Developers propose 55 single-family homes at Liberty Cove; staff flag floodplain, sidewalk and stormwater requirements

Justin Williams, an engineer with Prime AE representing the applicant, told the Nassau County Development Review Committee on Sept. 23 that the project would add 55 single-family homes to the Liberty Cove community on Harvester Street.

The pre-application presentation described Main Street Type C cross sections along Harvester, 60-foot existing right-of-way with a proposed 10-foot additional dedication on the west side, 80-foot-wide lots along the development’s south side and traditional wet-pond stormwater management with at least two low-impact development (LID) techniques.

The proposal matters because county staff said the site must conform to the William Burgess blueprint and other local standards, and staff flagged site-specific constraints — including regulated floodplain mapping, curb-and-gutter requirements, sidewalk and trail widths, traffic-study thresholds and fire-protection needs — that could affect design and construction timing.

Williams said the parcel sits south of William Burgess and just east of previously approved Liberty Cove phases. “This project is part of the Liberty Cove community… We’re proposing 55 units that are all single family,” Williams said, describing lot layout, frontage and the proposed street connections to Liberty Crossing.

Constance Lake of the Building Department said the site falls inside regulated floodplain mapping. “This area does deal with the regulated floodplain. It falls entirely within panel 351G. I would recommend removing panel 335F,” Lake said, and added that one-hundred-year base flood elevations (BFEs) and floodway data may be required where applicable.

Caleb Hurst of Development Services walked through blueprint and Land Development Code references that will drive specific engineering requirements. Hurst said cross sections must match the William Burgess blueprint, pedestrian zones must be included, and multiuse trails are required in new development under the blueprint. “Traffic studies are required for developments that generate over 250 trips per day,” Hurst said, noting applicants must either show they are under that threshold or submit a traffic study. He also cited minimum sidewalk and trail widths: six feet for sidewalks and 10 feet for trails, and noted utilities must be placed underground.

Hurst and other staff emphasized that, per the blueprint, the county would not accept an open swale where a curb-and-gutter cross section is required. He said the sidewalk on the east side of Harvester might be deferred until adjacent property develops, but the county expects curb-and-gutter construction along Harvester rather than leaving an open swale.

Thomas Ford of Fire Rescue said emergency-access and water availability will be priorities. “We need a 20-foot, all-weather surface stabilized roadway to get in and out for emergency access. We also need fire water as soon as possible for fire protection, preferably before anything goes vertical,” Ford said.

The county health department was not present but submitted comments relayed by staff: applicants must file an application and fees with the health department and provide a letter of availability from JEA for water and sewer.

No formal approvals or votes were taken at the DRC; the committee serves in an advisory role and provides recommendations to department heads. County staff told the applicant that comprehensive technical reviews will occur after formal submittal of preliminary binding site plans, site-engineering plans, final development plans or plats.

Next steps: the applicant may revise plans to address staff comments and submit formal applications for comprehensive review and department-head approvals.