City Commission rejects LDC amendments to combine lots in economic development areas

April 20, 2016 12:44 p.m.

Local businessmen George Sheffield, David Caples, and architect John Cotner address commission in support of LDC amendment.

Tuesday night's City Commission meeting opened to a packed house. On the agenda was a proclamation for Earth Day, a presentation by Advanced Disposal about the rising costs of recycling, a zoning change for the movie theatre shopping center, a discussion about the operation of the dive shop at the Atlantic Avenue Rec. Center, and a couple of proposed Land Development Code Amendments.

One of the properties identified in proposed LDC change. Aerial view east on Atlantic Avenue toward Main Beach.

What drew the crowd was one of those Land Development Code Amendments; one that pertained to the combining of lots along S. Fletcher Ave. At issue was whether to amend the Land Development Code (LDC) to allow the combining of commercial lots into a single lot that is more than 100' wide. Currently, the Code prohibits combining lots along S. Fletcher and it also imposes a 35' height restriction. Those two restrictions make it nearly impossible to build large scale commercial buildings.

John Cotner renderings of possible designs.

The issue came before the Commission in response to applications made to the Planning Dept. by local residents David Caples (for a multi-use development at S. Fletcher and Atlantic Avenues) and George Sheffield and Lowell Hall (for a restaurant and bar between the Hammerhead and Hall's Beach Store, at S. Fletcher Ave. and Sadler Rd.). Approval of both their applications had been previously recommended by both the Planning Advisory Board and the Planning Dept.

Looking east on Atlantic Avenue.

This is not the first time this issue has come before the Commission. In 2014, the Planning Dept. proposed the creation of three economic development nodes for the commercially zoned properties that are located at Fletcher and Atlantic, Fletcher and Sadler and a commercial area just south of the Surf Restaurant. The Planning Advisory Board recommended approval then also, but the City Commission rejected the proposal.

Looking West, south of Main Beach. Proposal involved property to the north of Elizabeth Pointe Lodge.

On Tuesday night, Mayor Miller opened the public hearing and 10 citizens, including former Mayor and Commissioner Ron Sapp, addressed the Commission, along with applicants Caples, Sheffield and Hall, and local Architect John Cotner, who had provided elevation drawings of the proposed Caples project.

Julie Ferreira and former commissioner Ron Sapp spoke in opposition to proposed change.

Except for the applicants and John Cotner, all who spoke were opposed to making the change in the LDC. The opposition centered around the fear that allowing the combining of lots would be the first step in the eventual elimination of restrictions on large scale developments along the beach. The sentiment was that the change would lead to the “Daytona Beachification” of Fernandina, with large condominiums and hotels eventually lining the beach. They cited the intentional work done by previous Commissions to put restrictions in place to prevent such large scale development.

Proponents cited the fact that the change was limited to only the three commercial zoning clusters at Atlantic, Sadler and near the Surf, and that those zones already have commercial development, some of which exceed the 100' lot width restriction. The change, they pointed out, would not affect any residential zoning. Architect Cotner also pointed out an apparent inconsistency in the LDC, that at Fletcher and Atlantic, combining lots along Atlantic Ave. is allowed, but just around the corner on Fletcher, combining lots is not allowed. Cotner noted that none of the other restrictions in place, such as the 35' height limit, would be changed.

After the public input, the Commissioners weighed the pros and cons. Commissioners Poynter and Lentz favored the change while Commissioner Kreger opposed it. Commissioner Smith advocated putting the issue on the ballot in November as a referendum question. Mayor Miller, waiting until after the other Commissioners had expressed their views, sought clarification about exactly where the lots in question were and whether the LDC change would also apply to the commercial properties east of Fletcher, along the beach. Senior Planner Kelly Gibson, representing the Planning Dept., said the change would apply to properties east of Fletcher, along the beach. Miller then asked if it was possible to NOT include the properties along the beach, even though they are in the same zoning category. Gibson replied that that was possible, opening the door to a possible compromise, whereby only properties on the west side of Fletcher would be affected by the LDC change. The compromise did not advance, however, and Mayor Miller sided with Commissioners Kreger and Smith to defeat the measure.

Editor's Note: Eric Bartelt retired as a corporate design consultant and moved to Fernandina Beach in 2004. His previously lived in Wisconsin. Since Eric's arrival in Fernandina Beach, he spends his time volunteering. We thank Eric for his contributions to the Fernandina Observer.