Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
October 20, 2016 9:00 a.m.
After two continuances, the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) took up an ordinance dealing with the composition of the city’s Planning Advisory Board (PAB) at their October 18, 2016 Regular Meeting. On First Reading commissioners approved on a 4-1 vote Ordinance 2016-34, brought to them at their request by City Attorney Tammi Bach. Commissioner Len Kreger, a former PAB chair, opposed the changes.
City Attorney Bach drafted the changes based upon the expressed will of the FBCC and following research into similar boards serving Nassau County, the city of St. Augustine (St. Johns County) the town of Orange Park (Clay County) and Jacksonville (Duval County). The seven key points of the modification include:
Commissioners agreed to add a provision proposed by Commissioner Len Kreger that alternates possess certain professional qualifications to assist the board in its research, such as architecture, engineering, planning, real estate and other skills. That list will be added to the ordinance before its Second Reading on November 15, which will also be the day of the FBCC Reorganizational Meeting. It is anticipated that PAB members will be appointed at that meeting, or the Regular Meeting that immediately follows.
Vice Mayor Robin Lentz said that she would be supporting the proposed changes because, “WE (the FBCC) are the Local Planning Agency. Under the proposed system, “WE would pick the people to represent each of us. I fully intend to appoint the most professional person who has a lot of technical knowledge, because a lot of the issues [that come before the PAB] are very technical. The current PAB has just dissected so much information, and I really appreciate that,” she said.
Lentz also reaffirmed that a representative of the Nassau County School District would still serve as a non-voting member of the board. When new developments are approved, there are impacts on the school system. For every 20 new students a new teacher is hired.
No current or former PAB members spoke to this item. Local resident Trudi Richards was the only person to speak from the audience. She chastised the commissioners. She said, “The PAB is our voice. Members are appointed to that board to do due diligence on our behalf. We elect you to do the same. We don’t elect you to appoint others. If they take longer than you like, then I think that is just too bad…. The right change needs time to establish. The [current] PAB came up with a plan and they should be congratulated, not criticized. Send them back to do more work if you don’t like their proposal. … Don’t emasculate the board as punishment for doing its job.”
The motion was approved on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Kreger voting against. Kreger has maintained consistently that any problems the FBCC may have with the PAB are not related to the existing structure.
Editor’s Note: Suanne Z. Thamm is a native of Chautauqua County, NY, who moved to Fernandina Beach from Alexandria,VA, in 1994. As a long time city resident and city watcher, she provides interesting insight into the many issues that impact our city. We are grateful for Suanne’s many contributions to the Fernandina Observer.