Weekly comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin

Fernandina Beach

January 20, 2017 1:00 a.m.

Dale Martin, City Manager

The City Commission has scheduled another meeting to seek public input with regard to waterfront development. The previous meeting on January 10 focused on the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) concept of closing Centre Street to vehicular traffic (not pedestrian) in conjunction with opening Alachua Street for vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

It has been apparent that the City Commission’s efforts are not clear to some. To clarify, in light of the damage sustained by Hurricane Matthew, the City’s purchase of additional waterfront property, the stormwater and tidal issues on Front Street, the desire to re-open Alachua Street, and additional downtown redevelopment opportunities, the City Commission is gathering information, including comments from the public. Despite contentions to the contrary, no votes were scheduled for or taken by the City Commission last week. The City Commission wanted community input with regard to the FDOT concept, and such input was provided. The Commissioners also shared their comments in return.

That input will provide additional direction to the City Commission and, if determined appropriate, a consultant retained to coordinate a waterfront and downtown redevelopment plan. The City Commissioners, both individually and collectively, have indicated on several occasions the desire to actually initiate waterfront and downtown redevelopment that has been considered and languished for many years. They want to develop a plan and then implement the plan.

The Commissioners want public input to help shape the plan. Some have wondered why a plan wasn’t presented in conjunction with the FDOT concept: the City Commission would likely have been taken to task for developing such a plan without public involvement! A draft timetable was presented to the City Commission and staff is working under the provisions of that timetable.

Consultants interested in working with the community have been invited to submit a letter of interest no later than Friday, January 27. I have had discussions and visits from several interested consultants and some of those consultants attended the January 10 City Commission meeting. The City Commission, on February 7, will then review and consider the letters of interest before selecting up to three for further consideration. A final selection is scheduled for March 21.

The selected consultant will then have approximately ninety days to develop a conceptual waterfront redevelopment plan. The consultant will be expected to make use of specific focus groups to assist in the preparation of the plan: such groups as downtown merchants, marina stakeholders, downtown residents, tourists, City Commissioners, City staff, and so on. The goal is to have the preliminary waterfront plan presented to the City Commission on June 20. Following the presentation of the preliminary plan, City Commissioners and the public will be able to offer comments before final consideration of the plan is before the Commissioners on August 1.

I believe that the City Commissioners greatly value the public comments. This Commission strongly desires redevelopment activity in the waterfront area. The challenge before all of us is to build consensus- not unanimity. At a certain point, the Commissioners will make a decision as to what they truly believe is in the best interests of the community. Surprisingly, some people might disagree.

Now that the Commissioners have heard comments associated with Centre Street and what the public apparently doesn’t want, perhaps it is an opportune time for the public to offer insight as to what is desired. At City Commission meetings, comments have indicated that “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” but other comments contend that parking is inadequate, sites are blighted, and streets are flooded.

I encourage interested residents to come to the January 24 City Commission meeting and share what they desire to see in downtown and at the waterfront. What, if any, towns have amenities or features that you’d like to be considered for our community? I believe that such positive examples could provide a foundation for the anticipated redevelopment plan.

This City Commission believes that the waterfront is an underutilized asset to the City and wants to enhance its value and benefit to the community. The Commissioners want this to be a collaborative effort with residents and businesses, and again, is seeking public input- gathering information to help shape the redevelopment of the waterfront. Please share your comments as part of the dialogue with the City Commission on Tuesday, January 24, at 6:00 PM at City Hall.