The Recorder · February 28, 2013 5Community News

Finding a way to address that is-sue of buffering with the residents of Belvedere Place was one of the big-gest challenges for the development team and was the biggest part in be-ing able to give a clear explanation of the plans to both Belvedere Place and Solana Cay neighborhoods.

During the four months of plan revisions and changes, the develop-ment team went to the site to survey and stake the footprint of the build-ing and indicate its height relative to nearby trees. The indicators were part of negotiations with the two neigh-borhoods, so the residents could have a better idea of what the facility would look like near their homes.

“We’ve felt from the beginning that it’s the right location. And this isn’t a nursing home. The big difference is it’s senior housing, but it’s not neces-sarily invalids. So folks will get out and walk around the community,” said Douglas Burnett, an attorney representing Palms at Ponte Vedra.

Along with these conditions, the team was also granted exceptions to the Palm Valley Overlay in order to keep the design of the building. The facility is not held to the 120-foot length limit, which would make the facility shorter than required for an assisted living facility with the con-struction designs. The parking will also be in the front of the building, rather than the back, in order to help the opacity between the facility and the neighborhoods.

The engineering and building plans have already been sent for structure and infrastructure approval, while the development team waits for Health Care Managers to purchase the property from Harper Bank. The property will be under the ownership of HCM within a month, if no appeals are filed. Ninety days after that date the conservation easement will be re-ported and will be given to both the Belvedere Place Homeowners Asso-ciation and St. Johns County.

PalmsContinued from 4

Kelli McDanielThe Recorder

The lineup and features have been finalized, and the poster has been de-signed. Now the countdown to the 23rd annual Springing the Blues Festival can officially begin!

“We are here to entertain you this year,” said Associate Artistic Director of Springing the Blues, Terry Dixon. “Twenty two bands, 45 hours of music, at a free festival!”

The outdoor music festival will be held April 5–7 at Florida’s Oceanfront SeaWalk Pavilion in Jacksonville Beach. For the past three years, attendance at the Springing the Blues Festival has ex-ceeded 250,000 and its economic impact on the city is estimated at $5.5 million.

Title sponsor George’s Music held a preview to present the list of performers and the official 2013 festival poster. The preview featured a performance from Parker Urban Band, which won George’s Music band competition last year and received a spot in the 2012 festival line-up. The band will also perform twice at the festival this year and George’s Music is holding another competition. Bands hoping to compete must submit an entry form, available at George’s Music, along with music samples by March 24.

“We believe that music is one of the most positive influences on the planet,” said George Hines, owner of George’s Music.

This year’s festival poster was de-signed by David Lee, local artist and owner of DBL Design. This is the 16th year Lee has designed the poster for Springing the Blues. He drew inspiration for this year’s poster from graffiti art he saw in Costa Rica on a surfing trip.

The festival will feature headliners like Peter Karp and Sue Foley, Cedric Burnside Project, Zac Harmon and The Lee Boys, said Dixon. “You won’t need a Google search to really find all these artists, not at all. We’ve got big names, we’ve got top names.”

The festival traditionally supports lo-cal and rising talent. Some up-and-com-ing acts include Damon Fowler, Willie Randolf and Selwyn Birchwood.

Jacksonville Beach City Council mem-ber, Chris Hoffman, expressed her ex-citement about the upcoming festival. “This is exactly the type of event that I want to see in Jacksonville Beach. It is family friendly, it has a tremendous positive economic impact on our city and our region, it’s extremely well run and it’s the type of event that really puts a city on the map and it’s really putting Jacksonville Beach on the map.”

George’s Music is doing something a little different at their regular booth at

the festival. This year George’s Music has partnered with Hohner, USA, maker of harmonicas, ukuleles and other fine musical instruments. They will be offer-ing free, 30 minute harmonica and uku-lele lessons to the general public. As the festival concludes on Sunday, participa-tors who took the lesson and learned a song will be able to showcase their newfound talent on stage in front of the crowd, said Lisa Hines, Blues in the Schools Program Director.

“This is an activity that the general public can participate in, where they will actually learn something and they will really be able to experience the joys of making music, said Lisa.”

There is more than just a plethora of rock, hip-hop, roots, jazz, gospel and “swamp” music at the Springing the Blues Festival. Attendees can browse many different vendors selling food, original art and jewelry. There are also

Beaches prepare to get the blues with annual festival preview

Photos by Kelli McDaniel/The RecorderThe Parker Urban band played at the Springing the Blues preview last week.

George Hines with the 2013 festival poster.SPRINGING THE BLUES continues on Page 8

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