Waterways commission approves multiple bills: derelict-vessel rules, land-use transmittal, environmental assessment funding, resiliency match and submerged-land

The Jacksonville Waterways Commission on June 12 approved a set of bills and took related votes that the commission said will change vessel enforcement procedures, transmit a large-scale land‑use amendment to the state, fund an environmental assessment of two impaired tributaries, authorize a federal-resiliency grant match, and permit the city to seek a submerged‑land lease for a commercial docking facility.

Highlights

- Derelict/abandoned-vessel ordinance (referred to in the meeting packet as 20250432): The commission approved an ordinance that, according to the presenter, “encodes procedures” covering derelict vessels and a new classification for abandoned vessels, establishes clearer notice and citation timelines, and expands the city’s remediation authorities. The bill was moved and approved by voice vote during the meeting; no roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

- Large-scale land-use transmittal (ordinance 20 25 3 0 7; land-use case L5989-24A): Planning staff presented a transmittal ordinance for about 190.29 acres along Yellowwater Road that proposes changing agricultural and rural-residential land to low-density residential. The application contains roughly 50.6 acres of wetlands; staff said development would require extension of sanitary sewer lines (about 4,400 feet from Normandy Boulevard) and that, if sewer is provided, buildout could allow up to roughly 950 single-family units — the current rural/agricultural yield was estimated at about 94 units. The commission approved transmittal by a recorded voice vote of 9–1.

- Environmental Quality Assessment funding for the Ribault…