Amelia Bluff subject of informational “Greenway Walk”

Photo by Stephan Leimberg
March 17, 2019 2:15 p.m.

Bob Wells, former Egans Creek Greenway Committee chairman, speaks to about 70 people who attended the Greenway Walk Saturday.     
(Photo by Steve Leimberg)

Editor’s Note:  According the “Greenway Walk” announcement, the purpose of the walk was to “see first-hand the impact of the proposed Amelia Bluff subdivision upon the Egans Creek Greenway . . .”

On March 19, the  Fernandina Beach City Commission will vote during its regular meeting on the final reading to approve a change to the Future Land Use Map.

We thank Robert Weintraub for providing a head count of attendees.

A history of Amelia Bluffs articles written by Suanne Z. Thamm, reporter-news analyst appear below.

Sept 16, 2016: “New Residential Development Planned for Citrona in early 2017.”

May 2, 2018: “FBCC grants prelimary approval for Amelia Bluffs Plat”

February 24, 2019 “Amelia Bluff controversy continues; stop work order issued.

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Lyn Pannone
Lyn Pannone(@lyn-pannone)
5 years ago

Folks, show up on Tuesday, March 19 at 6:00 pm to show the commissioners that you want to stop this development. The Amelia Bluff property is designated as Conservation land on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and should remain conservation land. Your presence at the meeting matters!

Kathleen Maurer
Kathleen Maurer (@guest_54700)
5 years ago
Reply to  Lyn Pannone

We came and there were so many people I can’t stand and forgot my walker but please count “Two more!”

Philip Griffin
Philip Griffin (@guest_54697)
5 years ago

Fellow Citizens and Commissioners,
I am very concerned that the Commission is contemplating reneging on the development agreement at Amelia Bluff. Not only would this action be expensive for the taxpayers, but it sends a message to the public that the City of Fernandina Beach cannot be trusted to honor a contract after it’s signed.
It is quite logical that the reason this slipped through the cracks is because the land was held by another government entity so there was no reason to be concerned with the underlying zoning or Land Use Map, as it was assumed to be Public Lands and Institutions. Consider how much the land could have been impacted had the school district built a 15,000 SF school, parking lot, bus area and more versus what a few homes will make on the overall land.
Furthermore there is nothing that says that private landowners will not be better stewards of the remaining trees. Only 25% of the land will be used for houses and roads anyway so there is no reason that man and nature cannot coexist on this site. This project is contextually aligned with hundreds of similar houses along the Citrona and Will Hardee roads that follow the uplands of Egans Creek.
The easy path would be to appease the mob that cries to save every parcel on the island from any kind of development, but you have a duty to obey the laws of the land and furthermore to provide taxpaying citizens with decent government while keeping the cost to a minimum. This obsession with finding ways to halt legal development even after it’s been approved is a recipe for legal disaster and an even worse reputation as a place to do business. Do I need to remind you of prior mistakes that have led to lawsuits and cost the taxpayers millions. These included the illegal accounting and use of impact fees, the airport FBO disaster, purchasing park equipment. The last thing we need is for the commissioners to create another lawsuit.
Better properties to consider using tax money, assuming we have an extra $3-5 million to spend on stopping this project and refunding the school district and developer for losses would include:
Purchase vacant lots at market or below market pricing
Purchase the concrete plant and plant 200 trees
Create a park on the waterfront
Buy 200 acres of Rayonier land and make a city park in central Nassau County
Thank you for taking the heat and still respecting private property rights.


Philip Griffin
Broker GRI
Amelia Coastal Realty
904-556-9140

Gerald Decker
Gerald Decker(@myfernandina)
5 years ago

Leave that man alone…..Kreger, Chapman and Miller are on the right side of this issue…..Lednovich and Ross (and all the like) should live to fight another day……by getting the city’s various land plans in sync so everyone can rely on city pronouncements and land use decisions. There is no fire.