County Commissioners Approve $2.8 Million For Amelia Island Parkway Trail: Proclaim March 3-9th As Flood Awareness Week

News

By Michael Hernandez, 3-4-25

YULEE, FLORIDA—The Nassau County Board of Commissioners approved $2.8 million (Agenda D) for construction of the Amelia Island Parkway Trail Segment 3 (South 14^th Street to Bailey Road) and Segment 4 (Bailey Road to 8^th Street) by the lowest bidder, CGC, Inc. at its Feb. 24 meeting.

Phase 1 was completed in fall of 2024. Segment 2 of the Amelia Island Parkway Trail will come before the Nassau Board of Commissioners at the March 10 meeting. Friends of the Amelia Island Trail were also recognized for getting grant funding. 

The motion was made by Commissioner John F. Martin and seconded by Commissioner Klynt A. Farmer.

Proclamation Declaring March 3-9^th As Flood Awareness Week Adopted

The Florida Floodplain Managers Association (FFMA) have declared the week of March 3-9 as Flood Awareness Week to promote awareness and increase knowledge of flood risk, the availability of flood insurance, flood protection methods and how to prepare for emergencies.

Nassau County is a voluntary participant in the National Flood Insurance Program and Community Rating System program that provides residents with the opportunity to protect themselves against flood loss through the purchase of flood insurance and potential flood damage.

Nassau County experiences severe weather in the form of extreme rainfall or tropical system events resulting in flooding in both its costal and river areas. This flooding has caused damage and flood losses to home and building in all areas whether they are high-risk special flood hazard areas or moderate to lower-risk flood zones.

Commissioner Farmer presented the flood awareness proclamation to Nassau County official Sarah Clifton.

Other Commissioner Actions:

• Approved the 2025 Finance Package (Agenda B) and associated resolutions.
• Approved $111,000 (Agenda C) for Pavement Overlay Construction Engineering and Inspection Services with WSB, LLC.
• Authorized the Grant of Easement (Agenda E) from property owners Kenneth F. Freeman and Zachary Scott Mellin described in Book 2642, Page 593 and approved the Road Department to maintain the drainage easement. In July and September, 2025 Nassau County experienced heavy rainfall: a 500-year storm equivalent which revealed opportunities for improvements in drainage and one was Mitchell Road and the Pirate Woods subdivision.
• Approved a maintenance map (Agenda F) for a portion of Clyde Higginbotham Road in Yulee (District 3). Nassau County owns the right of way on both sides of the road.
• Accepted completion (Agenda G) of Amelia Concourse extension as part of Concourse Crossing phase 3 across the 107 intersection and accept 26-month maintenance bond from Century Communications of Florida, LLC and NGM Insurance Company for an amount just over $275,000. 

Upcoming Events:

• Wednesday, March 5: Boy Scout Luncheon Fundraiser @ The Ritz Carleton, 11:30 a.m.
• Thursday, March 6 – Sunday, March 9: 30^th Anniversary of Amelia Car Show.
• Saturday, March 8: Airport Concert Fundraiser for five county charities, 1,000 tickets available.
• Thursday, March13 and Friday, March 14: 9 a.m. led by County Manager Taco Pope: Nassau County Annual Strategic Planning Sessions @ Florida State College of Jacksonville (FSCJ) Red Bean Center Nassau Room (76346 William Burgess Road, Yulee, FL 32097. For more information: Contact 904-530-6020 or email: [email protected].
• Saturday, April 12: 12^th Annual Katelyn’s Ride For Autism “This Ain’t Our First Rodeo,” 10 a.m. lineup/New Location: Hilliard, FL.

Public Comments:

Margaret K.: “I’m speaking on behalf of Conserve Nassau. I want to thank you for acknowledging flood awareness week. We think that is really important. We have been distributing information on flood awareness and public interest has changed. We applaud this effort. We will send out information this week and via other environmental groups in the Nassau conservation network.”

Miriam M. (Fernandina Beach): “I am here to speak to you about developing a noise ordinance for our rapidly growing and changing Nassau County.  My husband and I worked as public servants for greater than 40 years in other areas of the country. We moved 13 times in the 47 years that we have been married. We visited and vacationed here in Nassau County for 20 of those years. We love Nassau County. We serve on many committees relating to civic outreach and development. Florida produced greater than 130 new single-family homes and Nassau County continues to grow at the rate of 6.8 to almost 8 percent. We are not just a rural county anymore. There are a lot of rural communities but three of which are within walking distance of my own house have greater than 800 homes and we live about 30 feet from our neighbors. We need a noise ordinance and I am here to urge dialogue. The public safety of residents is in jeopardy.”

Commissioner Contacts:

• John F. Martin: District 1 (Fernandina Beach): 904-570-2594. Email: [email protected].
• Chair A.M. “Hupp” Huppmann: District 2 (South Amelia Island): 904-319-0686. Email: [email protected]
• Jeff Gray: District 3 (Yulee): 904-570-1946. Email: [email protected]
• Alyson R. McCullough: District 4 (Hilliard): 904-319-0689. Email: [email protected]
• Klynt A. Farmer: District 5 (Callahan): 904-570-1357.  “Email: [email protected].

Nassau County Feb. 24 Meeting Agenda (2 pages):

https://nassaucountyfl.primegov.com/public/portal?fromiframe=true

Nassau County Feb. 24 Watch (33 minutes):

https://nassaufl.granicus.com/player/clip/2050?redirect=true

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Michael Hernandez, is co-founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service and writes for CitizensJournal.net. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor and is editor of the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes.” Mr. Hernandez mentors citizens journalists and can be contacted at [email protected].