No exceptions: port says warehouse tent goes back as previously approved

Correction: Option 2 proposed by the port operator would have placed the bigger warehouse tent next to the smaller one in the southeast corner of port complex near Dade and 2nd Street. The Observer reported it was the northeast corner. We regret the error.

In a narrow 3-2 vote, the Ocean Highway and Port Authority (OHPA) last Wednesday has directed port operator Relay Terminals to move its massive fabric warehouse tent to the port's originally designated northeast corner — overruling the operator’s preferred plan to consolidate warehousing in another part of the terminal.

The vote ends a months-long debate over the best location for the large fabric structure, which serves as critical storage for goods coming through the Port of Fernandina. The decision reaffirms OHPA’s original approval of the northeast site, despite operational and logistical concerns raised by Relay Terminals.

OHPA did not authorize the current location of the 22,000-square-foot warehouse tent. It was built a year ago without obtaining the required city of Fernandina Beach building permits and violates numerous building code regulations. In late May, port commissioners told Relay they had to move the structure to the approved location.

Relay added another wrinkle to the warehouse controversy presenting OHPA with a new option — a plan that would move both fabric warehouse tents to the southheast corner instead of the approved location.

During the meeting, Relay pushed hard for that alternate layout — known as Option 2 — that would have placed the larger warehouse closer to the berths and clustered it with a smaller warehouse already in place.

That plan, Relay argued, would streamline cargo movement, reduce visibility from residential areas, and clear the northeast section for long-term development of a new container line. However, it came with a steeper construction price tag and potential internal truck congestion.

The decision requires Relay Terminals to begin relocating the warehouse to the northeast corner as specified, even as the operator warned it could impact terminal efficiency and future growth.