[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6677249,"mediaKeyId","2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1","parentId",2255850,"title","City report finds Knights of Lights caused widespread congestion, recommends shuttles, signage and leased restroom hubs","audioSeconds",6958,"startMs",3708000,"endMs",10666000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1&start=3708&end=10666","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1/thumbnail_3708000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6677249/St-Augustine/St-Johns-County/Florida/City-report-finds-Knights-of-Lights-caused-widespread-congestion-recommends-shuttles-signage-and-leased-restroom-hubs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6677249-741043366557e5300b386626cc483782/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117302&Signature=iAxZc~09bg9Boukjyjl8HIQISFpa5cJE~vcMPZ7-ipFtCQxpQtKimtS~2~g4PQm3yio3gIKVWcDnpGRcQQ9X19zF2M2Flj3dItc6ETNXD3zpiKkBcBN1g0ori5JqIO9FKzuMUoHTYnbBj147tLyfwplGYE5zpH8wCViUBRybCPqejwGTu~JxWAd1n~yTKarQPhXM8Gm6ia-3MrzsY7rBxoGLJH~m1w0kb9YNyk-z2q0M3WfA4Nsd3TUCpUz3D53Td3sw0GPizEzCfxV7eue2yEVeqoO3mmfaNcOVSvgSmL0sioEhNC~rwTimTilggvq5bCpjpxoaPk9Wgq7SzE46UQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Augustine","date","2025-02-10T00:00:00Z","article","City Manager Burcham told the City Commission that this year’s Knights of Lights holiday lighting display produced unprecedented pedestrian crowds and traffic gridlock across downtown St. Augustine, and that the city’s existing parking, sanitation and public-safety staffing strained under the volume.

Burcham said the city’s helicopter flyover on Dec. 28 showed “roadways were at a standstill” and that the heavy pedestrian volumes turned intersections such as the Bridge of Lions, Cathedral Place at Saint George and San Marco at West Castillo into bottlenecks. “We saw crowds that heavy for Dec. 28 … They were throughout the historic district,” he said.

The city manager’s presentation summarized operational impacts: 19,450 people used the city shuttle during the season, the city’s downtown parking inventory is roughly 1,900 spaces (about 1,060 in the garage and 800 surface spaces), the garage closed to new entries on many December days, and the city’s garage revenues rose to about $1 million for the month of December. Burcham said the city received $200,000 in TDC (Tourist Development Council) grant funding this season: $100,000 for shuttles and $100,000 for lights and installation. He added the city ran a fiscal deficit on this event cycle of roughly $325,000 after counting grant and other revenues.

Staff documented non-financial impacts: long shuttle headways caused by traffic (sometimes longer than 45 minutes), overflowing public restrooms and complaints about public urination, overflowing trash cans and delayed trash-collection because crews could not move through crowds to compactors, an increase of about 80 additional calls to the Fire Department in December and lengthened Fire Department return-to-station times (in some cases more than 30 minutes). Burcham said police staffing was increased for weekends (27 officers for light-up nights compared with a normal 9–10 on a typical weekend), but officers were difficult to see amid the crowds and private vehicles, party buses and golf carts also contributed to congestion.

Short-term recommendations presented to the commission include:
- Expand shuttle service to additional Fridays and Saturdays and allow use of county parking lots after 5 p.m. during the heavy week between Christmas and New Year’s.
- Lease the Bank of America lot at Cathedral Place and Saint George Street for major events (Burcham proposed using the lot for about 100 portable restrooms, a cooling/first-aid station and a staging area for solid waste). Staff said it will bring cost estimates back to the commission before contracting.
- Put clearer dynamic electronic signage and a parking/wayfinding app into operation to show real-time garage status and direct visitors to satellite parking and shuttle pickup points.
- Increase deployment of PSAs (public safety aides) and consider geo-fencing pickup points for rideshare services so Uber/Lyft drivers are directed to fixed collection points rather than circulating downtown.
- Expand no-event-parking signage in residential neighborhoods and increase enforcement of vending and sidewalk-blocking violations.

Longer-term proposals discussed included seeking a dedicated transit/shuttle lane with the Florida Department of Transportation, adding roughly 700 spaces in a planned Park-Once parking facility at King Street and U.S. 1, continued consideration of smart parking systems and dynamic messaging, and a recommendation to contract a consultant to study comprehensive event management and to lead stakeholder engagement.

Commissioners and multiple public speakers — including downtown business owners, tour guides and residents — described the season as unsustainable for residents and said the city should either shorten the event or secure new funding to cover the costs. Several speakers urged more and better employee parking, more off-site satellite parking with effective shuttles, and safer bicycle infrastructure. Local hospitality industry speakers asked the commission to weigh business impacts, saying some businesses rely heavily on the season’s revenues and that a poorly managed change could shrink economic benefits.

The commission gave staff consensus to proceed with short-term measures (leasing the Bank of America lot and the associated portable-restroom/staging plan, subject to final cost numbers and an explicit funding plan) and to develop a scope for a consultant to study long-term management. Commissioners asked staff to return with detailed cost and staffing estimates before the city approaches the TDC for additional funding.

Votes and formal motions during the meeting were limited to routine agenda and consent actions; the Knights of Lights discussion produced policy direction and consensus rather than a binding ordinance change.

The commission also asked staff to add resident and neighborhood representation to stakeholder outreach and to explore whether a consultant could run facilitated stakeholder sessions rather than create a permanent board that would be subject to sunshine-law constraints.

Staff said DOT will delay replacement of the King Street bridge until after the July Fourth holiday, but the bridge project is expected to begin afterward and will affect future circulation patterns.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Augustine - City Commission - Feb 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","City Manager Burcham told the City Commission that this year’s Knights of Lights holiday lighting display produced unprecedented pedestrian crowds and traffic gridlock across downtown St. Augustine, and that the city’s existing parking, sanitation and public-safety staffing strained under the volume.","taxTitle","St. Augustine, St. Johns County , Florida","taxId",4620,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6677241,"Commission proclaims February Black History Month, highlights Fort Mose reconstruction",616,152000,768000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1&start=152&end=768","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1/thumbnail_152000.jpg","/articles/6677241/St-Augustine/St-Johns-County/Florida/Commission-proclaims-February-Black-History-Month-highlights-Fort-Mose-reconstruction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6677241-9cc67bf24a7242fddf561d3d0960efe7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117302&Signature=Uh7PRe~BRxqzpaN07VX4O4QiAhs3AxgG1XYdD~99B5PKaTZyN-tY57X~sPbU1cl2~ZyyALbKf868KbaFtbeYd9wBNC5~PENoK7Y7dbphbjtHQly1fGKc45oSdD5CwiCitS2S7nipWTxL0nGbC79YHVTP6ORRJ3TK~bVMruWKgjjl072RjPQMkPDGKQKzuzMb164oHZb1zq3qoWfCZQiRxoc8NNld0Fzos3jeV9kIpk4mgOg6PpjT-H~GTlWfXIozQ3t9pHiAew3ji~qya7Y1-3tr72eYqWzltAF4DxppOHS-zgjle5pDcA4xuwxzhEjT4KNJmRErE7aay3oBvMyW1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City Commission presented a proclamation designating February 2025 as Black History Month and called attention to Fort Mose, the site of the first legally sanctioned free Black settlement in what is now the United States.

Commissioner Cynthia Garris read a proclamation honoring Fort Mose’s history and the recent fundraising and grant activity that, staff and community representatives said, will allow reconstruction work to proceed. Members of the Fort Mose Historical Society, volunteers and Florida State Parks staff attended and described the site’s significance and the park’s plans.

Speakers noted milestones in the site’s history cited in the proclamation, including Don Pedro Menéndez’s 1565 arrival; the 1738 land grant that enabled the free Black community at Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose (Fort Mose); the fort’s destruction and abandonment in the 18th and early 19th centuries; and later archaeological work that recovered fort remains. A speaker from the Fort Mose Historical Society said that, after decades of advocacy and fundraising with partners including Florida State Parks Foundation and other donors, “reconstructing Fort Mose is finally becoming a reality.” Park Manager Michael Watkins, who was introduced during the proclamation presentation, thanked the commission for the recognition on behalf of Florida State Parks.

Commissioners and community members encouraged residents to visit Fort Mose once construction and programming are complete; staff said a fort reconstruction groundbreaking had already occurred and that the park is expected to be open for tours and reenactments later in the year.

No formal action or vote beyond issuance of the ceremonial proclamation was recorded.","The city commission presented a Black History Month proclamation recognizing Fort Mose and the work to reconstruct the historic fort; Fort Mose Historical Society members and Florida State Parks staff attended and described upcoming public access and program plans.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6677245,"City updates commissioners on new drop-in day center and Dining with Dignity site on South Dixie Highway",554,2940000,3494000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1&start=2940&end=3494","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2255850-bea16722173e87420b34edaf2c348df1/thumbnail_2940000.jpg","/articles/6677245/St-Augustine/St-Johns-County/Florida/City-updates-commissioners-on-new-drop-in-day-center-and-Dining-with-Dignity-site-on-South-Dixie-Highway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6677245-7192c4591cb92f38fc03b59e979f1ec4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771117302&Signature=d~3zuOVvER-F4ctrZcWfCGQ6MhkdqcGu3qko1U1Z1kIA21Cwbx5615k0WQMa4FWUF~fzHdr--~ZsNuQgnxVYmP7aVlfihW2aMzx8iLsTOhBBn7m1T54XlKNKkC0LA6xZssX~DEGn-6f5eD6v9SWJh0m4wk0TLnfU8zz4KK~jHQxsRUqIt-V9ww8UNfF3IsvfK0hgRJZ5~Uq4jBBb2hR2dPH0DtRaA5TYaPuLMVNB5cSvvjAQcXgnvVHs67zuyfe3sJtm-jXpucOOxKHASI3~0fkpVGmJYX3tKQenlMg-QgjwSS724Yt9TwhWRJuJPCEdIAEJ5q5hr5OiF139KWyUmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Barry Fox, the city’s code enforcement and vacation rental manager, updated the commission on construction of a new drop-in day center and a planned relocation of the Dining with Dignity feeding program to 90–92 South Dixie Highway.

Fox showed elevations and floor plans, describing a roughly 1,500-square-foot primary pavilion with open-bay areas (approximately 10-by-30 feet) for dining service, two ADA-compliant restrooms, two washers and dryers for laundry service, two ADA showers and a staff restroom. The project is being built on piers to preserve the tree canopy and staff said the city will run power lines underground to avoid damaging roots.

Fox described work in phases: Phase 1A will bring the structure and electricity online so Dining with Dignity can relocate and staff can work out operational issues. Later phases include installing showers and laundry, adding mail services, and finalizing fencing and access. He said the front half of the property remains parking lot and will not be fenced.

Commissioners asked several operational questions. Commissioner Garris asked whether there would be exterior seating; Fox said there will be exterior picnic tables but most seating will be under the pavilion. Commissioner Blonder and others raised safety concerns for users traveling to the site because sidewalks along South Dixie are not complete. Public Works Director Stephen Slaughter said a sidewalk project for South Dixie is currently under design and scheduled for this fiscal year; Fox said the site plan includes an on-property sidewalk that will tie into the city sidewalk when it is installed.

Fox also said staff will work with the Continuum of Care and local service providers to ensure the facility is staffed by social-service organizations and can route clients to housing and stabilization services. He outlined that power and civil infrastructure work and procurement of materials has caused some schedule adjustments but that building walls and pillars were in place and progress photos showed footers, plumbing and slabs complete.

The commission voiced support and requested that staff return with a specific date for sidewalk work and additional details on ways to safely transport clients to the site. Commissioners directed staff to bring the sidewalk schedule back to the next meeting and to coordinate with public-works for pedestrian access and any available transportation options.","City staff presented progress photos and a phased construction plan for a new drop-in day center and Dining with Dignity operations at 90–92 South Dixie Highway, including ADA bathrooms, showers, laundry, and plans for sidewalks to tie into a broader sidewalk program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City report finds Knights of Lights caused widespread congestion, recommends shuttles, signage and leased restroom hubs

Commission proclaims February Black History Month, highlights Fort Mose reconstruction

City updates commissioners on new drop-in day center and Dining with Dignity site on South Dixie Highway