February 21, 2022 Green Cove Springs considers tweaks to Central Business District ordinance
Full story here
GREEN COVE SPRINGS – As Green Cove Springs continues to lay the groundwork for future growth, the city council passed the first reading of proposed changes to the Central Business District ordinances to create a special exemption classification.
The council worked with the city’s Planning and Zoning Board to propose changes that include changing laundromats from permits to special exemptions use, and brewpubs and vape shops to special exemptions, while requiring multifamily residential houses to be permitted.
The council also agreed to better define what constitutes brewpubs, vape and cigarette stores.
The Central Business District area is defined as the area between Bay Street to the south and up to Gum Street to the north, then west of Green Street on Ferris Street to the west and out to the St. Johns River to the east, according to city Planning and Zoning Director Mike Daniels.
The purpose of the proposed changes is to make sure it fits within the city’s 2045 Comprehensive Plan, which passed its second and final reading Tuesday night.
That plan calls for changes to the downtown area while highlighting the rich history of the area.
That plan targets repair downtown streets, sidewalks and storefronts to provide a bright and lively makeover – all while enhancing the Historic Triangle area and Spring Park.
Other long-range plans include the creation of more cozy bed-and-breakfasts, making storefronts facades along U.S. Highway 17 more attractive, bringing new businesses – particularly restaurants and clubs that will pump new life into nightlife and creating more parking to handle the additional crowds.
In other business, the council approved the Downtown and U.S. Highway 17 Parking Study. Vice Mayor Matt Johnson said that the study is scalable and gives room for the city to implement both short-term improvements and larger improvements in the future. Councilman Steven Kelley agreed, approving the suggestions for immediate parking improvements and looking at long-term suggestions as a good basis for the Council to make larger decisions about parking in the future.
Councilman Van Royal expressed concerns about Spring Park being overrun with future projected population growth. As the downtown area grows, so will the demand for parking spaces.
The Green Cove Springs City Council meets on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The next scheduled meeting will be on March 1.