The Fernandina Beach City Commission, acting in its capacity as the Community Redevelopment Agency, agreed to move forward with plans for a park on the Amelia River waterfront.
The CRA Advisory Board met earlier this month, where member Eric Bartelt presented the plan. Bartelt explained that the riverwalk and flood wall are “mostly complete,” and so the next step of developing the waterfront is to create a plan for the open space between the parking lots and the river. He said there were several factors that make the park a good project: It upgrades a blighted area of the CRA, it brings a great improvement at a relatively low cost, the area has been rezoned to Recreation, so the improvements would be appropriate and both the Historic District Council and the Parks and Rec Advisory Board have approved the project. Bartelt also noted the timing, as 2024 is the 200th year of incorporation for both Fernandina Beach and Nassau County.
At the Tuesday CRA meeting, some members of the public spoke, most expressing support for the plan and giving suggestions. Joan Corey suggested an aquarium be added and Joyce Tutin asked the landscaping use only native plants. Louis Goldman said the city could build some storefronts on the property and lease them out in order to bring in revenue. Pete Stevenson said, “We’ve got to move forward. I would like to see the city cut the ribbon on the park on this Jan. 1, 2025.”
The 16 pétanque courts, located on the north end of the park, are the location of an international tournament held annually. Those courts would remain in the park plan and could be used for multiple purposes, such as vendor booths or seating.
Fernandina Beach resident Michael Sharpe spoke to oppose the pétanque court included in the plans. He said three downtown projects, the remodeled Marina Restaurant, the Standard Marine building and plans to raze the current Atlantic Seafood building in order to build a new restaurant, would need additional parking, as do people who operate business out of the Fernandina Harbor Marina. He noted that Commissioner Chip Ross plays pétanque and said he thinks that has affected Ross’s support of the park plans.
“It’s not your world or Ross’s world,” Sharpe told Mayor Bradley Bean. “It’s the taxpayers’ world, and they don’t want this. (Commissioners) Sturges, Antun and Ayscue, you were elected to stop this kind of stuff from happening. This is not the taxpayers’ will in this city. I am asking you to vote ‘no’ on this. It’s the wrong thing for us to do right now.”
Vice Mayor David Sturges also expressed concerns about the pétanque courts.
“I am not a big fan of the pétanque courts,” Sturges said. “I would prefer to see possibly a little hut down there with our local brewers and possibly a dog park. I could see things where people could sit outside with their dogs and have a beer in our park setting. I could see a lot of whole different ideas that would appeal to 50% or 75% of the residents in our city. I understand the recreation side of it. I would prefer to see the pétanque courts in Central Park. I do think we need to do it. I don’t think it needs to be today. However, if the rest of the commission thinks we need to proceed on, I do understand that. I think we could get it done at a later date.”
Commissioner James Antun supported the plan, as did Ross. Commissioner Darron Ayscue’s support could be termed lukewarm and included concern about the pétanque courts.
“I am indifferent to this plan,” Ayscue admitted. “I can agree that the pétanque courts are probably the sticking point for a lot of citizens, but if they stay, I’m OK with that, too. There’s a lot in the plan that works really well, but if it didn’t, we could probably change it in a matter of one or two votes (of the city commission). I agree that having the pétanque courts there on the riverfront is not the best use of that plan; that’s just my opinion. I do know there’s an economic impact with the tournament so I can respect that.”
Mayor Bean pointed to the relatively low cost of the project, and the fact that it could be funded with Parks and Recreation impact fees. He spoke to the issue with the pétanque courts.
“I hear people saying it’s not something that everyone in the community uses, and I completely understand that,” the mayor said. “When I look at that, I don’t just see a pétanque court. I see a place where anything can happen. I think the pétanque courts are the ultimate flexible thing to have there. We have options; it can be used for many different purposes.”
Bean said there were references to the city’s efforts to determine how to use its waterfront property in a story in the Fernandina Observer in the 1800s, and he believes it is time to move forward with a plan.
“We are taking a place in the community that has been neglected, and with just a little bit of money, a small investment, we can turn it into something people will use for many different reasons,” Bean said. “I like the plan. Our river is a beautiful place. It should be open to the public. It should be a place people can go and enjoy our beautiful natural beauty that makes our community what it is.”
The commission voted 4-1 to send the plan to engineers to begin the process of creating a concrete plan, with Vice Mayor Sturges casting the dissenting vote.
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