St. Michael’s Church campus expansion continues under city review

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
September 23, 2018 5:30 p.m.

Revised plan for St. Michael’s Church Office showing relationship to neighboring residential structures along Broome St.

The Fernandina Beach Historic District Council (HDC) met on September 20, 2018 and considered seven cases. Among those were two applications (HDC 2018-17 and HDC 2018-20) relating to plans to expand the campus of St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church along the east side of North 5thStreet between Broome and Calhoun Streets.  The HDC approved the church’s request for a variance to allow it to reduce the setback of the proposed church office building so that the front of the new building lines up with existing historic district structures on the block. The HDC had previously approved a request to demolish the existing church office building, a 1970’s-era ranch style building that did not contribute to the Historic District.

The HDC also granted conceptual approval to revised plans for the proposed church office building. Project architect Jose Miranda had incorporated feedback from HDC members provided at a previous hearing to reduce the mass of the building and use lap siding as opposed to stucco as the building’s exterior finish.  Miranda also proposed moving the entrance to the building’s garage from North 5thStreet to the parking lot adjacent to the north of the building. Such a move would allow for additional landscape on the street side and also possibly help stormwater mitigation.

The elevation drawings below show revisions from the first plans.  Not shown is the current plan to change the garage entrance  so that the doors face north into the parking lot:

Note that conceptual approval only allows planning to proceed.  It does not imply or guarantee that additional changes will not be made or that the final approval is automatic.

At Miranda’s request, the HDC postponed until its November 15 meeting the church’s request for a variance from parking requirements set out in city Land Development Code section 7.01.04(B)6.

Providing parking for church expansion has proved to be the biggest obstacle to St. Michael’s plans. The city has found the church in violation of a previously issued development order in connection with the most recent expansion of the church sanctuary.  The city had granted permission for that application with the understanding that parking needs would be met via a church-owned valet parking lot on North 5thStreet between the church office building and the historic Liberty Billings house.

Valet parking did not prove workable for the church, so that plan was scratched, meaning that the lot could not provide the number of parking spaces as required for the earlier permit.  The city maintains that the church has not yet been able to demonstrate how they plan to correct that situation and also provide even more required parking for the new office building.

Miranda allowed that the church would present plans to address the parking requirements at the November 15 HDC meeting, while also addressing stormwater issues raised by the Technical Review Committee in a separate meeting.

Suanne Thamm 4Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.

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chuck hall
chuck hall(@bob)
5 years ago

The plan for parking is essential for the neighborhood. After the City removed parking on the street along Broome, the conditions are even worse than before.The church should have at least 100 parking spaces available for it’s use right there at the church.