Dale Martin
City Manager
Fernandina Beach
August 24, 2018 12:00 a.m.
As the City’s preparation of the 2018/2019 annual budget, which will be effective on October 1, draws to a close, the subject that most dominated, and continues to dominate, the discussion is the acquisition of property for conservation purposes.
Conversations, both public and private, with all City Commissioners indicate that none of the Commissioners are opposed to the concept of either acquiring more conservation property for the City or assisting others to implement conservation easements or development restrictions on private property. I believe that the elected officials and City staff recognize the intrinsic value and beauty of Amelia Island’s trees. The conundrum faced by the City Commission (as well as the entire community), however, is the cost: in order to preserve the green (trees), you have to come up with the green (dollars).
Representatives of the Amelia Island Tree Conservancy (AITC), the leading voice for conservation property acquisition, presented to the City Commission its short-list of targeted properties. This list provided a brief description of properties that, based upon AITC assessment, offer significant conservation opportunities and, in some cases, are under growing development pressure.
For each parcel, the list provides a value. It appears that the value for each parcel is drawn from the Nassau County Property Appraiser’s web site (the site’s Map feature is one of the most useful tools in my daily duties; https://maps.nassauflpa.com/NassauTaxMap). Using those values as the potential cost, the combined cost of all properties on the short list is nearly $6,000,000. It must be further realized that those values are substantially below the actual market cost. For example, one property identified on the list has a value of $25,000; I have an initial offer from the owner for $179,000. Conservatively quadrupling the total value of the list brings the acquisition cost of desired or recommended properties to $25,000,000.
On behalf of the City Commission, I extend an open invitation to any of the property owners with parcels on the AITC list to sell their property to the City at the Nassau County Property Appraiser’s value. If interested, please contact me.
A few parcels on the list, though, are not within the city limits (“Fernandina Beach” and “Amelia Island” are not synonymous). Some City Commissioners have indicated an unwillingness to use City resources to acquire property outside the City, believing that the conservation efforts related to those properties is more appropriately the responsibility of Nassau County government.
So where will City officials find the funds for acquisition? One possible source of funding mentioned has been “impact fees.” City Ordinance 2015-26 (codified as Sec 2-451) provides the foundational background and schedule of impact fees, which are assessed in an effort to continue to provide desired levels of service in the event of continued growth. City services that receive revenue from impact fees are police, fire, parks and recreation, and public facilities. Impact fees are collected at the time a building permit is issued.
The current unreserved balance of the parks and recreation impact fees is a little over $1,300,000. Within the proposed budget, approximately $900,000 of those funds are designated for specific parks and recreation projects- a park on Simmons Road, shade structures, and other amenities. If those funds are utilized for those projects, little money remains to be used for the acquisition of property.
Perhaps an additional bond can be authorized or millage levied to generate sufficient funds. The community survey conducted last year indicated a strong level of support for an additional millage for conservation purposes. How willing are the taxpayers of Fernandina Beach to pay additional taxes, either as a direct levy or to support debt service associated with a bond? People clamor against higher taxes, but many also want more services or facilities. How do you think those services and facilities are funded?
The irony of this situation (conservation costs versus development pressures) was perhaps unwittingly described in a recent message to the City Commissioners. The sender voiced strong support for Amelia Island trees and demanded leadership from the City Commission in order to prevent the wholesale loss of community trees. Sadly, the sender lives in a newly developed neighborhood that was the subject of much community concern due to tree removal as the property was developed.
It is all about the money. Funds beyond what can be provided directly by the City must be brought to the table. If the community is interested in acquiring additional properties, it will require more than advocacy to support the effort.
Excellent piece Dale. As my daddy often said “money doesn’t grow on trees” (pun intended). With the annexation of Crane Island where there will be a 5 acre park, perhaps the planned minimal Simmons Road park be delayed. I know a number of folks reauesting the park were not even city residents. Previously the citizens have shown a willingness to pay for the “Greenway” bond so maybe that desire is still there although that bond did not pass by a wide margin. The city is blessed with all the recreation and conservation areas it already has. Maybe a group should review the desired list of properties and establish an acquisition priority and have appraisals done on the top 3. My recollection is the city cannot pay more than the commercially apprised value. As you point out so well the county property office’s taxable value is not the same thing.
Dave Lott has a good point there, have a group of city residents review a list of desirable properties, have appraisals done & see which ones have actual acquisition priorities. Is the planned park on Simmons Rd. really needed? I think we have enough parks & Greenway space…..let’s leave the trees & animals alone!!
As a barrier island, maintaining Amelia’s green spaces and trees is essential! Their root systems and other physical features are literally the precious gold and silver threads that hold our little island together. Likewise, our wetlands constitute part of our island’s drainage system. At this time, it is estimated that there are fewer than 200 undeveloped parcels left inside the city limits. When these parcels are gone, they are gone for good. Follow your own model already in place with the Eagan’s Creek Greenway where a largely passive park environment and its associated wildlife thrive today. Stop quibbling about who owns what on the island and start collaborating. Private citizens cannot secure or establish a bond project but our city and county commissioners can. Private citizens cannot prevent encroachments generated by excessive variances but the city and county commissioners can simply by holding their own line as documented in the Comp Plan. (No development on wetlands means just that – NO!) Please, re-read your own survey about what “the people” want and do something before there is nothing left to be done. What YOU allow is what will continue. Please do the things that need to be done “not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win”. Individually and collectively as our city government, you have the tools, the talents and the authority to protect, preserve, and dare I suggest it, even enhance, our little slice of heaven on earth. You have been given a very great gift contained in the extensive materials voluntarily assembled by the folks at the ATC. Accept it humbly and use it as a stepping stone for greater progress. You did it once. Why would you not now do everything you can to further ensure the legacy of a healthy environment for the city, the island and all its people like the treasure you created at the Eagan’s Creek Greenway?
Very well said. The city needs to do more before we lose more mature trees and build on wetlands as can be seen by the development at 14th and Lime Street.
I have a message for county residents lobbying the Fernandina Beach City Commissioners to conserve city land, spend city money and raise city taxes: Go to the county commissioners and lobby them. It is outrageous that county residents think they should have any say in how the city is managed. You don’t pay for city services but you take advantage of them. Enough is enough. You want to conserve land on the island? Raise your own taxes and leave us city folks alone.
Environmentally, this is one very small barrier island. The environment does not recognize our arbitrary political jurisdictions. We succeed together or we fail together, whether we like it or not.
The majority of the members of ATC live in the city. Four of our six Board members live in the city. City residents and voters, many of whom are not ATC members, are requesting land conservation and other strategies to maintain our canopy and the rest of our environment.
Dear Mr. Spino – I am a county resident living here on Amelia Island. To be clear, I will make no apologies about asking the city to step up on this important matter. As a resident of this one barrier island we ALL call home, the health of our island’s ecosystem affects ALL of us regardless of where the city lines are drawn. Without preservation of wetlands, we can ALL flood. Without the trees and other vegetation, we can ALL be battered by storm winds and suffer damage and loss at our properties. In the absence of conservation, we will see increased intrusion and ultimately loss of the island’s wildlife. In case you were not here for Matthew, Irma or any of the other storms, be aware that hurricanes, tropical storms, and other calamities do not recognize or follow city boundary lines.
Had you done a thorough search of me, you would know that in addition to being a property owner in the county, I own property inside the city limits too. Additionally, three of my family members own property in the city. So, forgive me in advance, but I am going to keep right on asking for comprehensive conservation land use planning and funding! I will do it for myself, my children, my grandchild, my friends, and even you Mr. Spino because what you fail to realize is, this not an “us versus them” issue or a “city versus county” issue. This, Mr. Spino, is an ALL island issue and I am in it to win it with and for ALL of us.
Thank you Betsie Huben!
Betsie, while I admire your passion and determination, we need to realize the political reality that exists on the Island outside the city limits. I don’t think there is strong support from the residents living in the resorts for additional conservation measures as they believe their developers have done a good job in conserving trees and vegetation in their planned developments. The county can ill afford any money for land conservation acquisition over the short term as they can barely cover existing services and that is after a large tax increase.
How much is enough? I don’t have the figures available but I bet if you add up all the recreation and conservation land acreage currently owned by the city as a ratio of total acreage in the city, you will find a very strong ratio. There may indeed be some strategic parcels necessary to maintain corridors.
Thanks to Mr. Martin for discussing the issue of land conservation in his article this week. ATC would like to second his call for community engagement in this important issue. Support for this effort goes way beyond our membership and involves a large percentage of the community. As Mr. Martin has indicated, for us to be successful in this effort, we will all need to play a part. This issue will be discussed in the September Commission meetings, so we encourage attendance. We also plan to have a community meeting later in September, which we will advertise.
One point of clarification: In the list of recommended properties, the only properties outside the city are properties contiguous to city limits along the Amelia Island Parkway that would be incorporated if developed. They are around Aspire and one is contiguous to the new bike path. For these reasons, we consider these parcels of interest to the City because we are on the verge of losing any sense of a parkway. In developing this list, we have attempted to identify areas that would save the some of the most critical environmental functions. The hope is that that can provide guidance for land conservation as well as a springboard for additional ideas. This list is a reduction of an earlier list presented to Commissioners and City Staff, which they asked us to narrow down. It is highly influenced by the market pressures for development.
There are many properties beyond this list that need to be conserved, so this is just a concept for beginning this process. While random properties are helpful, we feel that we need plans and strategies.
The list that Mr. Martin refers to is available by email at [email protected]. We will also post them to a blog on our site: http://www.ameliatreeconservancy.org.
Thanks Margaret as it would be very helpful to see the list. The chances of the county doing anything are none and none given their current financial pressures and any referendum is likely to be voted down by the substantial off- island population. FB / AI taxpayers have long been the cash cows for thenote county and that cow continues to get milked for all its worth (i.e. Sand tax).
The following is taken directly from the City website –
“The City of Fernandina Beach Tree Ordinance is dedicated to:
No net loss of trees.
Placing structures and all impervious surfaces in such a way as to protect the survivability and substantial growth of the healthiest trees on a property.
Maintaining the diversity of tree species native to Amelia Island.
Protecting and maintaining the existing mature growth native trees important to the City’s tree canopy.
Preserving, enhancing and restoring the unique aesthetic character of the City.
Preserving, enhancing and restoring the natural environment through the protection and establishment of native trees and existing natural systems for the enjoyment of present and future populations.”
Can the City answer “yes” to any of the above statements? Recent activities would indicate that there is in fact a net loss of significant trees within the City. Where is the large-scale reforestation taking place to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy what makes the island so unique?
Chris & Carol, you are right that the answer to the first item is a sheer fantasy, although it did use to be the case that protected trees had to be replaced inch for inch with no exclusions. That provision has been left in over several revisions of the ordinance despite numerous objections that it is no longer the reality.
As Dale Martin indicated, “It’s all about the [almighty$]”