Fernandina Beach city visioning for 2017 and beyond

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
December 16, 2016 1:18 p.m.

The Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC) spent Wednesday December 14, 2016, at the municipal golf course, not playing holes, but hitting a few birdies and eagles to stay above par in setting goals for the year ahead. This year’s annual visioning meeting took place before the end of the calendar year, a first for Fernandina Beach, which usually holds such meetings in late January or February. Unlike previous meetings, city department heads did not participate. Rather, City Manager Dale Martin facilitated candid and productive discussions among the five commissioners in fashioning goals and priorities to assist the city in formulating the budget for FY 2017-18.

The day’s worth of discussion included input from: Laura Regalado, who oversees the state’s work with railroads in determining where to open and close railroad crossings; Beth Lemke, a parking consultant the city has used in the past; District 3 Nassau County Commissioner Pat Edwards; Nassau County administrative staff Shanea Jones and Justin Stankiewicz.

The FBCC brainstormed more than 22 potential goals. After prioritizing the list, these are the top goals, listed in order by number of votes received from each commissioner who had the opportunity to select 6:

• Waterfront (to include Front Street, Railroad, marina, parks, stormwater, etc.)
• Obtaining the Historic Post Office Building
• Revisiting mutual aid agreements with the county
• Special events
• Beach parking
• Communication and social media outreach
• Implementing the Municipal Services Taxing Unit

The following goals only received one vote apiece:

• Infrastructure needs
• Increasing use of solar energy
• Improving the gateway entrance to the city on 8^th Street
• Seeking input on money savings ideas from city staff

Unlike some sessions held in previous years with other commissions, this session was characterized by what appeared to be a shared sense of enthusiastic commitment to work together and with the City Manager in tackling some of the longstanding issues that have impeded city progress in key areas.

Martin briefly recapped goals set for the FY2016-17 fiscal year. Two of those goals—ADA Recognition and Beach Safety have already been met, while the others are in progress and able to demonstrate partial accomplishment to date.

Following City Manager Martin’s update on progress toward meeting FBCC goals set last year, commissioners turned their attention to setting future goals, which would set the framework for the FY2017-18 budget year which begins October 1, 2017.

The visioning session was well attended and included city staff, citizens and business people, as well as Adam Salzburg, the chair of the Ocean Highway and Port Authority.

Waterfront

Commissioners spent the morning considering the challenges facing them with respect to improving the Amelia River waterfront area, which encompasses the marina, Front Street, the railroad, the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), and the adjoining blocks of Centre Street.

One of the commission goals for the current fiscal year was to open the Alachua rail crossing, which had never been formally, officially closed back in the 1980’s. Dealing with the state and the railroads on this issue over the past year has raised a series of related issues encompassing the railroad’s track along Front Street.

FDOT Rail Crossing Opening and Closure Program Specialist Laura Regalado has participated in multiple meetings with city officials and railroad representatives in an attempt to improve traffic flow while addressing railroad safety concerns in the downtown area. She explained the challenges to the commissioners and the audience at the visioning session. She said that she strongly supports the opening of the Alachua crossing, but that railroad officials would probably challenge her ruling because of their concerns over liability issues arising from both pedestrian and vehicle trespass on their property along Front Street.

Regalado explained that in working with the railroads—CSX, Genessee & Wyoming, and First Coast Rail are all involved via ownership, lease or use of the tracks—she attempted to develop a pedestrian channelization strategy that would seem to address both the city’s traffic flow problems and the railroad’s liability concerns. That plan, released to the media earlier, is shown below:

The plan calls for the closing of Centre Street to vehicular traffic between 2^nd and Front Streets, resulting in the creation of what is known as a “Super Block,” in which the former street portion could be used as a pedestrian mall. The existing Centre Street crossing would be converted to a pedestrian only crossing. Vehicular access to Front Street would be via Ash and Alachua Streets, with Centre Street westbound traffic diverted to 2^nd Street.

While allowing that the plan would create some loss of parking, Regalado said that it could be very attractive and that the response from the railroads has been supportive. She added that FDOT has some federal funding available to assist in the cost of the required railroad signalization.

Regalado said that the railroads have been increasingly concerned with safety issues relating to vehicles parking on or next to the tracks and pedestrians crossing the tracks at will. Commissioner Tim Poynter said he understood the railroad’s concerns, adding “it’s only a matter of time” for an accident involving a vehicle or a pedestrian. He said that now that the problem has been publicly identified, the community must act or incur liabilities along with the railroad for injury or loss of life. Poynter suggested that it is in the city’s best interest to get out ahead of this issue. He said, “If we don’t act, the state or the railroad may act unilaterally to solve the problem.” Regalado added that the railroad has the authority to issue citations for trespass on their rights-of-way.

Beth Lemke, owner of Planning Solutions Corporation, stressed the need to reinforce the walkability of the city for the economic viability of the downtown. Lemke, who worked for the city on a parking study previously, said that Fernandina Beach is fortunate that it already has a walking environment downtown.

Other commissioners also weighed in. Vice Mayor Len Kreger said that along with railroad concerns, the city must address stormwater and infrastructure needs along Front Street. Commissioner John Miller said that since Centre Street is the gateway to the city marina, changing the traffic pattern would be a major change for the city. Mayor Robin Lentz emphasized the need to improve the entire area. But Commissioner Roy Smith played devil’s advocate, asking how the city would justify to taxpayers the need to spend $800K to open the Alachua crossing while at the same time closing the Centre Street crossing. Lentz, Poynter and Regalado all pointed to economic viability of downtown as the justification.

After considerable discussion, City Manager Dale Martin suggested that the commission consider issuing an RFQ for interested consultants to start over on a Master Plan for the entire area, since the original master plan originated more than 15 years ago. Commissioners embraced this idea, but wanted to include more public input for the consultants to consider in developing a plan. To that end, they scheduled two public meetings for January to take public input: January 10 and January 24 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall. They asked that a representative of the Ocean Highway and Port Authority attend, along with railroad representatives.

City Marina

City Manager Martin updated commissioners on the status of marina repairs related to Hurricane Matthew. He reported that the 60 day period to file claims with FEMA has begun. Bids have gone out for 10 repair projects. Currently the city is awaiting an assessment of breakwater damage. Within 30 days the marina will return to “a substantial level of service.”

Martin and Marina Manager Joe Springer spoke to challenges and plans for making the marina bigger and better. The mooring field is being increased from 24 to 100 mooring balls. An outstanding question remains with respect to expanding the marina northward. The city is awaiting a decision from the Army Corps of Engineeers to grant permission to eliminate the bend in the current channel and move it westward between two existing marker buoys. A favorable decision could mean the addition of a 4^th dock. No additional planning/action can occur until the Corps of Engineers issues its decision.

The city has apparently fallen back on a plan developed by ATM in 1996 that would have resulted in marina expansion and a solution to the siltation problem that requires the city to dredge the marina basin every 2-3 years. The original plan was not executed after having been deemed too expensive; yet, as commissioners pointed out, the city must budget $300K every two years for dredging, which results in only a temporary solution to a longstanding problem.

Springer briefed the commissioners on the changing nature of marina customers. He said that while dinghys and small local craft could continue to use the south end of the marina, the transient traffic consists of boats which are 40 feet or more. Those craft would dock at the north end and on the outer dock. Springer also told commissioners that currently the captain’s lounge contains 3 bathrooms. If the marina expands to include 75-100 boats, facilities for the boaters will also need to expand.

Commissioners agreed that the marina issues tied in with waterfront problems in general and should be considered as part of a master planning exercise. Poynter said, “All of these problems cannot be treated as a one-off. That’s why we have been unable to make progress in the past.”

Commissioners identify and prioritize goals

During the afternoon session, commissioners individually identified a wide range of issues that merited additional city attention and resources. This exercise resulted in a listing of top priorities supported by commissioners collectively (see above).

Commissioners were unanimous in supporting the need to address both waterfront issues and to obtain the historic post office building for repurposing as City Hall. They agreed that the life of existing City Hall has been extended to its limits. Mayor Lentz asked that the city maintain a postal function in the building if it becomes City Hall. Poynter suggested that the cost of the building could be offset by sale of the existing City Hall property. Vice Mayor Kreger advocated taking a more aggressive posture in pursuing the building for city use.

Four commissioners also agreed on the need to prioritize achieving a more equitable arrangement with Nassau County on providing police and fire services to island residents. Four commissioners also gave high priority to better management of special events in the city.

Three commissioners want to revisit the issue of beach driving and beach parking. The newly created “sand tax” assures that island residents contribute to the maintenance of city beaches. However, there was concern expressed that other visitors do not. Commissioners have expressed support for devising some system that would charge for parking at the beach, but only to those who do not already pay through taxes. They also discussed closing the beach parking/driving currently in the city at Sadler Road.

Other concerns supported by fewer commissioners were also captured by the City Manager for potential action outside the FBCC’s main priority list.

Interaction with Nassau County

The Nassau County commissioners and county staff were invited to attend the final portion of the planning session. Commissioner Pat Edwards accepted on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners and was accompanied by Shanea Jones and Justin Stankiewicz from the County Administrator’s Office.

Commissioner Edwards expressed his appreciation for having been invited. He expressed interest in holding more joint city-county meetings to help both commissions better understand each other’s challenges and opportunities to cooperate. It appears that in 2017, the county and the city will try to schedule joint meetings 3-4 times. Shanea Jones, speaking for the County Administrator, informed city commissioners that her office has met with City Manager Dale Martin more during his first year on the job than with former city managers during their entire terms. She characterized their meetings as candid and positive.

Edwards emphasized that county and city commissions have more in common than just beach renourishment, underscoring the need for better mutual understanding of problems and positions. He characterized the east side of the county as “the straw that stirs the drink.” He supported efforts to help both elected bodies better understand the needs and wants of their constituents.

City Commissioners asked Edwards and Jones for input on two issues: changing the Tourist Development Committee (TDC) Charter to broaden its scope as permitted by state legislation to allow funds to be expended along the Amelia Riverfront as well as on beaches; and adding street lighting to 14^th Street, a county road that runs through the city.

Edwards said that the Board of County Commissioners has been unanimous in supporting the current charter governing use of TDC funds. He cited the value of advertising in creating a $2.6M economic impact during the recent Dickens on Centre event. He said that he did not support using tourism funds to pay for activities and projects more properly funded by ad valorem taxes. He said that the county, which would need to approve charter changes by ordinance, would be more likely to act if such a request was also endorsed by the TDC.

With respect to the issue of street lights, Edwards said that while Nassau County has 400 miles of paved roads and 400 miles of unpaved roads, the county does not own or maintain any streetlights. Unlike the city, the county does not take ownership of road and sidewalk systems when developments are built out. Streetlights remain the responsibility of individuals or homeowner associations, not the county.

The parties also discussed fire, police and emergency response on Amelia Island. Mutual aid agreements require each jurisdiction to respond to calls as needed and available. The city has maintained that it responds more frequently to calls from the unincorporated areas of the county than the county responds to calls in the city. The city proposed that each entity be reimbursed some dollar amount for calls that take units out of their home areas.

While not able to speak for the Sheriff’s Office, Shanea Jones reported that 80-90 percent of the fire and rescue calls on the island are for emergency services, which are billed to insurance companies. Both units typically respond to any island fire call. The city has maintained that because most of its emergency calls into county island areas are north of the southend resorts, collecting costs from insurance companies is more problematic. This topic will continue to be discussed in future meetings. Commissioner Edwards said, “I want to be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”

Shanea Jones cited the cooperation between city and county that is leading toward an island-wide tree ordinance and the “Leave No Trace” ordinance to cover beach clean up. Edwards said that the tree ordinance covering Crane Island is even more stringent. That development, which will be part of the city, will also include a public/private fishing pier and parking.

The parties also agreed that explaining and promoting the new Municipal Services Taxing Unit (MSTU) that will result in a tax rebate for the city will also be a joint challenge. Because the city provides its own public safety services, the city will be rebated about $2M annually, while other areas of the county will be required to pay taxes to support that function which they currently do not pay for. The city has the option of taking the rebate as a windfall or returning it to taxpayers in the form of lower city millage. While no formal action has been taken, city commissioners seem inclined to rebate the savings to its taxpayers.

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.