Fernandina Beach Harbor Master Plan Proposal Targets Amelia River Waterfront Redevelopment

The proposed Harbor Master Plan study area spans nearly one mile of the Amelia River waterfront. Phase 1 (outlined in red) focuses on 9 privately owned parcels, while Phase 2 (outlined in yellow) expands the planning effort to the full harbor from the Port of Fernandina Beach to South Front Street.

By Mike Lednovich/Editor

Fernandina Beach may soon begin a sweeping, multi-phase effort to reimagine nearly a mile of its working waterfront along the Amelia River under a new Harbor Master Plan proposal submitted to the city.

Jacksonville-based engineering and planning firm Moffatt & Nichol submitted a proposal on Feb. 11 to Deputy City Manager Glenn Akramoff. The proposal outlines a phased redevelopment and modernization strategy for the harbor area, which extends from the Port of Fernandina Beach south to properties along South Front Street.

The planning area encompasses a mix of public and privately owned parcels, as well as in-water marine structures that support maritime, industrial, recreational, and waterfront-related activities.

The consulting firm outlines a two-phase approach for the project.

Phase 1 focuses on nine individually owned parcels highlighted in red on the consultant’s map (see photo above). Work would include:

• Establishing a comprehensive baseline of existing conditions.

• Compiling mapping and site data.

• Interviewing city department heads.

• Engaging private property owners.

Phase 1 can be approved under the authority of City Manager Sarah Campbell. Moffatt & Nichol would prepare up to two initial waterfront concepts addressing land use, in-water facilities, open space, parking, utilities, and overall waterfront activation. These alternatives would be evaluated through a comparison matrix and presented to the city for comment before finalizing an Initial Waterfront Alternatives and Implementation Strategies package.

Phase 1 carries a lump-sum fee of $50,000, according to the proposal. During last week's City Commission Strategy Session, Akramoff gave commissioners a progress update on the proposal. He has already spoken with the property owners north of the marina.

Phase 1 focus is on private property owned parcels.

"One of the interesting things is most of them are older, and there's a common theme about legacy through all of the property owners there," Akramoff said. "So, we're exploring what that really means for them, and that is an individual thing for each of them. This first phase will involve talking with them and gaining an understanding of their perspectives."

Phase 2, which would require separate authorization from the City Commission, would expand the study to the full harbor waterfront area shown in yellow on the project map. This phase would incorporate broader community outreach, including a dedicated waterfront planning website and two public work sessions designed to gather feedback and refine a preferred alternative.

"In the latest concept that we talked about with Passero, the marina store and office that's out on the concrete pier, we talked about that going away, temporarily moving the store into the boater's lounge," City Manager Campbell told commissioners. "We know we have the boater's lounge and marina manager's office. We have the locker room and maintenance building, laundry facilities next to that. In the concepts we've been discussing, we did not talk about putting something back on the waterfront. However, we do have physical facility needs in that area. I expect the Harbor Master Plan will address the need for a building of some sort to accommodate marine operations. Where we go from there depends a lot on community input and your feedback."

The consulting firm has outlined final deliverables that would include:

Phase 2 looks at the city owned property.

• An illustrative site plan.

• Functional diagrams.

• Project phasing strategies.

• Initial order-of-magnitude construction cost estimates.

• Grant writing and financing approaches.

• An implementation strategy.

"When you're looking at a holistic approach, it really comes to light on the waterfront. It's basically now a blank slate. For good or evil, that's what it is. Certain buildings have failed or been removed in recent history, and there's nothing we can do about that today. However, we can build a different future," Akramoff said.

"And when you look at all of our master plans, the waterfront is the lead-up to the Harbor Master Plan. We have an opportunity to create something different. One of the things that attracted me to live and work here is the fact that this community has recreated itself at least five times in its history. We're now looking at number six."

The final Harbor Master Plan would then be presented to the City Commission at a regularly scheduled council meeting for approval.

The consultant’s scope of work includes assembling available survey and mapping data, reviewing previous waterfront plans, evaluating regulations and environmental constraints, and incorporating sea level rise and resilience data into the planning framework.

The proposal emphasizes strengthening “physical and functional connections” between the waterfront, recreational areas, and downtown Fernandina Beach.

Phase 1 tasks are projected to take approximately 16 weeks, including:

• Four weeks for existing conditions analysis.

• Four weeks for program and planning framework development.

• Eight weeks for preparation of initial alternatives.

A timeline for Phase 2 would be established if authorized by the City Commission.

Moffatt & Nichol is an international engineering firm that has completed major waterfront projects in Anacortes, Washington, as well as Huntington Beach and Santa Monica, California.

The harbor corridor represents one of Fernandina Beach’s most economically and historically significant assets, serving commercial shipping, shrimping heritage, marina operations, waterfront businesses, and public recreational uses. The proposal signals the city’s interest in taking a comprehensive, long-term planning approach rather than addressing waterfront improvements on a parcel-by-parcel basis.

If approved, the Harbor Master Plan would provide the first integrated vision for the Amelia River waterfront in years, potentially guiding redevelopment decisions, public infrastructure investments, and private property coordination across the harbor district.