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City and county to coordinate an island‑wide stormwater master plan after October storm
Summary
City utilities staff proposed an updated, basin‑level stormwater master plan for Amelia Island and asked the county to coordinate because drainage systems cross jurisdictional lines; staff seek a living hydraulic model to prioritize investments.
Andre Desile, utilities director for the City of Fernandina Beach, told the joint meeting that the city will update its stormwater master plan — last done in 2017 — and requested coordination with Nassau County so the island’s drainage network is treated on a basin‑wide basis.
Desile said the October storm exposed system vulnerabilities and that prior plans focused on nine discrete areas. The proposed update would create a living, model‑based approach that allows engineers and planners to test how a new development or an upgrade in one place affects downstream properties across city and county boundaries. He said improved mapping and data collected since 2017 make a basin approach practical.
Staff identified priority problem areas for the island, including Old Town/Lisa Avenue/North Fletcher, Via Del Rey/City Golf Course neighborhoods, and county jurisdictions such as the Amelia Road/Simmons intersection, Fourteenth Street/Amelia Plaza and portions of Satrana/Sea Bluff. City staff said the city has budgeted funds this fiscal year to begin the master‑plan update and will engage consultants to advise on phasing and whether the work should be a joint, single‑contract study or phased projects aligned with city/county budgets.
Desile emphasized the operational benefit of a shared model: when future development proposals or grant opportunities arise, planners could plug in proposed changes and see systemwide impacts rather than treating each project in isolation.
