ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – After a lengthy meeting Thursday, the St. Augustine Commission voted unanimously to deny zoning for a 7-Eleven gas station at a busy intersection not far from downtown.
Representatives for 7-Eleven immediately said they would appeal the decision.
In September 20014 the city issued a permit for construction on San Marco Avenue and May Street, at the beginning of the Vilano Beach Causeway near the carousel. But many people in the area think the store, which would include 12 gas pumps, is a bad idea, saying the area is already too congested.
Dozens of residents spoke out at a meeting that started at 9 a.m. Just after 3 p.m., the city commissioners voted down the re-zoning that would have allowed a convenience store at that location.
"I think the job of the commission is to step back and take a look, and I think we absolutely did the right thing today," St. Augustine mayor Nancy Shaver.
Shaver said the big question in the lengthy meeting Thursday was whether the staff issued the building permit in error. Yes, she said.
"This street is really frequented by runners, bicyclists, kids on skate boards. I've already seen kids killed here and this is just gonna add to it, it's a bad deal," said Jacksonville firefighter Neal White.
White is among many St. Augustine residents opposed to the idea.
"I bring my kids here a lot to play and ride the Carousel and just to be right there on that corner, it wouldn't be maybe a good fit for that area," said Melissa Woody.
But James Whitehouse, attorney for 7-Eleven, said the gas station wants to be a part of historic St. Augustine and did everything it was supposed to do to have that right.
"It's a property; property has rights. It has zoning, and the codes of the city of St. Augustine in this particular application -- even according to their expert staff -- were that we met everything," Whitehouse said. "I empathize with their concerns, but that's not to say that the property owner doesn't have rights, too."
Those against it argue the store would turn an already busy intersection into a dangerous one, causing more traffic and accidents. They also say it would be dangerous for kids playing at the nearby park and carousel.
"When you get in and out of the library, you always have issues getting in and out of here. Sometimes you sit there for ten minutes to get out," said Tina Torres.
Whitehouse said often at these meetings, a lot of people against a project like this show up and people in support typically do not.
In addition to the city commission opposition, the Florida Department of Transportation still has to sign off and approve its permit.