Planning board recommends Timber to Tides transect rezoning after neighbors urge protection for Paramount Adaptive Riding Center

The Nassau County Planning and Zoning Board on Oct. 7 recommended approval of a comprehensive-plan amendment and companion rezoning that would convert roughly 3,000 acres west of I‑95 in Yulee from agricultural to a series of Timber to Tides transect districts.

The recommendation followed more than an hour of public comment from neighbors, volunteers and service providers who said the proposed transect map could surround Paramount Adaptive Riding Center — a nonprofit therapeutic equine program — with new residential development and reduce the center’s ability to operate and expand. The board voted 5-0 to forward the proposal to the Board of County Commissioners with a recommendation of approval.

Staff said the amendment implements the Timber to Tides design overlay adopted earlier in 2025 and assigns transect designations (T1 through T7.5) based on wetlands, existing uses and planned mobility linkages. Elizabeth Bach, planner with the Nassau County Planning Department, described a context-sensitive approach that places natural-resource transects over large wetland systems and higher-intensity transects where infrastructure and nodes exist. "The way that the transects were selected was done in a context sensitive basis as to what would be appropriate in those locations," Bach told the board.

Why it matters: The Timber to Tides rezoning is a large, county-led implementation of a multi-year corridor and master-plan process intended to shape growth along State Road 200. It would change allowed uses, density ranges and design standards over thousands of acres and will go next to the Board of County Commissioners and, as applicable, state review.

What supporters and neighbors said: Several speakers said Paramount Adaptive Riding Center, which provides equine-assisted services for children, veterans and adults with disabilities, depends on a quiet, undeveloped buffer to operate safely and effectively. Krista Jurkovich, who identified herself as the founder and operator of Paramount Adaptive Riding Center, said her program now serves "approximately 50 to 60 individuals on an average week" and that surrounding rezoning to higher-density residential would remove room for the program to grow. "With this rezoning, we have nowhere to expand," Jurkovich said.

Volunteer and veteran supporters described the program’s community role. Tony Jurkovich, who volunteers at the center, said Paramount hosts veterans’ retreats and serves clients with post-traumatic stress disorder and other needs. Janelle Brumbaugh, who identified herself as a chief stationed at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and as a volunteer, called Paramount "a therapeutic sanctuary" and urged the board to consider the long-term effect on program clients if the site is surrounded by development.

Developer response and next steps: Lehi Hinton, representing Rainier (a large local landowner/developer named in the record), said Rainier and Radiant — the applicant for the county-sponsored rezoning — are "fully committed to working with [Paramount] to ensure that their operations are not harmed as plans advance." Hinton told the board he had spoken with Paramount’s operator and committed to meeting to discuss buffers and protections.

Process and limits: Staff and several board members emphasized that the Planning and Zoning Board’s action is a recommendation; final decisions will be made by the Board of County Commissioners and may require state review for comprehensive-plan amendments. Elizabeth Bach clarified that the transect rezoning under consideration does not itself change zoning on property already owned and operated by Paramount: "This action or potential action could not change the zoning and land use on the Paramount site," she said.

Board action: Board member Morris moved to recommend approval of R25‑012 (the rezoning implementing transects) and the related CPA (CPA 25‑021); board member Flick seconded. The motion passed by voice vote 5-0 (Board members Erickson, Morris, Flick, Brantley and Chair Blue voting "yes").

What’s next: The Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation will be forwarded to the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners for public hearings and final action. If approved, site-specific development reviews will apply county community-based design standards, wetland protections and site-development requirements at the time of any future project application.