CANCELED – See comment below.
A hearing on Riverstone litigation matters has been scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 12 in Circuit Court. It will be conducted via Zoom. All interested citizens may watch at:
The hearing has been requested by attorneys for Nassau County. They will be asking the judge to take two actions on behalf of the county:
Permit Riverstone to join the county, against local homeowners and citizen groups.
On April 24, 2023, the county commissioners (except for Alyson McCullough) approved an agreement with Riverstone. That gave the green light for Riverstone to move forward toward building up to 11 towers, at least 85 feet high, on the beach just north of the state park. This agreement sets aside ordinances passed by the county commission in 2022, prohibiting new buildings over 45 feet high.
The agreement also gives a long list of valuable rights and benefits requested by Riverstone. In addition, it includes a payment of $250,000 from our county to Riverstone.
Since then, Citizens Against Runaway Development (CARD), Amelia Tree Conservancy and local homeowners near the Riverstone property have sued the county. The suit asks that the agreement be set aside. It alleges many issues with the agreement itself, and the way it was negotiated outside public view.
In court filings the county’s attorneys have requested that Riverstone be allowed to join the suit to work against the citizen groups and homeowners.
Remove Amelia Tree Conservancy and CARD from the suit against Nassau County.
CARD and Amelia Tree Conservancy have been supported by hundreds of citizens, mostly on Amelia Island, who have expressed disapproval of the agreement. Substantial contributions have been received by these 501(c)(3) organizations to support the lawsuit.
The county has asked the court to remove both CARD and the Amelia Tree Conservancy from the lawsuit. Riverstone has filed a motion with the court in support of the county’s request.
To stay posted on this matter, go to Citizens Against Runaway Development or Amelia Tree Conservancy.
This is twisted. The county against the citizens? The citizens suing the county? Riverstone building huge buildings on it’s own land? County reversing policy of building height? Cats living with dogs? Can’t we all just get along?
This makes no sense.
It makes perfect sense. The county commissioners, their attorneys, and Riverstone are in a Big Club, and we ain’t in it! They will all get their way no matter what concerned citizens feel about it, and because the county commissioners caved in, it’s even a sweeter deal now for Riverstone than what was originally proposed.
This does make perfect sense.
First of all I don’t want to see these buildings constructed the trees removed or the environment disturbed.
Here is what happened.
The developer actually had all the rights to do what they wanted on the property. At the hearing that stopped the project the county commissioners folded to the emotional plea of the crowd. Once this got in front of the courts the county realize they had an untenable position. They decided to throw in the losing hand before it cost the citizens of our County even more money. The fact remains the developer has the right to do it that wanted on their property based on what was approved previously.
The fact that the county now has to go against citizen organizations in court will only cost us more money. The outcome of the development will not be changed.
If you don’t want anything built on that property buy it and put it into a conservation easement.
UPDATE: The Amelia Tree Conservancy announced in a Dec. 9 email that the Dec. 12, 2023 hearing on Riverstone litigation is canceled. Attorneys for both Nassau County and Riverstone have agreed that Amelia Tree Conservancy (ATC) and Citizens Against Runaway Development (CARD) have standing to contest the County/Riverstone plans for the south end of the island. They have agreed to withdraw their motions to dismiss and have asked the judge to cancel the hearing scheduled for next Tuesday, December 12.