Concerned Friends of Fernandina |
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Marina & Riverfront page: (also see Waterfront Committee page)
Waterfront Project On Hold As you might know, the waterfront condominiums, retail, and marina project worked on so hard by so many along Front Street, is now officially ‘on hold’. The economy appears to have become a stumbling block even for the vast resources of Lane Development Corp.As many developers do, Lane uses ‘equity partners’ to share the weight of such a large project, but the lenders today are not forthcoming with funds. So, sadly, we will wait even longer to see this project develop. What’s even more distressing, is that Lane has decided not to purchase the Florida Petroleum sites, or some other vacant lots along the waterfront. There are currently no plans for a start date
Waterfront workshop
CFOF supports Design Standards for the Waterfront area:
RIVERFRONT/ PUBLIC PROPERTY:
* No new structures allowed to be built or expanded for
‘private’ use on publicly owned
land
* Create additional head-in parking on the west side of Front St. all along the city owned property * Create Amphitheatre/band shell on what's now the south parking lot (possibly over the water if city can get permits); research and find the architects who created St. Mary’s public space and develop our waterfront similarly- for essentially passive use- utilize tax increment dollars to create this city space- have design in hand and build as money becomes available * With tax increment monies city should purchase the wetlands that lie between the south parking lot and David Cook’s property and create a linear boardwalk that connects city property to the Cook property * If monies permit, create possible fishing pier at the extreme south end of what's now the south marina parking lot (fishing pier similar to St. Mary’s) * Seek termination of gambling boat lease * Provide at least 200' of dockage at City Marina at significantly reduced rates to local shrimpers which will support the shrimping industry, maintain historic ambience, and allow shrimpers to tie off one another- as they have parked in the past *The marine welcome center should be built by combining the monies designated to remodel the marina bathrooms with the monies earmarked for the Big P Grant for the welcome center. *This center should be designed to accommodate both marina and public bathroom spaces, marina offices, and any other function deemed necessary on the space that the bathrooms and marina offices NOW occupy at the waterfront.
* Provide as many as possible nearby parking accommodations for boats and trailers using city boat ramp (possibly on city owned property across the RR track) *No boat and trailer parking should be utilized on public waterfront property because this would limit green space/park potential *Parking fee for boaters could be created with passes available for local residents once convenient site is located * Renovate north parking lot north of Brett's to become the pedestrian the park/fountain/centerpiece of the Riverwalk & Centre Street * As city develops and builds additional office space needed for city support staff (we believe city discussed Mearns park for this)- combine this building project with the creation of parking by designing 2 floors of parking underneath the city office space (parking would be at ground level with an additional floor of parking above)- this would create additional parking on city property in the downtown area to accommodate any loss of parking due to the creation of waterfront greenspace North of Brett's on Private Waterfront Property - * Need to maintain Industrial Waterfront zoning classifications for current businesses that want to continue to operate
*Create new separate zoning classification
(Waterfront/Commercial) for any waterfront redevelopment * Absolute 30' height limit, and 25’ would be preferable and in the best interests of the community * Design standards should be adopted that do not allow EFIS (fake stucco) facades, but instead encourage vernacular Florida waterfront architecture with tin roofs, etc. (see new Cumberland State Park Visitor’s Center on St. Mary’s Waterfront as simple example) * City could assist private property owners in obtaining permits for the construction of a bulkhead. Costs and maintenance of the bulkhead should be borne by the private property owner- in return for the city's assistance in re-couping the riparian rights that would be gained by the bulkhead- the property owners would give the city a 20' setback from the river's edge in order to provide for public access and a riverwalk that also allows some seating along the waterfront * On-site parking for all redevelopment would be required- no less than 2 parking spaces per each residential unit would be considered allowable * Public head-in parking would be created on the city's right of way on the west side of Front Street but this would be for public parking only, and should not be utilized to satisfy the private parking necessities * Single lots less than 100' wide should have a 'minimum' setback of 5 feet on each side of the property as a side yard setback and to also provide public access to the water's edge * Lots, or combination of lots, with over 100 linear ft along the Westside of Front St. would require at least a 12' wide access at street level to be placed not less than every 100’- 150' linear feet along Front Street for public vistas and accesses to the water/riverwalk Property East of Front Street- since the property on the east side of N. 2nd Street backs up to a residential area there needs to be a step-down between the higher density/intensity usages. Therefore three main distinct zoning categories are needed to be developed: #1-waterfront property; #2 property on the west side of N. 2nd Street; and #3- properties lying on the east sides of N. 2nd Street which begin the transition to the existing Historic District neighborhood.
* Development should support both residential and commercial activities * Height would be limited to 35' in all circumstances; density bonuses could be offered to owners in certain circumstances that could allow an additional 10’ in height, but never higher * Density should be limited to 10 units/A. in this area; unless owner qualifies their property for density bonuses *Design standards should be in place to assure some architectural offsetting on the street-side of the buildings to ensure that the face of the building is not a solid wall but has some added architectural dimensions to its face *Density bonuses would be automatically granted by the city at 17 units/acre ONLY if 15% of those housing units are priced within state guidelines that governs affordable workforce housing ( that means that for every 17 units that are built-two units would be offered as 2BDR units, and one would be a 1BDR unit- these three units would be 15% of 17 units/A.) * For density to be increased beyond 17 units/A., density bonuses would be granted using a city created rating system. However, density would never be allowed to exceed 34 units/A under any circumstance. *City would create a distinct ‘rating system’ that measures “level of importance” when granting any 'extended' density credit beyond 17 units/A. and would be granted on a case by case basis *Examples that could qualify for the extended incremental density increase system would include space created on the property for public use, onsite parking which is located to the side or to the rear of the new construction, increased sideyard setbacks, owners who voluntarily build sustainable buildings based upon solar design criteria, creation of additional workforce housing units at 15% of total units, etc. *'Extended' density credits beyond 17 units/A. would be based upon percentile ratings which would allow for incremental increases of density *Density credits of 34 units/A. would be granted only for those who had created 15% of their units for workforce housing as described above, and then additionally qualified for an increase in density credits by meeting other incrementally rated city criteria. * On-site parking should always be required @ 2 spaces per residential unit *Developer should be required to provide sidewalks along each side of property which abuts a roadway as a cost of doing development *No EFIS building materials (fake stucco) should be allowed in the Historic Area which would affect heritage tourism in the future and strict design standards must be followed * City should investigate the possibility of utilizing the historic Standard Marine building as a downtown convention center/public auditorium/ performing arts space by researching available grant monies through Historic Restoration and Forever Florida, and other possible grants that would be available. *By utilizing grant monies the city could then purchase the building, or at the very least if grants are unavailable, create a unique public/private partnership so that the city could utilize the first floor for a potential downtown auditorium- CFOF firmly believes its activities downtown that will revive Center St. (not higher densities) * If the Standard Marine space is deemed unsatisfactory for a downtown auditorium because of its limited sq. footage- city should investigate a public/private partnership to create a net-making/shrimping museum that would celebrate and commemorate the history of the shrimping industry in Fernandina
Private property on the east side of N. 2nd Street- A new zoning category should be created for this area that supports residential and commercial activities in a mixed-use setting and become a step-down ‘transitional area’ from the more intense development of Front St. and the west side of Second St. * Heights absolutely limited to 35 feet because these properties back up to traditional Historic district neighborhoods * Minimum of 20' rear yard set-back to protect residential properties on N.Third St. * Side-yard setbacks required to be 5% of property width, if lots are combined- then sideyard setbacks would increase to 10% of the size of the property width * Front yard setback minimum of 10 feet * Sidewalks required along each side of property abutting a roadway paid by the developer of the property * On-site parking required @ 2 spaces per residential unit unit * Density would be limited to no more than 10 units/A. unless site design meets additional criteria of city rating system for additional density * At no time should the density of this area be allowed to exceed 17 units per acre due to its close proximity to the traditional residential areas of the Historic District; and to receive the 17 units/A. designation these properties would be required to follow the 15% of units designated as affordable workforce housing criteria. Concerned Friends of Fernandina
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Dredging bids were opened yesterday (delayed from early Dec.) and they came in at the $1.7 - $1.8 million range which seems to be on target. The Marina Director was disappointed in only two bids coming in and indicated that both of them were traditional dredgers - none of the hi-tech dewatering companies submitted a bid.
(If you don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader, get one here.) Passero Associates will be making a major presentation at the Commission meeting on Feb. 1st regarding the reconfiguration plan for the City Marina and its estimated costs. At the Jan. 18th meeting, the Commission directed Passero to remove Dock A from future consideration (dock running perpendicular to shoreline on the south side of the walkway around Brett’s). In addition, they requested Passero to study retaining the existing dock configuration while continuing to meet the requirements of the Big P grant focused on servicing the needs of transient boaters. The Commission deferred an extension of the lease for the Amelia Island Charter Boat Fishing Association until they received the recommendations from the consultant retained by the City, Marina Management Services. Their report is due in February. Passero is still working on the engineering specifications for the moorings project and expects to have that information available soon. _____________**____________
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I, for one, am sick and tired of looking at that gambling boat sitting
right in front of one of the best views on the island. What is the deal?
Can't he tie up at the south end of the dock? Or better yet, on the south
end of the dock in Cleveland. ___________________**_______________
Item A) MARINA DEVELOPMENT OPTION – Steve Simmons and George Vuturo will present a plan to improve the waterside lots north of the City marina as a marina. This item was removed from the agenda by Mr. Simmons and Mr. Vuturo. Item B) MARINA IMPROVEMENT FINANCING OPTIONS – The City Manager will present a financing option to implement all or a portion of the ATM Marina Improvement Plan consistent with the Army Corps of Engineers Permit. The following marina improvements were approved with the understanding that another cost analysis will be presented to the City Commission for further review: • Mooring Fields (no action) • Marina Education Center (required): The City Commission prefers an open-air educational facility/salt marsh with kiosks and signs and/or using the depot building. • Upland timber walkways on top of the pier to be constructed around the entire enhanced marsh. The City Commission requested to review the design and the cost for the walkways. • Marine Welcome Center: The City Commission requested to combine the education center and the welcome center into one building. Mr. Andrew Holseko, Passero Associates, L.L.C., stated that the State of Florida has designated the City as the official Marine Welcome Center and that no guarantees of funds were provided. Commissioner Lamb suggested that city staff contact “Visit Florida” for possible sponsorship. Commissioner Lamb suggested prioritizing the project. • Atlantic Seafood Building/Site: If the boat ramp and the timber walkways are constructed around the entire enhanced marsh area, then the Atlantic Seafood Building will be in the way of the timber walkways. If the City Commission accept the timber walkways, then discussion with the owner for relocating the Atlantic Seafood building would be necessary. • Bretts Structure/Understructure: This would be a separate project: Move the building to the south parking lot to create an open view at the front of Centre Street. • Boat Ramp Relocation: There will be two lanes at the boat ramp, relocated to the south. • Bath House Refurbishment: Build a new building on dry land on top of the deck that is the same size of the existing structure; or refurbish the existing building; with an option to move the building further south on Ash Street to get a better view of area. • South Auto Parking lot: We could possibly use CRA funds for improvements.
The Cost-saving recommendations: • Reduce timber decking: Mr. Holesko stated that the ATM plan was for a 28,000 square foot timber deck. The City could reduce the size and the deck and it would still be very attractive and functional. Reduce the size and reuse some of the concrete pilings in the marina system that is structurally sound. • Reduce or eliminate the bathhouse. • Reduce or eliminate the boat ramp. Approved 4-1 (Nay: Commissioner Lamb) __________________**____________________
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"cfof" are residents of Fernandina Beach, Florida.
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