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Commissioners approve abandonment of 30-foot Riverside Drive right-of-way after neighbors object
Summary
By a 3-2 vote the board approved a resolution to close, vacate and abandon a 30-foot portion of unopened right-of-way at the end of Riverside Drive in Fernandina Beach; neighbors raised concerns about possible future development and preservation of tree canopy.
The Nassau County Board of County Commissioners on Monday voted 3-2 to approve a resolution closing, vacating and abandoning a 30-foot portion of unopened right-of-way at the end of Riverside Drive in Fernandina Beach. The application was filed by Commercial Range at Amelia LLC with Jack Heelan as agent.
County planning staff explained the unopened, unimproved strip is adjacent to an existing private subdivision road and that the countys Development Review Committee and utilities raised no objections. Staff said both adjoining parcels are owned by the same entity and, if abandoned, the property would vest to that owner. Planning staff said the site is not tied to any active development application before the county.
Several nearby homeowners spoke to oppose the abandonment. William D. Lisey, who said he owns 3045 Riverside Drive, told commissioners he and his neighbors had bought and built in the R-1 neighborhood expecting residential zoning and said he opposes any rezoning or annexation that could lead to a hotel or other nonresidential uses. Kevin Allen, another resident, asked for assurances that the abandoned right-of-way would not be used as an access route from Riverside Drive into proposed development and asked that existing tree canopy be preserved as a buffer.
County staff said the 30-foot portion under consideration would convert from right-of-way to private land and could be used by a developer in future development proposals; staff added the county would not permit a subdivision to connect into a privately maintained interior subdivision road if the development came through county development review. Staff also noted the 30-foot parcel measures about 0.34 acres and would not by itself be sufficient to host a hotel.
Commissioner McCullough moved approval; Commissioner Farmer seconded. Roll-call votes were: Commissioner Farmer, yes; Commissioner Gray, yes; Commissioner McCullough, yes; Commissioner Martin, no; Chair Huffman, no. The motion carried 3-2.
The abandonment authorizes transfer of the unopened 30-foot right-of-way; any future rezoning, annexation, or development proposal would require separate review and approvals as applicable.
