A proposed Turner Ace Hardware warehouse near Fernandina Beach faces hurdles over road access and fire protection after a Nassau County review.

County Committee Reviews Four Projects at Sept. 1 Meeting

The county's Development Review Committee, a technical advisory body that recommends actions to county department heads, reviewed four development projects at its Sept. 1 meeting at the James S. Page Governmental Complex, Nassau NewsLine reported. Three were pre-application discussions. A fourth received a recommendation for final approval.

Warehouse Plan Draws Staff Concerns Over Access and Water Supply

James K. Johns of Solid Rock Engineering, acting as agent for Turner Ace Hardware Fernandina LLC, presented preliminary plans for two warehouses at 3070 South Eighth St. The commercially zoned site already has a vacant warehouse.

County planning staff said the project will need a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Board, or PZB, because warehouses are not permitted outright in the commercial intensive zoning district.

Staff recommended the site not be granted access to Cashon Road, an unconstructed local road near residences. Instead, staff directed the applicant toward State Road 200, which would require a Florida Department of Transportation permit.

The property also lacks public water service. The applicant will need to coordinate with the county fire marshal's office on alternative fire suppression, such as an on-site water tank, before submitting detailed site plans.

Wildlight Expansion Heads Toward County Commission Vote

Engineering firm England-Thims & Miller, representing agent Jon-Michael Barquin on behalf of property owner Raydient LLC, presented plans for a single-family residential development in Wildlight's southern planning area, south of State Road 200 and west of Liberty Cove.

The project would add 340 to 350 lots across two phases. Phase one would connect to Liberty Crossing. Phase two would extend north to Mentoria Road.

A comprehensive plan amendment is expected before the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners around Sept. 14, along with a related land-use amendment and planned development plan. As part of the amendment, wellhead parcels owned by the Jacksonville Electric Authority, or JEA, would be deeded to the developer in exchange for preserving other conservation areas.

Liberty Cove Phase 2 Plat Wins Committee Approval

The committee recommended technical approval of the preliminary plat for Liberty Cove Phase 2, Unit 1, which would add 167 single-family lots. Agent Justin Williams, P.E., represented owner Liberty Cove Nassau LLC. All department representatives reported no outstanding issues.

The engineering firm also presented plans to extend Wild Acres Trail to serve future development and a planned county park, connecting a roundabout off Rufe Lake Parkway to the park entrance.

Next Steps for Both Projects

The Wildlight comprehensive plan amendment is expected before the Board of County Commissioners around Sept. 14. The Turner Ace Hardware project must still obtain a conditional use permit from the PZB; no hearing date has been set.