Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
June 16, 2019 5:00 p.m.
Island resident Berta Arias sent the photo below to the Fernandina Observer, showing a tree on fire as a result of a fallen power line at American Beach on June 12, 2019.
Arias, a member of the Amelia Tree Conservancy, pointed out that fire damage was limited to the tree. However, she also pointed out that there are no fire hydrants at American Beach. (This allegation has not been confirmed by the Fernandina Observer.)
The American Beach community remains at greater risk than other parts of the island until such time as water, sewer and fire hydrants can be brought to the community.
UPDATE JUNE 17, 2019
Nassau County Planning Director has provided the map below showing fire hydrant locations in the American Beach area:
American Beach is generally located between First Coast Highway on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east; bordered on the north by Ocean Village and the Parkway and on the south by Osprey Village and Burney Park. There are no fire hydrants (marked with orange + signs) shown along the majority of residential streets within the American Beach Community.
In an email June 17, Burke wrote, “The County received $400,000 in legislative funding to assist in initial design and planning work for a well/septic phase-out (see flyer below). We are currently working, based on DEP’s recommendation, towards enlisting a consultant’s help who specializes in identifying a road map for funding for such projects.”
Burke wrote, “We are concurrently working with the community on overall planning initiatives, including exploring a CRA. The CRA would not generate enough money for water and sewer, so we are looking at it more comprehensively. It could perhaps be used to fund portions of it. We are doing a series of meetings with the community around this planning. We had our first one on June 8.”
While there needs to be a solution to the water/wastewater problems in American Beach, I think the development restrictions that this capacity issue has created has worked positively in the protection of the American Beach enclave from major redevelopment. We have already seen the building of several million dollar plus oceanfront houses along Gregg Street. There certainly are a number of properties there along Lewis Street that have strong potential for remodeling. $7.5 million for total implementation isn’t going to happen through CRA or property taxes. A major government grant would be required.