Sturges Gets Indefinite Delay in Proposed Subdivision Changes

By Mike Lednovich

At the urging of Vice Mayor David Sturges, the Fernandina Beach City Commission did an abrupt about-face and agreed to suspend efforts to change sections of the city's Land Development Code (LDC) that would have allowed property owners to more easily subdivide their parcels.

Sturges, who filed for re-election to the city commission Jan. 19, was the catalyst last September for pushing to change two sections of the LDC that address when a property can be subdivided into several parcels, thus allowing more housing to be built. Sturges was supported in that effort by Mayor Bradley Bean and Commissioner Darron Ayscue. Sturges claimed the LDC sections were not clear and violated the rights of property owners.

But during city commissioner comments Tuesday, Sturges introduced pausing the commission's efforts to have the LDC sections changed. The city's Planning Advisory Board (PAB) has met six times to discuss the changes and the majority of members have steadfastly stated that the proposed changes would result in increased housing density that would ruin established neighborhoods.

"I want to bring up a heated topic across our boards. I believe after hearing the community concerns and the PAB is having a hard time, difficulty deciphering (LDC) 1.03.04 and 1.03.05 sections on the agenda that we had put forward as a commission, I believe we should pause the application for now," Sturges said. "We can address these LDC codes at a different time. If anybody would be interested in pausing the application at this moment because it seems like we've had a lot of people that are wrestling with it for many hours and concerns in the community."

After some discussion, Commissioner Chip Ross wanted clarification on the Sturges proposal.

"What you're saying is to table the (LDC) issue for the foreseeable future and take it off the table of the planning board?" Ross asked.

"I'm saying, pausing it. They're (PAB) having a hard time wrestling with it. Maybe now isn't the right time to address it and maybe we wait for a different time and readdress it at another time," Sturges said.

Commissioner Darron Ayscue said, "We've got a lot going on and I can agree with that. It will at least give me some opportunity to reach out to Kelly (Gibson) and see if there's anything else that staff needs on that."

There was no formal vote -- just an informal 5-0 consensus.

Bean directed City Planning and Conservation Director Gibson to "pause the application at this time."