Restoring Historic Priest Theatre No Longer A ‘Pipe Dream’

HIGH SPRINGS – The iconic Priest Theatre appears to have been saved from the chopping block as the City of High has been allocated $1,040,450 in state funding from the 2023 Legislative Session. City Manager Ashley Stathatos at the June 22 High Springs City Commission meeting announced that the City is in line to receive funding from the Division of Historical Resources through a legislative local funding initiative request. The application was submitted by the City in March of this year and the funds are earmarked for the acquisition, restoration and preservation of the historic Priest Theatre.

Although there are a number of steps in the process before the City receives the funding, the City is poised to map out plans to bring the landmark 1910-era building up to code so the structure can be used as a community asset for educational, arts and cultural functions.

The Priest Theatre is located at 18575 N.W. 237^th Street and situated in downtown High Springs adjacent to the historic Main Street District, the downtown Railway Avenue Greenway and the adjacent cluster of historic buildings of that era.

In other business, an application for a zoning change from Planned Development (PD) to Residential (R-1) on approximately one acre was requested by Joe Tillman and approved on first reading. This property is located next to Bridlewood along Northwest 222nd Street. The property was originally zoned R-1, then it became a part of the Tillman PD. Now, the property owner is requesting that the parcel go back to R-1. Staff recommended approval of the zoning change.

This matter was heard by the City’s Plan Board on June 19, with several citizens expressing concern that a mobile home should not be allowed to be placed on the property as it would be inconsistent with surrounding residential properties.

Another concern was the placement of a driveway, which resulted in flooding in the area.

At the Plan Board meeting, High Springs Planning Technician Kristyn Adkins explained that the request was for a zoning change and not for a special use permit, which would be required in order to allow a mobile home to be placed on the site.

At the City Commission meeting, Tillman responded to concerns brought up at the Plan Board meeting. He said the driveway was not his, but belonged to another family member. He also said that the mobile home would be placed on the property temporarily for a period of three to five years while a permanent home was being built. He listed a couple of other locations where mobile homes were located in the vicinity.

City Manager Stathatos said that because Tillman was a City employee (High Springs police officer), she was going to ask one of the City’s planning consultants to hear the request for a special use permit to determine whether a mobile home was appropriate for the site.

As the application was for a zoning change only, Commissioners unanimously approved the application.

Finance Director Diane Wilson requested and received permission from the Commission to surplus four pieces of equipment that are no longer useful to the City’s Public Works Department. The equipment includes a 2009 Outback Brush Cutter that does work but needs a battery, a working Miller Bobcat Welder, a 2000 Roscoe Vibrastat III Roller that doesn’t run and a working 1990 Sullair Tri-mounted Air Compressor with 6275 hours.

Staff recommended surplusing the mower and selling it through competitive bid on GovDeals.com. “These items were purchased with General Fund money and the revenue from selling them will be returned to the General Fund,” said Wilson.

In other business, Commissioner Katherine Weitz suggested that notification of property changes be extended past the current 300-foot notification boundary. Stathatos said that could be considered when changes to the Land Development Code are reviewed.

High Springs will hold their next City Commission meeting at 6:30 p.m., July 13 and a Strategic Planning Workshop at 5:30 p.m. on July 20.

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