Board of County Commissioners move forward with park and recreation planning and approves letter of support for Starting Point

By Cindy Jackson
Reporter
February 26, 2019 6:14 p.m.

The Board of County Commissioners meeting of February 25, 2019, began with an “easy ask” as described by Dr. Laureen Pagel, CEO of Starting Point Behavioral Health. At the invitation of Commissioner Tom Ford, Pagel was there to request a letter of support for a one-time legislative appropriation request of $500,000 to fund the Hilliard facility renovation project.

Starting Point, a provider of behavioral health services opened for business in 1992 and has three locations In Nassau County. Of the 2,675 clients served last year, 378 were from Hilliard. The Hilliard building, originally a roller-skating rink, was constructed in 1981 and still has the original bathrooms, kitchen, septic and electric systems. Both Hilliard and Callahan have been identified as Health Professional Shortage Areas despite a growing need for services.

Since 2016, Dr. Pagel reported the west side of the county has seen a 35% increase in need with Hilliard having the highest health disparity rating in the county. While it serves between 70-80 individuals each day, with lunch and a snack provided, Hilliard does not provide outpatient services at the current time. If the renovation project can be funded, however, that will change. The Hilliard project, once completed, will provide additional office space, its redesign of space will allow for outpatient services to be provided, a garden and outdoor recreation area will be added as will a teaching kitchen so that clients can learn new job skills.

Dr. Pagel noted that “we want to be more of a resource for the community,” and stated this project is in line with Governor DeSantis’ priorities of improving access to health care and adding telepsychiatry options. As explained by website www.psychiatry.org, “The use of video-based telepsychiatry helps meet patients’ needs for convenient, affordable and readily-accessible mental health services. With a robust evidence base that shows telepsychiatry leading to improved outcomes and higher patient satisfaction ratings, policy makers, payers and providers are increasingly considering ways to implement and use telepsychiatry.”

Pagel also made reference to an alarming statistic stating “people with severe mental illness die 25 years earlier than the average person.” The renovation of the Hilliard facility would greatly expand and improve the level of service for residents of Nassau County. Pagel also noted that Nassau County has a higher than average rate of suicide and opioid overdoses.

Representative Cord Byrd has already introduced the legislation, HB 2641, to provide the $500,000 appropriation.

The Commissioners voted 5-0 to write a letter of support of the bill and project.

Next on the agenda was a recreation planning update provided by Taco Pope, Director of Planning and Economic Opportunity and David Barth, PhD, of Barth Associates. Barth Associates describes itself as “founded to help communities “harness the power” of their parks and recreation system to become more resilient and sustainable. A parks and recreation system can comprise as much as 50% of a city’s land mass and a well-planned, designed, programmed and maintained system can generate numerous economic, social and environmental benefits for the community.”

Discussed in more depth in separate article, Barth described his presentation as being “a conceptual vision, based on sound, nationwide planning principals,” and further noted that the art and science of park planning incorporates the elements of “transportation, recreation, fitness and health.”

The next step in the recreation systems planning process will be to set public hearings to discuss impact fees and a principle known as the fee-in-lieu ordinance which has been a topic formerly proposed.

Pope indicated his department should be ready to start the public hearing process in the next 60 days.

Pope was also on hand to explain the process behind staff’s approval of a final plat to create two buildable lots on Autumn Trace Road. Artisan Homes is the builder and Gillette and Associates, the agent.

In recent communications with the Amelia Tree Conservancy, Mr. Pope pointed out, “with no subdivision plat there is no tree protection with exception to the trees immediately adjacent to Buccaneer Trail. This replat is what subjects the property to the current [Native Canopy Tree Protection] plan.” That communique went on to say, “with no replat, someone could clear cut the property, with exception to the trees adjacent to Buccaneer and build a home.” An unusual turn of events.

When items to amend the Land Development Code relating to permitted and/or prohibited uses are concerned, there must be at least two readings. The February 25th meeting had two such hearings – one allowing for adult day care centers in residential districts and the other adding “accessory dwellings” as an allowed use. The idea of with allowing for accessory dwellings is that it could help to increase the available inventory of affordable rentals in the County. During the discussion of accessory dwellings, Mr. Pope commented on the “reinvigorated Affordable Housing Committee and [how they are] doing a lot of really good work.” Both ordinances passed 5-0.

Also approved by a vote of 5-0 was an agreement with Three Rivers Timber LLC “for the development of a community park, containing a minimum of 40 acres with active recreation facilities and a minimum of 27 acres of usable uplands, etc.” This agreement was 18 months in the making and Commissioner Pat Edwards was the first to comment and said, “I just want to thank the Three Rivers people again for working on a project with the County that will define Nassau County in future years and how we do things.”

Also of interest to many Nassau County residents is a planned workshop with the Tourism Development Council to discuss beach cleaning. That meeting will take place at 4PM on March 11th, 2019.

The next meeting of the BOCC will take place on that same date, March 11th at 6PM.

To review a live video of BOCC meetings, go to http://nassaufl.granicus.com/player/clip/785?view_id=2.

Editor’s Note: Born in Hagerstown, Maryland, Cindy received her BA in Political Science from Dickinson College. Upon graduation, Cindy began her career on Capitol Hill working as a legislative aide and director. She later became a part of the public relations and lobbying team of the American Iron and Steel Institute and served as director of the office of state legislative affairs for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Cindy was involved in economic development with the state of Maryland, and served as executive director of Leadership Washington County. As a community volunteer, Cindy participates in numerous volunteer activities serving as a member of Sunrise Rotary, and as board member of Cummer Amelia Board of Directors.