Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
September 6, 2018 3:30 p.m.
At their September 4, 2018 Regular Meeting the Fernandina Beach City Commission unanimously approved Resolution 2018-133 authorizing the submittal of an application for a Florida Department of Environmental Protection Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts Forever Grant.
The Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts Program (SMWWP) was created by the Florida Legislature in 2008 to provide money to local governments or designated groups to buy waterfront property to provide access in perpetuity for commercial fishing, aquaculture, and ancillary businesses.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection Stan Mayfield Working Waterfronts (SMWWP) grant program is accepting grant applications through September 10, 2018, for land acquisition by jurisdictions that commit the use of the land in perpetuity as Working Waterfronts which increase or provide:
1.) Commercial harvest of marine organisms or saltwater products by state-licensed commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, or business entities, including piers, wharves, docks, or other facilities operated to provide waterfront access to licensed commercial fishermen, aquaculturists, or business entities; and/or
2.) Exhibitions, demonstrations, educational venues, civic events, and other purposes that promote and educate the public about economic, cultural, and historic heritage of Florida’s traditional working waterfronts, including the marketing of the seafood and aquaculture industries.
The grant application requires:
1.) Letters from landowners in which the landowners express willingness to consider sale of their land through the grant at the appraised value; and
2.) A Business Summary describing how the applicant jurisdiction will develop the property into a Working Waterfront consistent with the goals of the SMWM Grant Program.
The City of Fernandina Beach has identified four waterfront land parcels north of city property on Front Street that could qualify for purchase through the SMWWP grant, and has sent correspondence to the owners inquiring about their interest in selling their parcel(s) for appraised value to the City. To date, landowners of one or more parcels have communicated willingness to consider the sale of their property at appraised value to the City.
The landowners contacted include: Marilyn Leibman (property at 201 N. Front Street), Anne Kavanaugh (121 N. Front Street), Richard Goodsell (105 N. Front Street); and O’Steen Company LLP and Richard and Pamela Simmons (unnumbered property on N. Front Street).
If awarded SMWWP grant funds for land acquisition, the City of Fernandina Beach would need to budget for and complete land improvements documented in our SMWWP Business Summary in FY 2019/2020 and FY 2020/2021.
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.
Preserving and restoring our working waterfront is a great idea for our city. After Mathew and Irma my shrimper friends have had to leave our city for dockage elsewhere. Let’s keep a working waterfront!