Neptune Beach rejects sculpture near the ocean, for now

The council voted 4-1 Monday against a motion to approve the artwork. Councilman John Weldon, who made the motion, was the only member of the board supporting the measure. A packed council chambers erupted in cheers from residents who were opposed to the sculpture known as "Pathfinder" as proposed by the Town Center Agency at the roundabout only a few hundred feet from the Atlantic Ocean.

The vote came in a special meeting called by the council before a regularly scheduled workshop, and Councilman Eric Pardee argued the special meeting and consideration of the sculpture violated several elements of an art and sign ordinance approved by the council only two years ago. There was no public hearing and city staff had not had an opportunity to review the artwork, as required by the ordinance.

"If you do vote to approve this, you're voting against our own ordinance," Pardee said.

Immediately after the vote, Town Center Agency board member Michael Dunlap said they'll resubmit all plans for the sculpture to Neptune Beach staff for formal review and seek the formal process.

"We'll submit an application for approval to Neptune Beach," Dunlap said. "It's not over."

Town Center Agency officials already received approval from the Atlantic Beach City Commission this month in a 3-2 vote in favor of the project, prompting Neptune Beach Mayor Harriet Pruette to call Monday's special meeting. Both cities share jurisdiction over the roundabout.

But both cities have been slammed with a majority of residents opposed to the proposed giant metal sculpture that would have a series of metal rings swiveling on bearings. Many residents worry it would block what currently is an open view to the sea.

"We have a masterpiece like none other," said Neptune Beach resident Laura Patronik. "People come from all over, they want to see the ocean. They don't want it to be blocked."

While there is opposition to the sculpture that would be funded by $250,000 in private donations from the Town Center Agency, Dunlap said his agency has had plenty of support that may not be as visible.

"I don't see a lot of opposition from the art community. ... I see support from Atlantic Beach. I see support from the competition committee that we selected," said Dunlap.

Weldon urged support for the project which ultimately will be a pricey gift to the city.

"This is a great opportunity for us to become part of a larger movement of public art throughout the United States and throughout the world," he said.

In other action also in its special meeting, the council approved a resolution calling on the Duval County Tax Collector's Office to keep open its Beaches branch office east of the Intracoastal Waterway at 1505 Atlantic Blvd.

Tax Collector Mike Hogan acknowledged he's getting pressure from Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton's office to trim his budget even more during tough economic times. Hogan, for his part, has said the Beaches office is too valuable to close, although he also admitted it has the second least amount of traffic for customers out of his nine offices in the county.

Pruette has said she's encouraging other Beaches cities such as Atlantic Beach and Jacksonville Beach to approve similar resolutions, a measure Hogan endorses.

Drew Dixon can also be reached at (904) 249-4947, ext. 6313

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