The Ponte Vedra Municipal Service District is determined to establish a new plan review position, which will affectionately called the “Jake Pope position,” after the name of the last person to hold a similar position in the past.
According to the MSD board, the goal of the position is to provide an added layer to make sure the building codes within the MSD are being followed, especially when it comes to new structures being built.
MSD chairman Al Hollon updated his fellow trustees on the progress of the position’s creation at the recent MSD meeting on Nov. 13, informing them that he and the county’s attorney have met with the commissioners about the position, but support is still something they are working on.
“Commissioner (Krista) Joseph has been extremely in support of this position, but we’ve run into some push back from other commissioners,” Hollon said.
One of the sticking points appears to be the authority of the position and what would be required in order to give the person the proper ability needed during the building inspection process.
“They say, ‘yeah you all (MSD) can do that,’ but you have to get permission from the landowner, and I just don’t think that’s the case,” Hollon said. “I think someone should be allowed to go in, if you’re a member of the government, and give that inspection.”
“We’ll keep trying to break through this log jam with the county.”
Megan McKinley, member of the Ponte Vedra Zoning and Adjustment Board attended the meeting and made it a point to applaud the MSD for what they are doing to try and get the position created.
It has been a regular topic on the agenda that has been discussed by the MSD for years now, as McKinely said she had been working with former MSD trustee Holly Kartsonis for three years to see what it would take to create the position with little progress.
“In the past, Jake Pope also had to review the physical plans on paper as well as the county, so whoever takes this position, nothing can happen until they approve the plans,” MSD trustee Kitty Switkes said. “It just makes sense for that person to have a relationship with that homeowner because he’s going to sit down with them and approve their plans.”
Trustee Rick Brown brought up the scenario if the person in the plan review position approves the plans, but the county does not, or vise vera, how does the jurisdiction or authorization work in that case?
“When we built our house in 2014, we had to meet with Jake Pope to get him to sign off, and then we went from him to the county,” trustee Charles Callaghan said.
However, MSD attorney Wayne Flowers stated that the difference when the position was last in place years ago, was the fact that Jack Pope was an employee of St. Johns County, whereas this time around the position will be employed through the MSD.
The past agreement was for the MSD and county to each pay half of the position’s salary, which is something the MSD is requesting takes place again if the position is eventually approved.
