ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -
The St. Augustine City Commission made two decisions Monday night to protect historic and archaeological resources.
The commission voted 5-0 to oppose a bill giving the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind eminent domain power, which would allow it to buy nearby property without the owner's permission.
The school is bordered by Fullerwood Park and Nelmar terrace, both on the National Register of Historic Places. Residents in both neighborhoods opposed the eminent domain bill, proposed in both houses of the state legislature.
The commission also voted unanimously on a resolution to protect certain archaeological resources within the city limits. The resolution reminds property owners to contact the city before excavating any land to have it evaluated.
"We can all be the best stewards of our property and be sure that when it's excavated it is not done willfully but with professional oversight," Commissioner Nancy Sikes-Kline said.
