Concerned Friends of Fernandina

Concerned Friends of Fernandina is a grassroots citizens group formed to inform and involve

residents wanting to preserve the small town identity of Fernandina Beach and its natural beauty.

"With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed." -- Abraham Lincoln

Archives for Crane Island

24 Nov 03

Crane Island To Keep Its 'Preservation' Designation - Nassau County Commissioners voted 3-2 to reject higher-density development on Crane Island, at the Commission's Nov. 24, 2003 meeting. The commission voted to strike two laws from the books they had passed in June, which would have conditionally allowed 226 houses to be built on the pristine land by changing the county's comprehensive plan and Future Land Use Map. Crane Island is classified in the comprehensive plan to be in a "coastal high hazard" area and is zoned wetlands/conservation, or one house per five acres. The developer, Civitas, had asked the County Commission to change that to a residential zoning, claiming that the "wetlands/conservation" designation was an error. The Commission in June had passed an ordinance that would have favored the developer's plans, but on Nov. 24 they voted for rescission of the ordinance -- thereby keeping the Future Land Use Plan intact and keeping the land for conservation. Read the News-Leader article, Click here

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01 Nov 03

Crane Island Landfill - According to a March 1998 warranty deed, the owners of Crane Island have sold the northern portion of the island (35 acres) to the Florida Inland Navigational District (FIND) to be used as a spoil disposal site. It is reported that 33 acres of trees and maritime hammock will be removed by FIND to deposit dredgings from the waterways and channels. A 10 ft. pit will be dug on this site for depositing the spoil, a 4 ft. soil berm will contain the area. The spoil site may be visible from the Shave Bridge as visitors and residents approach Amelia Island on A1A. There is some concern by FAA and other agencies that disposing this spoil, which will include dying marine sealife, will attract excess birdlife to the area and that this poses safety problems for pilots. (see our Links for FIND and Army Corp of Engineers) For Dredge Material Management (DMMA) policy and who to contact Click here

24 Oct 03 (Crane Island page)

Crane Island owners seek to build 143 homes


	Fernandina Beach attorney Buddy Jacobs

An attorney for Crane Island's majority landowners said they won't sue the county if Nassau County Commissioners accept a plan for 83 fewer houses to be built there.

But any number of houses above 37 will require that the commission change the county's future land use map, or FLUM, allowing higher housing densities in coastal "high hazard" areas.

Fernandina Beach attorney Buddy Jacobs of Jacobs and Associates represents Lynwood Willis, Vince Graham and other owners of the island's central and southern sections. He had announced last week that the group would sue for the difference between the assessed value of 37 houses and 226 houses, an amount he estimated to be in the millions

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Nov 03 Crane Island Development - Preserve natural island and water from development. Currently the island is designated Conservation on the Nassau County's Future Land Use (FLUM). This allows a max of 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres. On Nov. 24th, the developers are requesting the County Commissioners to change the FLUM to low density residential, so that the 108 acre site can be developed with a 143 house subdivision. (This is down from the original request to build 226 homes.) The state Dept of Community Affairs (DCA) has upheld the position that this area density should not be changed, since this area is in the Class 1 Coastal High Hazard Hurricane Zone.

Click here to view this unique habitat......and go to our opinion page to read more

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Concerned Friends of Fernandina