City Marina News

Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
July 24, 2017 10:00 a.m.

At the July 18, 2017 Regular Meeting of the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC), commissioners approved two items relating to marina improvement grants. They also heard a brief presentation from Bob Allison on his idea for marina improvements.

Commissioners approved Resolution 2017-105 on a 4-1 vote. This resolution authorized the city to submit an application to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission under the Boating Infrastructure Grant Program (BIG-P) to expand the existing marina to the North and improve the overall facilities for transient boaters. The city is requesting $1.5M in grant assistance and agrees to provide a 51.4 percent match in the amount of $1,585,695.

FIND Commissioner Lynn Williams, who has been advocating on behalf of this grant, reminded commissioners that the grant itself had been engineered in the 1995-6 time frame as part of the ATM plan to improve the marina. Because the city did not purchase the land immediately to the north, the plan never materialized. He suggested that odds were in the city’s favor to receive this grant, which would not be awarded until March 2018. “You don’t have to draw it down all at once,” Williams said. “You can draw it down as you need it – or not use it at all.”

Vice Mayor Len Kreger voted against the resolution, citing problems with not having had sufficient time to review the application, the high dollar required match, as well as the fact that there is at this time no application pending with the Army Corps of Engineers to move the channel, which must occur before the marina can move north.

“Mr. Williams talks about this happening next year, but the FBCC has it in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan for 2019-20. Moving the channel is a prerequisite for all of this.”

Kreger went on to cite other areas of the city that need funds, such as streets. Mayor Robin Lentz said she agreed with many points Kreger had made, but believed it was important to apply at this time. The city could always decline to accept the grant if awarded.

Commissioners approved on a unanimous vote Resolution 2017-113, requesting assistance under the Florida Inland Navigation (FIND) Waterways Assistance Program to repurpose an existing grant in the amount of $89,306 for repairs to the fuel dock. Marina Manager Joe Springer verified that the scope has been written and paperwork has been turned into the Finance Department. A list of contractors has also been submitted.

During Public Comment, Bob Allison presented his plan to the commissioners to improve the city marina. Allison told commissioners that he had appeared 128 times before the FBCC in the 1980’s as he worked to develop the downtown waterfront. Allison said that while he leased the land for the marina, he did not design it. That task was left to an engineering firm that worked with permitting agencies. He said that at the time, none of the 15 engineers reviewing the plans foresaw the future problems with silt build up that would require regular and costly marina dredging. He estimated that it costs the city about $400K per year to maintain the marina. Allison suggested that if the city would relocate the existing bulkhead line west according to his plan, they would add 3.5 acres of usable land to accommodate both the waterfront park and 200 parking spaces at the waterfront. Allison urged the FBCC to move forward to the Army Corps of Engineers with a permitting request to move the bulkhead, if feasible.

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.