County OKs movie theater off S.R. 207
By PETER GUINTA
The St. Augustine Record
Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Next summer, St. Johns County residents will be able to walk, bike or drive -- perhaps even better, hop a Sunshine Bus -- to see just-released films at a modern, 12-screen multiplex cinema off State Road 207.

The County Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved the 62-acre Rolling Hills development along 600 feet of S.R. 207 between Rolling Hills Drive and Dobbs Cutoff Road.

St. Augustine attorney Douglas Burnett, representing the developer, Theatre Management of DeLand, said the county Planning & Zoning Agency approved this project 7-0 in August.

"We all recognize the development trends in the S.R. 207 and State Road 312 corridor," Burnett said.

In addition to what will eventually be a 16-screen theater, 250 multi-family units will be built on the south end of the property, and 200,000 square feet of commercial space will be developed on the north end.

But Theatre Management only has enough traffic concurrency for 12 screens and 130 town homes right now.

To get even that much, the company had to team up with a handful of other developers who needed traffic capacity on S.R. 207.

Frank DeMarsh, president of Theatre Management, said he and several other developers have committed to pay for an extra turn lane onto S.R. 312 from S.R. 207, a southbound left turn lane onto S.R. 207 from Holmes Boulevard and build an approach lane and widen Rolling Hills Drive onto S.R. 207.

DeMarsh's portion alone is $2.8 million, he said in April.

"We'll come back (later) to get the full build-out," he told the commission Tuesday, adding that the theater will have stadium seating, rocking chairs and digital sound. "We'll make it fit whatever (architectural) standards you have in the county."

The four out parcel commercial properties along S.R. 207 could be restaurants, he said.

Commissioner Bruce Maguire pushed for an amendment to the approval that added a public transit stop. "It's a perfect situation for transit operations," he said. On a motion by Vice Chairwoman Cyndi Stevenson, the measure to approve passed 5- 0.