Nassau County Commissioners could approve 11 85 foot tall residential buildings at the south end of Amelia Island at a county commissioner Monday night.
News4Jax reporter Brie Isom has been speaking to Nassau County residents about the proposed construction.
Residents are saying that not only is some of the land critical wildlife, but the beautiful island will never be the same if this goes through.
Stevie Allen lives in Yulee. She said she doesn’t want there to be 85 foot buildings built on the south end of Amelia Island.
“You’re destroying the character of this island. It’s quiet natural and putting something like this up is going to take away the character,” said Allen.
Riverstone Properties would be the company that would build these 11 buildings. They own around 50 acres of land on the east side of the First Coast Highway in the unincorporated part of the island. That county was sued by the company under the Bert Harris Act.
A proposed settlement between Riverstone Properties and Nassau County would allow previously banned tower heights for the south end of Amelia Island.
According to the settlement. the county would then receive a beach access point.
But Allen said there really would be no beach access.
“That 200 feet is critical wildlife land that we can’t access through March to September, and they’re saying it’s our only access to the beach,” said Allen.
Nassau County residents also voiced their opinions on Facebook.
Robert Westberry writing, “money seems to come before land and animals it seems.”
Leanne Kennsion writing, “our beautiful island is being destroyed by this over development. We DO NOT NEED MORE HIGH COST DEVELOPMENT, we NEED FAMILY ORIENTED, FAMILY AFFORDED HOUSING.”
Residents are expected to voice their opinions in tomorrow night’s meeting.