Waterfront advisory board asks commission to pause Phase 2 park spending until board input

The City of Fernandina Beach Waterfront Advisory Board voted April 27 to ask the city commission not to proceed with spending on design for Phase 2 of the Amelia River Waterfront Park until the advisory board has had meaningful input.

At the meeting, staff presented a concept for the park’s northern expansion and gave a rough opinion of probable cost of about $700,000. Several board members and waterfront users said the presentation did not address long-standing problems with maneuvering at the marina boat ramp. One member moved “that we ask the city commission not to move forward with any money spent on that before we have an opportunity to provide some input” and another member seconded the motion. The board approved the motion by voice vote.

Board members said the perimeter design and additional park amenities are attractive but emphasized that functional boat access and traffic flow must be prioritized before spending continues on design. Staff told the board they had authorized design work and would send the full PDF of plans to board members for further comment; staff also said they would coordinate with the city manager and determine whether commission direction is needed.

Board and public speakers suggested several possible changes to reduce traffic conflicts at the ramp, including creating a staging lane adjacent to parking, modifying curb geometry, or reconfiguring Center/Front Street traffic flow. Staff said some work may be funded with impact fees but also noted impact-fee rules limit uses to park expansion and similar capital projects, so a tie-in to boat-ramp improvements required further clarification.

The board’s motion is advisory; it asks the commission to pause further spending on Phase 2 design until the Waterfront Advisory Board’s feedback is received and considered.