Legislation to waive the City noise ordinance for upcoming shows at Metropolitan Park – and public debate about the park's role to host such events – resulted in City Council Chambers being cleared Tuesday after several public demonstrations of applause.
More than 100 people attended the Council meeting, with many speaking during the first period of public comment that lasted more than 3 1/2 hours. Many advocates of the waiver applauded after several speakers, which led to Council President Bill Bishop ordering the room to be cleared.
Council rules prohibit demonstrations, such as applause or vocal protest, during meetings.
Council eventually passed the waiver, which will exempt the Southeast US Boat Show this weekend, the "Welcome to Rockville" show April 27-28 and the Funk Fest in early May at the venue.
"I'm proud of Jacksonville for coming out … the waiver is a temporary solution and we'll continue working for a permanent solution," said Danny Wimmer, promoter of the "Welcome to Rockville" event.
At least one local radio station, 102.9 FM, asked people to attend Tuesday's meeting to oppose clamping down on shows at Metropolitan Park. The station advertised on its Facebook page that it would give away 100 pairs of tickets to "Welcome to Rockville" for those who turned out for the meeting, in addition to prizes for best protest sign.
Council member Denise Lee chairs a Council Ad Hoc Committee on Metropolitan Park, which offered the waiver and is reviewing noise issues for paid events at the venue.
The waiver also establishes noise testing to be conducted at the upcoming shows, with the data to be used by the committee as part of a study.
Lee said the waiver is meant to assure people associated with the event that it will still take place as planned.
"This is only a temporary fix," she said.
Several people who spoke against the waiver also said the park was not intended to host such shows.
Bishop said the park "has a lot of problems" and was not designed to host shows like Rockville, but said that did not mean it was not an appropriate venue.
He said if people "want to get in that game" in terms of having such a facility, much work needs to be done to make it happen.
Legislation to expand the Entertainment Zone, which comprises the sports complex and other Downtown areas but not Metropolitan Park, was discussed but was not taken up by Council.
"I just think at this particular time, it's just not timely," Lee said.
Other action at Tuesday's meeting:
• Economic development incentives for two companies to create 600 jobs were approved. Deutsche Bank will receive an incentives package of more than $2 million from the City and state to create 300 jobs. Of the incentives, the City will pay up to $360,000, or 20 percent, with the state paying the remaining $1.44 million, or 80 percent, as part of the Qualified Target Industry Tax Refund program. It also will receive a $140,000 Recapture Enhanced Value grant from the City, which is paid by the City over a five-year period to refund property taxes and investments paid by the company. Combined, the City's contribution is up to $500,000. Deutsche Bank proposes to invest $10 million in private investment. It also will receive $140,000 from the state as part of the Governor's Quick Action Closing Fund. All the jobs must be created by Dec. 31, 2016, and the company will expand its 5022 Gate Parkway location on the Southside.
• The second approval was for Digital Risk, which will receive $300,000 from the Countywide Economic Development Fund Grant fund to create 300 jobs. The Orlando-based risk analytics company will receive $1,000 for each job it creates in a fiscal year, with a cap of $75,000 for 75 jobs in any of the applicable four years. The company proposes to spend $2.5 million in private investment. It opened a Southside office in 2010 at 5011 Gate Parkway and received $525,000 in City and state incentives to create 175 jobs.
• Legislation filed Tuesday by Bishop would appropriate more than $2 million to the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens for its Land of the Tiger exhibit, part of the $9.5 million expansion of the Asia Precinct exhibit. The ordinance would appropriate the funds from the Loblolly Wetlands Mitigation Fund. Zoo officials broke ground last week on the exhibit, which has had a $11.5 million fundraising drive since at least November. As of last week, the zoo had raised $7.5 million for the expansion, bolstered by a $3 million donation by Wayne and Delores Barr Weaver.
• Legislation filed by Richard Clark to allocate $19,615 from the special Council Operating Contingency to purchase 20 chairs for Council Chambers was passed as an emergency. It invokes an exception to purchase the chairs, without competitive bidding, from Office Environments & Services.
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