
“With the concern that we saw today during the Commission meeting, maybe we need to look into legislation establishing what land use map amendments should be required to go before the Commission,” said Crescimbeni.
Waterways Commission
City Council member John Crescimbeni, chair
City Council member Bill Bishop, vice chair
City Council member Michael Corrigan
City Council member Richard Clark, alternate
Lane Burnett
Gary Anderson
Caryn Carreiro (excused Wednesday)
Fred Engness
Edward Fleming
Edward Grey Jr.
Richard Hartley
Scott Shine
Stephen Swann (excused Wednesday)
Penny Thompson
State Rep. Lake Ray
356-2466