City Friendship Questioned as Developer Seeks Change

By Mike Lednovich

Vice Mayor David Sturges' friendship with a Fernandina Beach developer, who is seeking annexation into the city that would allow more density on his property, was called into question at Tuesday's City Commission meeting.

Roger Todd Bates is listed on the Pllumi Investments LLC annexation application to the city, seeking to have just under an acre currently in the county be annexed by the city. If approved, Pllumi Investments LLC would be able to build two additional houses on the property for a total of six houses under city zoning, exceeding the limit of just four homes under county zoning.

Bates' cell phone and email address are listed on Pllumi Investments city application under property "owner of record."

The property at 766 Kenneth Court was discussed on first reading by the city commission for voluntary annexation, zoning map assignment and future land map assignment. No votes were taken on first reading. The property consists of three 100-foot lots.

At the beginning of the discussion, City Attorney Tammi Bach asked commissioners to disclose any ex parte communications regarding the annexation and zoning. Ex parte communication refers to any communication or contact between a commissioner and an affected party. Sturges did not state he met with Bates.

During public comment on the property, Fernandina Beach resident Taina Christner sought an explanation on ex parte contact with commissioners.

"Let's say one of the commissioners was friends with one of the developers and didn't disclose that relationship, would that be a violation of the ex parte communications, Ms. Bach?" Christner asked.

Bach responded, "It doesn't matter if they're friends. And there's no voting tonight. Friends don't count in voting conflicts."

Bach told commissioners that if they have questions regarding voting on matters that involve a friend they should ask her for an opinion.

Christner then asked, "Would Mr. Sturges like to disclose any information about a relationship he has with Mr. Bates?"

She was immediately cut off by Mayor Bradley Bean who said, "This is not appropriate, this is not a hearing or anything like that. This is a non-voting item and this is not something that is supposed to be asked about that."

At the meeting, Bates told Bean his name was Roger Todd Bates.

Christner told the Observer she knew nothing about a Sturges-Bates friendship until someone texted her a photo during the meeting. The photo was reportedly of Sturges and Bates having dinner at the Boat House Restaurant in Fernandina Beach. She said the text claimed the two men have been long time friends.

According to public records, Bates is listed with addresses in Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville and St. Augustine.

Contacted by phone, Bates was irritated when asked by the Observer about his friendship with Sturges.

"I'm not going to talk to you about this. I know what you're trying to do, you're trying to make us look bad," Bates told the Observer. "Yes, I've had dinners with Vice Mayor Sturges."

Bates would not disclose the length or nature of his friendship with Sturges.

Bates said the issue of his friendship with Sturges was brought up at the city commission meeting.

"Why are you asking me about this again?" Bates said. "I'm also friends with Darron (Ayscue), James (Antun), Mayor Bean and Commissioner Ross."

Bates would not discuss his real estate holdings and said he wanted to contact someone he knew and then he would speak with the Observer with further comment. He did not call back.

"I met him (Bates) at the property about annexation and I've said hello to him at commission meetings," Ross said. "But socially, no we're not friends."

Commissioner Antun said, "Mr. Bates and I have met a handful of times in the capacity of my obligations as a city commissioner when he has had an agenda item to discuss. We are certainly cordial acquaintances in this sense, but I believe it would be a stretch to say we are personal friends in any other way."

Mayor Bean and Commissioner Ross said they had met with Bates regarding the annexation request. The other commissioners also said they met with the developer, but did not identify Bates by name.

Bean and Commissioner Ayscue did not reply to the Observer regarding Bates' claim that they were friends.

"I met with the applicant for 20 or 30 minutes and I met with the affected party for about 20 or 30 minutes. That's the only communication I've had," Sturges said at the commission meeting about his ex parte activities. Sturges did not identify the person who had applied.

Sturges also did not comment to the Observer regarding his friendship with Bates. Instead, he texted a 2020 political cartoon published on a local right-wing blog lampooning two city commissioners' property use.

Discussion of the annexation and rezoning lasted for almost three hours.

Several homeowners on Kenneth Court spoke in opposition to the annexation on the grounds that the added density would destroy the character of their neighborhood. Their property lots are 100 feet, compared to the 50-foot lot size required by the city.

The annexation will be voted on by the city commission at a second reading of the three ordinances.